PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Khalid Albabba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Simeon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Albabba
vs
Simeon

181 cm
26
195 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
184 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Khalid Albabba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, James Simeon!
The judges for this bout are Ben Watson, Winston Howard and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Albabba closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Simeon did well to prevent Albabba getting side control.
Albabba controlling the pace.
Albabba is nestled in close to Simeon, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Simeon wants to get back to his feet.
Albabba looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Simeon with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Albabba stalling.
Albabba is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Simeon misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Albabba wants to work for an arm triangle but Simeon is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Albabba drops an elbow to the side of Simeon's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Simeon trying to hold on to Albabba's head to control him but Albabba postures up.
Simeon is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Albabba trying to pass the guard but Simeon defending well.
Albabba seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Simeon does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Albabba throws a strike but Simeon avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Simeon is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Albabba passes into half guard.
Albabba controlling the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Simeon wants to improve his position but Albabba is controlling well.
Still in half guard, Albabba seems content to control.
Albabba thows a huge punch but Simeon dodges it nicely.
Simeon is trying to stand up here but Albabba is controlling him well.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Albabba is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Simeon's half guard.
Albabba looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Albabba trying to control the pace.
We've been hearing that Albabba has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Simeon wants to improve his position but Albabba is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Simeon has hold of Albabba's hands but Albabba slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Simeon regains full guard. Nicely done.
Albabba sitting in guard here, content to control.
Albabba trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Albabba is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Albabba closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Albabba lands in his opponent's guard.
Albabba controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Albabba looking to sit in guard and control but Simeon gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Khalid Albabba dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Albabba shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Albabba was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Simeon is working to avoid the ground and pound but Albabba connects with a decent elbow.
Albabba tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Simeon is trying to control Albabba's posture but Albabba avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Albabba is looking to take a break and control but Simeon is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Albabba tries to advance position but instead Simeon slips a leg back in to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Simeon trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Albabba is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Simeon can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Albabba looking to control and managing it successfully.
Simeon looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Simeon tries to hold on but Albabba postures up.
Simeon tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Albabba looking to finish Simeon with some ground and pound. This is bad for Simeon!
Albabba looking to control but Simeon is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Albabba scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Albabba tries to control but Simeon wriggling away.
Albabba controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Albabba looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Albabba cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

Albabba looking for a guillotine from mount but Simeon is having none of it.
Albabba lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Simeon hang on?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Albabba takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Simeon really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Albabba goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Simeon is on top in guard.
Simeon wants to control from the top but Albabba keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Albabba trying to control the position here.
Albabba has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Simeon trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Albabba looking for a sweep. Not yet Albabba, not yet.
Simeon content to stall in guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Khalid Albabba dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Albabba scores with a takedown into Simeon's guard.
Albabba knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Simeon on the ground.
Simeon controls Albabba momentarily but Albabba frees himself.
Albabba throws a big elbow that misses.
Albabba is in close to Simeon's body, working some short punches and elbows.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Albabba working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Simeon's head.
Khalid Albabba overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Albabba forces his way into half guard.
Simeon manages to get to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Albabba accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Simeon wants to stand but Albabba is controlling the position.
Albabba is stalling in the full guard.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Albabba.
Albabba scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Albabba trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Albabba is working Simeon over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Albabba drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Simeon dives on top into guard.

Albabba controlling the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Simeon accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Albabba holds on and takes a little breather.
Albabba manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Simeon manages to get himself to full guard.

Albabba has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Albabba content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Simeon not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Albabba trying to control the position from guard on top but Simeon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Albabba with a nice head shot there.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Albabba accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Albabba showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Albabba seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Simeon for as long as he can get away with.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Albabba fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Simeon sprawls well initially but Albabba persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Khalid Albabba is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Albabba not doing much here.
Simeon avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Albabba.
Albabba has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Albabba content just to control the position here.
James Simeon has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Khalid Albabba showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Albabba has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ben Watson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Khalid Albabba!
Khalid Albabba thanked the fans post fight for their support.