PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Anwar Sadat (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zhelin Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sadat
vs
Li

165 cm
25
155 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

171 cm
28
160 lbs
4 - 4 - 1

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Counter fighter
Powerful

Milwaukee's Best 160

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 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Anwar Sadat!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Zhelin Li!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sadat scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
We've been hearing good reports from Sadat's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Sadat tries to move into full mount but can't pass Li's legs.

Sadat tries for a kimura but Li is defending well.
Sadat tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Sadat trying to control the position but Li is working away.
You can see the frustration on Li's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Sadat tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Sadat tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Li is trying to control Sadat's posture but Sadat avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sadat trying to control the position but Li is working away.
Li is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Li manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Li is working for a submission of some sort.
Li is looking to advance position but Sadat won't allow it.
Li trying to control the action but Sadat is working from the bottom.
Li prevents Sadat from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Li is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sadat defends it well.

Li is looking for a kimura here.
Li trying to control the action but Sadat is working from the bottom.
Sadat wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Li seems to be looking for submissions.

Li is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Li throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sadat slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Sadat keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.
Sadat bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Li's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Li is looking for a triangle but Sadat pushes his legs off easily.

Li looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Sadat tries to free his leg and advance position but Li is retaining full guard.
Sadat advances position into side control!
Sadat wants to control but Li is keeping him busy.

Sadat working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Sadat looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Li is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Sadat's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Anwar Sadat will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Sadat gets caught napping as Li dives in and scores a takedown. Sadat manages to retain guard.
Zhelin Li has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sadat is adopting a defensive guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Li looking to pass the guard.
Li trying to control the position from guard on top but Sadat is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Zhelin Li.
Li keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sadat throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Li sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Li looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Sadat!
Li throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Li is looking to take a break and control but Sadat is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sadat is trying to get back to half guard.
Li trying to control the action but Sadat is working from the bottom.
Sadat gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sadat is refusing to be controlled, as Li sits in half guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Zhelin Li has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Sadat manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Li on his heels. He'll look to pass Li's guard now, I'm sure.
Sadat passes Li's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Sadat wants to take a breather but Li is having none of it.

Sadat seems to be working for a kimura but Li defends the submission attempt.
Li wants to control but Sadat is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li is looking to get back to full guard here but Sadat has managed to pass to side control instead.
Sadat tries to move to mount but Li blocks the move with his legs.
Li tries to get back to half guard but can't.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Sadat looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Li tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sadat wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zhelin Li showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sadat looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Li!

Sadat is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Li has escaped the position, nice work there.
Li struggling a bit here.
Li prevents Sadat from moving into mount.
Li is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Li trying to control but Sadat postures up.
Sadat trying to control the action but Li is working from the bottom.
Li wants to improve his position but Sadat is controlling well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Li looking for submissions off his back.
Sadat prevents Li from improving his position.
Li has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Li manages to get to full guard.
Sadat stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Li swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sadat wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.
Sadat passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Li wants to control but Sadat postures up.
Sadat trying to control the position but Li is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sadat looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Li tries to buck Sadat off but Sadat is having none of it.
Sadat tries to advance to mount but can't.
Li tries to improve position but can't.
Li trying his best to control but Sadat has mounted him.
Li is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Sadat with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Li working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sadat working for a guillotine from mount but Li is in no mood to give up.
Sadat prevents Li from getting the reversal.
Sadat wants to control the pace but Li is squirming around nicely.
Sadat is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Li is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Sadat fails to advance to Li's back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sadat looking to control but Li is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Li sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Sadat trying to pass the guard but Li defending well.
Li is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Li is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Sadat's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Sadat's back!

Li looking to finish the fight with a rear naked choke. Sadat is controlling Li 's left arm and he spins nicely into guard.
Sadat looking to pass the guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Li is looking to sweep but instead, Sadat has passed into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anwar Sadat showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sadat has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Anwar Sadat!