PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Low Qui (ranked 7773 p4p, 362 weight class) and Li Lianjie (ranked 24220 p4p, 487 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Qui
vs
Lianjie

167 cm
25
145 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

168 cm
25
143 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Low Qui!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Li Lianjie!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Arvi Lind and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Qui drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Lianjie manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Lianjie throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Qui's head.
Lianjie throws a lazy body kick

and Qui counters with a nice double leg into side control. Lianjie won't be happy with that.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lianjie sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Qui sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Lianjie defending well though.
Lianjie is trying to get back to full guard.
Lianjie wants to get back to his feet.
Lianjie is looking for a sweep. Qui is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Qui is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Qui in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Qui missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Lianjie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Qui throws a big elbow that misses.
Qui with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Lianjie wants to stand and escape but Qui is having none of it.
Qui has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Qui throwing strikes from guard but Lianjie blocks nicely.

Lianjie looking for a guillotine here but Qui defends easily.
Lianjie looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Qui accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Lianjie keeping moving, preventing Qui from controlling successfully.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Qui stands up and waves to Lianjie to follow him.

Qui darts in and clinches Lianjie up against the cage.
A right handed body shot lands from Qui.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Qui misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lianjie pressing his opponent against the cage.
Qui stalls.
Qui misses with a punch on the inside.

Lianjie has Qui pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Lianjie pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Qui tumbling to the mat - Lianjie dives into Qui's guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Qui manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Qui fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Lianjie is trying to break free.
Qui is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Lianjie pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Lianjie lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Lianjie with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Qui tries to kick Lianjie off but Lianjie keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Lianjie is taking a breather. Qui says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Lianjie stands up and beckons Qui to join him on the feet.
Lianjie keeps the fight on the outside.
Lianjie unleashes a big counter combination but Qui bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Li Lianjie will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Qui gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Qui pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Low Qui is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lianjie shoots in looking for a takedown but Qui manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Lianjie's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Lianjie's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Lianjie duly obliges.
Lianjie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Lianjie clinches.
Qui avoiding damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Qui can't get the takedown.
Qui lands a right hand that snaps the head of Lianjie backwards.
Lianjie is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lianjie's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
No luck for Lianjie with that takedown attempt.
Qui throws a big counter combination but Lianjie scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Low Qui has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Li Lianjie.
Lianjie fails to land with a series of punches.
Lianjie fails with the takedown
and Lianjie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Qui fails with the takedown.
Lianjie has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lianjie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lianjie tries to clinch but Qui is having none of it.
Qui appears to be looking for a big counter.
Lianjie takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Qui fails in his attempt to clinch.
Lianjie looks for a takedown but Qui sprawls well.
Qui swinging wildly here.
Lianjie unleashes a big counter combination but Qui bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Qui tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Lianjie manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Lianjie is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

Lianjie moves into range and clinches up with Qui.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lianjie wants a takedown.
Lianjie looking for a takedown.

Qui breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Qui doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Lianjie pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lianjie throws a right hand that Qui ducks under and follows up with a left that Qui also avoids with ease.
Qui seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Lianjie fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Lianjie is breathing heavily.
Lianjie throws a head kick that misses.
Qui tries to close the distance and clinch but Lianjie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lianjie stuffs the takedown attempt from Qui. Qui gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Qui explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Qui throws a series of strikes that have Lianjie backpedaling.
Qui wants to clinch up but Lianjie keeps it at a distance.
Lianjie throws a fast counter high kick but Qui manages to duck under it in time.
Lianjie throws a head kick that misses
and Lianjie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Qui clinches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Qui pressing his opponent against the cage.

Qui pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Low Qui dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Lianjie tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Qui paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lianjie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Qui ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Lianjie closes the distance and pushes Qui back into the cage.
Lianjie can't break the clinch.

Qui pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Lianjie throws a right hand that Qui ducks under and follows up with a left that Qui also avoids with ease.
A little feinted left hand from Qui on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Qui avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Qui is looking to counter the offense by Lianjie and move into the clinch.
Lianjie wants to land a leg kick but Qui is out of range.
Lianjie misses with a right hand
and Lianjie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Lianjie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Despite the aggression on Lianjie's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lianjie throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lianjie throws a leg kick
and Qui counters with a one-two to the body.
Lianjie circles away from the clinch attempt.

Qui shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Lianjie manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Lianjie is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Qui presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

Lianjie breaks the clinch.
Lianjie tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lianjie with a lazy takedown attempt
and Qui counters with a left and a right that stings Lianjie.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Qui shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Lianjie is trying to defend but Qui finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Lianjie takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lianjie blocking the ground and pound attempt from Qui.
Lianjie moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Lianjie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Qui.
Qui is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Qui throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lianjie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Qui postures up and lands a big shot to Lianjie's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lianjie preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Lianjie has an active guard here but Qui has managed to pass into half guard.
Qui is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Lianjie wants to get back to full guard but Qui has mounted him!
Lianjie taking shots to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Qui trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Qui lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Lianjie hang on?
Lianjie wants to control but Qui is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Qui lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Qui lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Lianjie sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Low Qui overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Qui not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Lianjie is refusing to be controlled, as Qui sits in half guard.
Lianjie is looking to improve his position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Qui thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

And that's the end of the fight!
Low Qui showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Qui 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Low Qui!