PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rasheed Al Malik (ranked 23879 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bayarmandakh Bayasgalan (ranked 3898 p4p, 0 weight class). Al Malik has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. The key to victory for Rasheed Al Malik has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Al Malik
vs
Bayasgalan

177 cm
26
157 lbs
0 - 13 - 0

171 cm
25
157 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 13 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rasheed Al Malik!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bayarmandakh Bayasgalan!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Joseph Jones and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bayasgalan shoots in looking for a takedown. Al Malik tries to sprawl out of it but Bayasgalan keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Al Malik manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A quick step to the side and Al Malik tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bayasgalan avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bayasgalan tries for a takedown but Al Malik sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Bayasgalan closes the distance and pushes Al Malik back into the cage.
Bayasgalan keeps control of Al Malik as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Al Malik blocks an elbow strike from Bayasgalan.
Al Malik wants to break the clinch but can't.
Bayasgalan is trying to pull guard but Al Malik turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Rasheed Al Malik has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bayarmandakh Bayasgalan.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bayasgalan manages to break the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Bayasgalan jumps guard but Al Malik turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bayasgalan drags the fight down to the ground.
Al Malik throwing strikes from guard but Bayasgalan blocks nicely.
Bayasgalan is pulling down on Al Malik's head. It's preventing any offense from Al Malik, at least for the moment.

Al Malik got a little sloppy there for a moment and Bayasgalan has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Al Malik has managed to get both his arms back between Bayasgalan's legs - danger averted.
Bayasgalan is adopting a defensive guard.

Bayasgalan working for submissions but it's allowed Al Malik to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bayasgalan is concentrating on defense, preventing Al Malik from advancing position.
Al Malik trying to pass the guard but Bayasgalan defending well.
Bayasgalan moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Bayasgalan had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Al Malik defends it easily.
Al Malik trying to control but Bayasgalan is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bayasgalan is adopting a defensive guard.

Bayasgalan working for submissions but it's allowed Al Malik to get to half guard.
Bayasgalan punching from the bottom.
Bayasgalan is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bayasgalan is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Bayasgalan is not content to let Al Malik control the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Bayasgalan.
Bayasgalan fails with a takedown attempt.
Al Malik drops down looking for a counter takedown but Bayasgalan sprawls and moves away.
Al Malik uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bayasgalan.
Al Malik half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bayasgalan misses with a combination
and Al Malik counters with a nice uppercut.
Al Malik moves in looking to clinch but Bayasgalan pushes him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Bayarmandakh Bayasgalan will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Rasheed Al Malik's cut.
That's time! Al Malik's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Bayasgalan shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Al Malik tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Bayasgalan wants to pass the guard but Al Malik is defending well.
Al Malik wants to improve his position but Bayasgalan is controlling well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bayasgalan tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Al Malik.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bayasgalan stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bayasgalan tries to pass to full mount but Al Malik defends it.

Bayasgalan is working for an americana but Al Malik has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Bayasgalan was thinking about the submission.

Al Malik throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bayasgalan is looking to pass into half guard but Al Malik pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Al Malik is in guard.

That's two 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.
Bayasgalan is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Al Malik is controlling him.
Bayasgalan 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.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Bayasgalan can do anything to dispel that myth.
Bayasgalan trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Bayasgalan throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Al Malik escapes and throws Bayasgalan's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Bayasgalan is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bayasgalan trying to control but Al Malik flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Bayasgalan trying to control the action but Al Malik just sinks the hooks in.
Bayasgalan tries to roll but Al Malik sticks to his back.
Bayasgalan wants to control his opponent's hands but Al Malik gets his hands free.
Al Malik keeps control of the position as Bayasgalan tries to break free.
Bayasgalan is still trying to improve position.
Bayasgalan really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Al Malik. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bayasgalan keeps trying to improve his position.
Rasheed Al Malik overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bayasgalan is keeping busy.
Bayasgalan rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Al Malik is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Al Malik decides to return to a standing position.

Bayasgalan throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Al Malik tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Bayasgalan is in Al Malik's guard.

Al Malik escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bayasgalan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
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 Rasheed Al Malik will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Rasheed Al Malik's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

A jab from Bayasgalan misses.

Bayasgalan looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Bayasgalan slows the pace down in half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Al Malik trying to hold on to Bayasgalan's head to control him but Bayasgalan postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bayasgalan looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Al Malik with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Bayasgalan looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Al Malik with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bayasgalan is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Bayasgalan wants to free his trapped foot but Al Malik is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Bayasgalan not doing much here.

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.
Bayasgalan wants to stand up but Al Malik has a hold of him and won't allow it.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Al Malik shoots in for a double leg but Bayasgalan sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Bayasgalan shoots in for a takedown but Al Malik shows good takedown defense.

Bayasgalan closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Al Malik to the mat! Al Malik manages to get full guard.
Bayasgalan controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bayasgalan is continuing to stall.
Bayasgalan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Al Malik is keeping the position for now.
Bayasgalan 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.
Bayasgalan lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bayasgalan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Al Malik is keeping the position for now.
Al Malik is trying to keep Bayasgalan in close.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Bayasgalan shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Bayasgalan stalling.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bayarmandakh Bayasgalan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bayasgalan has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 29:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Bayarmandakh Bayasgalan!