PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jimmie Connor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raheem Nazir (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Connor
vs
Nazir

190 cm
28
214 lbs
6 - 8 - 0

185 cm
20
210 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Jimmie Connor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Raheem Nazir!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Sam Margolis and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nazir slaps away a takedown attempt from Connor, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Connor gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Nazir wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Connor is trying to pull guard but Nazir has him pressed against the cage.
Nazir is looking to take this one to the mat.
Connor changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Nazir fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jimmie Connor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nazir is trying hard to land a takedown here. Connor sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Connor tries to keep at a distance but Nazir has taken the fight into the clinch.
Nazir fails to pull guard.

Connor breaks from the clinch.
Nazir looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Connor will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Nazir tries to keep at a distance but Connor has taken the fight into the clinch.
Nazir has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Connor after a bit of a struggle.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Connor.

Connor manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Nazir stands up over Connor, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Connor is trying to keep Nazir in close.
Nazir trying to control but Connor is working from the bottom.
Connor utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nazir is looking to work some ground and pound but Connor has wrist control.
Nazir wants to control from the top but Connor keeps moving.
Connor preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nazir wanted to stand there but Connor had control of the position.
Nazir must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Nazir lands a couple of elbows.
Connor controlling Nazir's posture.
Nazir trying to control but Connor is working from the bottom.
Nazir scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nazir trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Connor is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Connor holds on and takes a little breather.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Nazir shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Connor but Connor pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Nazir with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Connor to score with a decent uppercut.

Connor gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Connor drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nazir wants a takedown but no success here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Connor manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Connor looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Connor looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Connor lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Connor stops Nazir from standing up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nazir working a defensive guard here.
Connor passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmie Connor 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.

Nazir tries to close the distance and clinch up but Connor swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nazir tries to close the distance and clinch up but Connor swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Connor shoots for a double leg takedown but Nazir sprawls well. He's pushed Connor's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Nazir let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Nazir tries to score a power double leg takedown but Connor sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Nazir somewhat.
Connor scores with a body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Connor looks for a takedown but Nazir sprawls well.
Nazir misses with a hook
and Connor makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Nazir tries to score a power double leg takedown but Connor sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Nazir somewhat.
Jimmie Connor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nazir closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Nazir tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Connor defends well and Nazir ends up having to push Connor into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Jimmie Connor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raheem Nazir.
Connor jabs Nazir to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Nazir closes this distance looking for a takedown but Connor circles away.

Connor closes the distance and clinches.

Connor successfully pulls guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nazir pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Connor is keeping the position for now.
Nazir trying to control but Connor is working from the bottom.
Nazir is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Connor had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Nazir defends it easily.
Connor bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nazir's guard.

Nazir is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Nazir looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Connor throwing strikes from guard but Nazir blocks nicely.
Connor sitting in guard, not really doing much.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Nazir can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Connor trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Connor is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Nazir tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Connor is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Connor is looking to work some ground and pound but Nazir has wrist control.
Connor is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nazir can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Connor seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Nazir working a defensive guard but Connor passes into half guard.
Connor is controlling the pace.
Connor seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Nazir for as long as he can get away with.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Connor prevents Nazir from improving his position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmie Connor 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. And we move into the final round!

Nazir misses with a series of wild punches.

Nazir gets a double leg takedown into Connor's guard.

Connor has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Nazir is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.

Connor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Jimmie Connor is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Connor fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Nazir avoids it really well and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Connor defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Nazir.
Connor went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Nazir fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Connor avoids it really well and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nazir shoots for a double leg takedown but Connor sprawls well. He's pushed Nazir's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Jimmie Connor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raheem Nazir.

Connor has managed to clinch.

Connor's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
No luck for Nazir with that takedown attempt.
Nazir takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Connor shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Nazir sprawls well. Nazir wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Connor gets slowly back to his feet.
Nazir lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Connor punishes Nazir's body with a nice straight punch.
Nazir shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Connor but Connor pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Connor fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nazir, pushing him back against the cage.
Nazir is looking for a takedown.
Nazir tries to pull guard but Connor forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Connor drags the fight down to the ground.
Connor bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nazir's guard.

Connor loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Jimmie Connor overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nazir will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Nazir working a defensive guard but Connor passes into half guard.
Connor is controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Connor blocks the strikes from Nazir.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Connor controlling the action here.
Connor wants to pass to mount but Nazir is defending the position.
Connor stalling.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nazir trying to control here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jimmie Connor showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Connor 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jimmie Connor!
A very excited looking Jimmie Connor made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.