PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Abdourahmane Aladji (ranked 4760 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stephen Humphries (ranked 5088 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Aladji
vs
Humphries

188 cm
25
265 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
270 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Abdourahmane Aladji!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Stephen Humphries!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Humphries closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Aladji decides to pull guard.

Aladji looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Aladji working for a triangle but Humphries defends it easily.
Humphries controlling from the top position.
Aladji looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aladji trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Humphries is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Humphries working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Aladji's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aladji is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Aladji is breathing heavily.
Humphries stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Aladji swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Humphries slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Humphries throws an elbow that misses. Aladji uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Humphries's guard. Nice move by Aladji!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Humphries seems keen to control Aladji's posture.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Humphries can do anything to dispel that myth.
Humphries tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Humphries trying to keep a closed guard but Aladji is proving a slippery customer.
Aladji is fighting to break Humphries's control of his arms but Humphries is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Humphries scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Humphries cracks Aladji with a big elbow.
Aladji is letting Humphries control him for a moment.
Humphries looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Humphries works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Humphries is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Aladji's shoulder. That is not cool.
Let's hope that Humphries has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Humphries works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Humphries is staying tight to Aladji's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Humphries lands a nice forearm strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Humphries decides to stand back up.

Humphries closes the distance and pushes Aladji back into the cage.
Humphries wants a takedown but no success here.
Humphries can't get the takedown.
Aladji is looking to take this one to the mat.

Humphries breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Aladji shoots and misses

and Humphries counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Humphries looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Humphries is nestled in close to Aladji, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Humphries dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Humphries shoots in for a takedown but Aladji shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Aladji circles away from the clinch attempt.
Humphries shoots in and drives through. Aladji sprawls well.
Aladji shoots in for a double leg but Humphries sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Aladji lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Humphries has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Humphries and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Nice sprawl there from Humphries as Aladji shoots in.
Humphries throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Aladji's waist but Aladji gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Humphries off to one side.
Abdourahmane Aladji has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stephen Humphries.
Aladji slips a jab from Humphries.
Aladji tries to counter by clinching up but Humphries breaks away and moves out of range.

Humphries gets a double leg takedown into Aladji's guard.
Aladji being controlled here, momentarily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aladji doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Humphries controlling from the top position.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Humphries.
Humphries is in close to Aladji's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Humphries connects with a couple of short punches.
Humphries tries to free his leg and advance position but Aladji is retaining full guard.
Humphries engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Humphries shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Aladji defends it nicely.

Humphries drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Humphries connects with a couple of short punches.
Aladji throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aladji looking to hit a scissor sweep but Humphries is one step ahead there.
Humphries lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Humphries connects with a couple of short punches.
Humphries has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Humphries sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Stephen Humphries has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Humphries lands a couple of elbows.

Humphries avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Aladji controls Humphries momentarily but Humphries frees himself.
Humphries must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Humphries sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Humphries gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Humphries showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Humphries fails to land the takedown.
Humphries throws a sloppy head kick and Aladji moves out of range easily.
Aladji throws a big counter combination but Humphries scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Aladji changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Humphries tries to avoid it but Aladji manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Humphries to the ground. Humphries escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Aladji slaps away a takedown attempt from Humphries, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Aladji looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Humphries!
Humphries stops Aladji from passing to mount.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Humphries is trying to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Aladji decides to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Humphries keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Humphries throws a counter combo.

Humphries fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Aladji, pushing him back against the cage.

Humphries's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Humphries has closed the distance and engaged Aladji in a clinch.
Humphries stalling against the cage.
Aladji wants to break free but Humphries has control.
Humphries fails to pull guard.
Abdourahmane Aladji has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stephen Humphries.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Humphries doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Aladji will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Humphries up against the cage.
Humphries tries to land knees in the clinch but Aladji avoids the damage to the body.
Humphries can't get the takedown.
Humphries fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Humphries fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Aladji wants to get back to striking at distance but Humphries won't allow it.
Humphries is working for takedown but Aladji is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aladji has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Aladji fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Humphries has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Aladji clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Humphries keeps control of the position easily here as Aladji tries to buck him off.
Humphries is not going to allow Aladji to sit and survive in this position.

Aladji is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Humphries gets his way!
Humphries connects with a big shot to the side of Aladji's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aladji trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Humphries controls the position.
Humphries gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Humphries not allowing Aladji to control his hands.
Aladji wants to get back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Humphries biding his time, controlling Aladji.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stephen Humphries comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Humphries has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stephen Humphries!