PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kassim Suluhu (ranked 2114 p4p, 112 weight class) and Yang Xinhai (ranked 5803 p4p, 256 weight class). Yang Xinhai has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Suluhu
vs
Xinhai

165 cm
23
145 lbs
4 - 6 - 1

175 cm
19
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 1

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite 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 4 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kassim Suluhu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Yang Xinhai!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Alan Glass and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Xinhai misses with a hook
and Suluhu counters with a slapping leg kick.
Suluhu shoots for a double leg takedown but Xinhai sprawls well. He's pushed Suluhu's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Nice takedown defense from Xinhai. No joy for Suluhu on that attempt.
Xinhai misses with a straight right.
Suluhu fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kassim Suluhu. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Suluhu feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Suluhu tries to free his leg and advance position but Xinhai is retaining full guard.
Suluhu slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Suluhu stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Xinhai swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xinhai working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Suluhu.
Suluhu wants to get up but he can't break Xinhai's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Suluhu throwing strikes but missing.
Suluhu is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Xinhai has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Xinhai defending well as Suluhu loads up on a big left hand.
Donk. Xinhai catches Suluhu right on the button with a cross.
Suluhu tries for a takedown but Xinhai circles away easily
letting Xinhai counter with a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Xinhai doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Xinhai takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Suluhu takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Suluhu shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Xinhai manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Suluhu slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Suluhu seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Xinhai for as long as he can get away with.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xinhai is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Suluhu is controlling him.

Suluhu decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Suluhu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Xinhai.
Suluhu looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Xinhai blocks the body kick.
A little jabbing left from Xinhai on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Xinhai misses the jab.
Xinhai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Despite the aggression on Xinhai's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Xinhai throws out a loose jab but Suluhu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Suluhu shoots for a takedown but Xinhai saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Xinhai throws a hook but Suluhu avoids it easily.
Suluhu drops down looking for a counter takedown but Xinhai sprawls and moves away.
A big left from Xinhai misses.
Suluhu swings for the body but Xinhai moves out of range.
Xinhai keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
As Suluhu backs off Xinhai throws a huge counter combo but Suluhu manages to avoid it all.
Xinhai ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Xinhai stuffs the takedown attempt from Suluhu. Suluhu gets slowly back to his feet.
A little jabbing left from Xinhai on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Xinhai misses with a lunging right hand
and Suluhu counters with a stiff right hand.
Xinhai scores with a three punch combo!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Suluhu misses with a takedown
and Xinhai counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Suluhu thinking.
Suluhu misses with the body kick
and Xinhai cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Xinhai fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Suluhu on the side of the head.
Suluhu gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Xinhai counters with a stiff right hand.

Suluhu is rocked!
Kassim Suluhu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Suluhu scores with a takedown into Xinhai's guard.
Oh Suluhu is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Suluhu stops Xinhai from standing up.
Suluhu trying to control the position from guard on top but Xinhai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Suluhu seems to have got his legs back now.
Suluhu is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suluhu in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Suluhu trying to control the position from guard on top but Xinhai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Suluhu throwing strikes from guard but Xinhai blocks nicely.
Xinhai wants to stand but Suluhu is controlling the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Suluhu uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Xinhai.
Suluhu changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Suluhu fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Xinhai avoids it really well and circles away.
Xinhai swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kassim Suluhu. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Suluhu closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Suluhu lands in his opponent's guard.
Xinhai avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Suluhu throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Xinhai works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Suluhu is stalling in the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Suluhu pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Xinhai is keeping the position for now.
Xinhai wants to stand and escape but Suluhu is having none of it.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Xinhai keeping moving, preventing Suluhu from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Suluhu scores with a push kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Suluhu closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Suluhu lands in his opponent's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Xinhai wants to stand and escape but Suluhu is having none of it.
Suluhu 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.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Suluhu looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kassim Suluhu will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A decent looking cross lands there for Xinhai.
Suluhu ducks under a wild hook from Xinhai.
Suluhu was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Xinhai uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Suluhu.
Suluhu throws a body punch but Xinhai moves out of range.
Suluhu darts in looking for a takedown but Xinhai gets double underhooks and turns Suluhu into the cage.
Xinhai takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Xinhai gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Suluhu throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
A solid body kick from Suluhu.
Yang Xinhai is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suluhu lands a nice looking kick to the body. Xinhai takes a step back to recover.
Suluhu looks to score with a jab to the body but Xinhai is just out of range.

Suluhu closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Suluhu lands in his opponent's guard.
Suluhu trying to control the position from guard on top but Xinhai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Suluhu is really struggling to control Xinhai but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Suluhu 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Xinhai working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Suluhu.
Suluhu wants to stand and escape but instead Xinhai has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Suluhu wants to get back to his feet but Xinhai passes into half guard.
Xinhai stops Suluhu from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Suluhu makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Xinhai throws a body shot but no joy.
Suluhu fails with the takedown
and Xinhai counters with a nice uppercut.
Suluhu misses with a shot to the body
and Xinhai counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Xinhai misses with a straight right.
Suluhu half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Suluhu throws a push kick but Xinhai slaps the foot to one side.
Suluhu looks to land a body kick but Xinhai moved away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Suluhu throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Xinhai on the side of the head.
Suluhu shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Xinhai pinned against the cage. Xinhai gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kassim Suluhu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Suluhu looks to land a body kick but Xinhai moved away.
Xinhai is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Xinhai's corner calls for a 1-2. Xinhai obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Xinhai throws an overhand right from the outside, which connects and sends Suluhu stumbling backwards into the cage! Suluhu bounces back off the cage towards Xinhai, who cracks him with a two punch combination that drops him to his knees! Xinhai lands two more shots before the referee has chance to intervene - what a finish! Xinhai celebrates with his corner as the crowd cheer loudly.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:42 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Yang Xinhai!
Yang Xinhai seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.