PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Opium Opiate (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cobalt Khalil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Opiate
vs
Khalil

186 cm
18
164 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
25
143 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Opium Opiate!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Cobalt Khalil!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Joseph Jones and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Opiate tries to clinch up but Khalil circles away and keeps his distance.

Khalil shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Opiate manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Opiate is looking for a triangle but Khalil pushes his legs off easily.
Opiate has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Opiate is trying to control the position but Khalil postures up.
Khalil wants to control from the top but Opiate keeps moving.
Opiate looking to hit a scissor sweep but Khalil is one step ahead there.
Khalil advances position into side control!
Opiate is trying to escape the position but Khalil is controlling the position.
Opiate on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Opiate tries to get out of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Opiate is trying to get back to half guard.
Khalil controls the position.
Khalil scores with punches from side control.
A lull in the action here.
Khalil is looking to take a break and control but Opiate is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Khalil just content to control the position.
Opiate takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khalil in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Khalil cracks Opiate with a big elbow.
Khalil is looking to take a break and control but Opiate is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Khalil wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Opiate, who protects the arm well.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Opiate parries the strikes from Khalil easily there. Khalil is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Opiate to escape.
Khalil in side control lands a decent elbow.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Khalil scoring with punches and elbows.
Opiate tries to buck Khalil off but Khalil is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khalil in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Khalil avoids the strikes from the bottom by Opiate.
Khalil creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Opiate sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Khalil working the ground and pound.
Khalil controlling the position.
Khalil has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Opiate tries to improve position but can't.
Khalil working the head with strikes.
Opiate tries to bench press Khalil off him but Khalil keeps the position.
Khalil happy to just control the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Khalil decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Khalil blocks a head kick by Opiate.

Opiate closes the distance and clinches.
Opiate lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Opiate has a couple of punches blocked by Khalil.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Opiate misses with a punch to the body.
Khalil avoiding damage as Opiate throws knees to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Khalil takes a knee to the side of the body.
Opiate comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Opiate lands an elbow inside.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Khalil as Opiate tries to tie him up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cobalt Khalil dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Opiate fails with an attempt to clinch.

Khalil throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Opiate was covering up waiting for the punch and Khalil finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Khalil working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Opiate utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Khalil connects with a couple of short punches.
Khalil throws a big elbow that misses.
Khalil wants to control from the top but Opiate keeps moving.
Opiate wants to control the position but Khalil says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Khalil looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Opiate with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Khalil. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Khalil not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Opiate knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Khalil on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalil seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Opiate does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Khalil is nestled in close to Opiate, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Nice strikes from Khalil there.
Opiate regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Khalil.
Khalil trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Opiate avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Khalil postures up.
Khalil is working Opiate over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Khalil missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Opiate working a defensive guard here.
Khalil tries to free his leg and advance position but Opiate is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khalil trying to control the position from guard on top but Opiate is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Opiate has momentary wrist control but Khalil slips an elbow through the middle.
Khalil postures up and lands a big shot to Opiate's brow.
Khalil connects with a couple of short punches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Khalil chips away with some ground and pound.
Opiate is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Khalil trying to control but Opiate is working from the bottom.
Khalil is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Opiate controls Khalil momentarily but Khalil frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Opiate is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Khalil landing some decent shots from guard.
Khalil throwing strikes but missing.
Khalil with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Khalil's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Khalil throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Opiate works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Khalil scoring with some ground and pound.
Opiate is trying to control the position but Khalil postures up.
Opiate tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khalil trying to control the position from guard on top but Opiate is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Khalil slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Opiate keeping moving, preventing Khalil from controlling successfully.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Cobalt Khalil.
Opiate throws a head kick that Khalil semi-blocks.

It looks like Cobalt Khalil has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Opiate fails with an attempt to clinch.
Opiate buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Opiate throws a body punch but Khalil moves out of range.

Khalil closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Opiate did well to prevent Khalil getting side control.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Khalil connects with a nice short shot to Opiate's temple.
Khalil controlling the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cobalt Khalil showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Cobalt Khalil's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Opiate misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Khalil decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Opiate's guard.
Khalil trying to control but Opiate is working from the bottom.
Khalil sitting in guard here, content to control.
Opiate thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Opiate is pulling down on Khalil's head to control his posture.

Opiate looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Khalil landing some decent shots from guard.
Khalil keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Opiate's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalil controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Opiate has momentary wrist control but Khalil slips an elbow through the middle.
Opiate wants to sweep here but Khalil controlling him for the moment.
Opiate is working hard here to advance position.
Khalil advances position into side control!
Opiate tries to buck Khalil off but Khalil is having none of it.
Opiate struggling a bit here.
Khalil lands a decent elbow from side control.
Cobalt Khalil is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

Khalil decides to take the fight back to the feet.
No luck for Khalil with that takedown attempt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Opiate throws a solid leg kick but Khalil takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Opiate.
Opiate tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Khalil counters with a nice double leg into side control. Opiate won't be happy with that.
Khalil is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Opiate will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khalil lands a nice forearm strike.
Opiate is trying to control Khalil's posture but Khalil avoids it.
Opiate is looking to regain half guard here but Khalil keeps moving and retains side control.
Opiate takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Khalil controlling the position.
Opiate tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khalil looks up at the clock and then as Opiate takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Khalil smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

Khalil looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Khalil works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Opium Opiate has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cobalt Khalil has got the better of the ground game so far.
Opiate gets back to half guard.
Khalil prevents Opiate from improving his position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Khalil trying to control the pace.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Opiate is staying active underneath Khalil, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cobalt Khalil comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Khalil winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cobalt Khalil!