PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ronnie Mitchell (ranked 9306 p4p, 0 weight class) and Moussa Elman (ranked 5487 p4p, 457 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Elman 's choice of entrance music: Rapper . Moussa Elman has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Ronnie Mitchell's chin.

Mitchell
vs
Elman

197 cm
24
151 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

170 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Ronnie Mitchell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Moussa Elman !
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Richard Clark and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Elman tries for a takedown but Mitchell circles away easily

and Mitchell counters with a nice double leg into side control. Elman won't be happy with that.

Mitchell decides to stand back up.
Mitchell with a poor takedown

and Elman holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Mitchell tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Mitchell tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ronnie Mitchell. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mitchell tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A short uppercut from Mitchell.

Elman breaks the clinch.

Elman gets a clinch.

Elman breaks from the clinch.

Elman drives through and clinches with Mitchell against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mitchell is trying to pull guard but Elman has him pressed against the cage.

Elman successfully pulls guard.
Elman utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Elman keeping moving, preventing Mitchell from controlling successfully.
Elman 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.

Elman looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Mitchell in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Elman has Mitchell pulled in close to control his posture.
Mitchell is looking to stand up but Elman won't let him.
Mitchell will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Elman wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Mitchell is now in half guard.
Elman is looking to improve his position.
Mitchell throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Mitchell prevents Elman from improving his position.

Mitchell is looking for a kimura but Elman is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Mitchell to get the leverage.
Mitchell throws a strike but Elman avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Elman trying to keep a closed guard but Mitchell is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Elman wants to sweep here but Mitchell controlling him for the moment.
Mitchell really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Elman has a closed guard, preventing Mitchell from standing up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Mitchell closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Elman did well to prevent Mitchell getting side control.
Elman wants to get back to full guard.
Elman tries to kick Mitchell off but Mitchell keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Mitchell decides to stand and escape the position.
Elman misses with a shot to the body
and Mitchell makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Mitchell tries to keep at a distance but Elman has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Elman breaks the clinch.
Sloppy strikes from Elman . Those never looked like landing.
A lazy body kick from Elman

and Mitchell counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Mitchell.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mitchell trying to control the position from guard on top but Elman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Elman looking to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Elman preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mitchell accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mitchell with a flurry of punches that miss.
Elman keeping moving, preventing Mitchell from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Moussa Elman will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Elman fails with the takedown
and Mitchell counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Elman rushes Mitchell and presses him up against the cage.
Mitchell tries to pull guard but Elman forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Mitchell jumps guard and drags Elman to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Mitchell is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Mitchell is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Elman holding his opponent close, against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mitchell tries to pull guard but Elman holds him up against the cage and eventually Mitchell drops back down to his feet.
Mitchell tries to pull guard but Elman won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ronnie Mitchell. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mitchell displaying some good clinch control by pressing Elman up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Mitchell's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Elman has clasped his hands together around Mitchell's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Mitchell tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mitchell is working hard here to advance position.
Mitchell has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Elman trying to control the position but Mitchell is working away.
Mitchell is trying to buck Elman off.
Mitchell sneaks back into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell tries to get to full guard but Elman has control of the leg.
Elman wants to pass to mount but Mitchell is defending the position.

Elman decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Moussa Elman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mitchell is trying hard to land a takedown here. Elman sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Mitchell shoots in looking for a takedown. Elman tries to sprawl out of it but Mitchell keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Elman manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Elman throws a head kick but Mitchell moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Elman fails to land with a series of punches.
Mitchell shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Elman as he jumps to the side.
Mitchell darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Elman has Mitchell up against the cage in a clinch.
Elman has Mitchell pushed against the cage.
Mitchell tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Elman has Mitchell pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Elman pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Mitchell tumbling to the mat - Elman dives into Mitchell's guard.
Elman has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Mitchell is proving hard to escape from.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Elman won't allow Mitchell to sweep him here.
Mitchell not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Elman stands and steps away. Mitchell gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Elman fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Mitchell avoids it really well and circles away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nice sprawl there from Elman as Mitchell shoots in.
Mitchell shoots and misses

and Elman moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Moussa Elman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Mitchell's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Elman clinches with his opponent.
Mitchell tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Mitchell pulls guard effortlessly.
Elman won't allow Mitchell to get back to his feet.
Elman looking to pass the guard.
Mitchell seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Elman is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mitchell keeping moving, preventing Elman from controlling successfully.
Mitchell wants to stand and escape but Elman is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Elman stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mitchell swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mitchell bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Elman 's guard.

Elman keeping moving, preventing Mitchell from controlling successfully.
Mitchell landing with the ground and pound.
Elman working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mitchell.
Elman is pulling down on Mitchell's head. It's preventing any offense from Mitchell, at least for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Elman is trying to control the position but Mitchell postures up.
Mitchell postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Elman is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Elman shoots in and drives through. Mitchell sprawls well.
Elman takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Elman moves out of range of the body kick.
Some wild striking there from Elman .

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Elman throws a hook to the side of Mitchell's head but Mitchell sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Mitchell tries to counter with a takedown but Elman is quick to defend against it.
Elman pushes Mitchell away with a front kick.
Ronnie Mitchell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Mitchell fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ronnie Mitchell. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mitchell is trying to pull guard but Elman has him pressed against the cage.
Mitchell is trying to pull guard but Elman turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Mitchell pulls guard successfully.
Mitchell is looking to stand up but Elman isn't so interested in that idea.
Mitchell trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Elman scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Elman trying to control but Mitchell is working from the bottom.
Elman looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Elman postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Elman sitting in guard, not really doing much.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Moussa Elman .
I've got Elman 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 James Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Moussa Elman !
After winning the bout, Moussa Elman thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.