PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Niki Geo (ranked 4063 p4p, 6820 weight class) and Yuwanah Buhlshk (ranked 514 p4p, 687 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Geo
vs
Buhlshk

185 cm
19
175
5 - 1 - 0

176 cm
20
183
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Good takedowns
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Brooklyn Apothecary

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Niki Geo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Yuwanah Buhlshk!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Darius Henderson and Francis DeMontford.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Geo throws a big shot that misses.
Geo connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Buhlshk momentarily.

Buhlshk shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Buhlshk showed some decent athleticism there.
Buhlshk is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Buhlshk controlling the position easily from mount.
It looks like Buhlshk might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buhlshk with shots to the head and body - Geo looks very uncomfortable down there.
Geo is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Buhlshk tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Buhlshk throws some wild stikes that Geo manages to avoid easily.
We've been hearing good reports from Geo's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Buhlshk controlling his opponent.

Buhlshk stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Geo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Buhlshk misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Buhlshk fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Buhlshk keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Buhlshk loads up on a big right hand but Geo slips the punch.

Geo gets caught napping as Buhlshk dives in and scores a takedown. Geo manages to retain guard.
Geo is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Buhlshk dives into side control.

A lull in the action here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buhlshk wants to control but Geo is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Buhlshk controlling the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Buhlshk's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuwanah Buhlshk dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Buhlshk shoots in but no luck this time.
Buhlshk looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Geo is fending him off so far but Buhlshk persists. Nope, Geo circles away and we're back to standing.

Buhlshk shoots in and bounces Geo off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Geo pushes Buhlshk off and gets back to his feet.
Buhlshk moves to clinch but Geo breaks away
and Geo counters with a stiff right hand.
Geo throws a hook but Buhlshk blocks it.
Geo misses with a hook. Buhlshk ducked under it nicely.

Buhlshk looking to score a takedown here. Geo is defending well but Buhlshk drives through and ends up in Geo's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Geo working a defensive guard here.
Buhlshk is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Buhlshk tries to free his leg and advance position but Geo is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buhlshk is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Buhlshk tries to free his leg and advance position but Geo is retaining full guard.
Geo wants to stand but Buhlshk is controlling the position.
Buhlshk advances to half guard.
Buhlshk is controlling the pace.
Buhlshk throwing shots but Geo is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Buhlshk seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Buhlshk fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Niki Geo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yuwanah Buhlshk.
No luck for Buhlshk with that takedown attempt.
A telegraphed right hand from Geo misses the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buhlshk tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Geo swivels and escapes.
Geo misses with a hook
and Buhlshk counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Geo bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Geo throws a jab when Buhlshk was well out of range.
Geo displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Buhlshk.
Buhlshk avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Geo just misses with a punch to the body.
A little jabbing left from Buhlshk on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Buhlshk misses with a takedown attempt - Geo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Horrible takedown attempt by Buhlshk or perhaps it was just good defense by Geo, which made it look bad.
Buhlshk shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Geo pinned against the cage. Geo gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Yuwanah Buhlshk seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Buhlshk clinches up with Geo and pushes him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buhlshk working aggressively here.
Buhlshk throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Geo blocks it with crossed arms.
Buhlshk stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Buhlshk tries to pull guard but Geo won't allow it.
Geo makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Buhlshk.
Buhlshk misses with some punches.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Buhlshk jumps guard but Geo stands there with Buhlshk around his waist. Buhlshk gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Buhlshk tries to pull guard but Geo won't allow it.
Buhlshk slowing the pace effectively.
Geo throws a head punch that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Niki Geo dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Geo loads up on a big right hand but Buhlshk slips the punch.
Buhlshk looks for a takedown but Geo sprawls well.
Buhlshk takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Geo is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Geo punishes Buhlshk's body with a nice straight punch.

Buhlshk gets a double leg takedown into Geo's guard.
Buhlshk engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Geo wants to sweep but no luck.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Buhlshk's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buhlshk looking to sit in guard and control but Geo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Buhlshk is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Buhlshk is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Geo would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Buhlshk has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Geo has passed into side control.

Geo decides to stand up, so the ref orders Buhlshk to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buhlshk closes the distance and clinches up with Geo, looking for a takedown. Buhlshk pushes Geo against the cage but Geo circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Geo tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Geo throws a big shot that misses.

Buhlshk takes the fight into the clinch.
Buhlshk has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Geo seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Buhlshk can turn it around.
Buhlshk is trying to pull guard but Geo turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Niki Geo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yuwanah Buhlshk.
Buhlshk connects with a nasty looking knee right to Geo's face.
A head punch on the inside from Buhlshk fails to land.
Buhlshk is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Geo pulls him back up using the underhooks.
A short right from Geo.

Geo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Geo throws a body punch but Buhlshk moves out of range.
Geo looks to land a right hand but Buhlshk moved out of range.
Buhlshk shoots in and drives through. Geo sprawls well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buhlshk tries to close the distance and clinch but Geo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Buhlshk tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Geo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Geo was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Niki Geo is winning the standup battle so far.
Geo getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Buhlshk ducks under a wild hook from Geo.
Buhlshk keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Geo misses the jab.
Geo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Geo misses with a hook to the body
and Buhlshk counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Buhlshk doesn't manage to clinch there - Geo circles away.

Buhlshk drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
A lull in the action here as Buhlshk stalls from top position.
Buhlshk is continuing to stall.

And that's the end of the fight!
Niki Geo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Geo has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 29:28
Judge Darius Henderson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Francis DeMontford scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Niki Geo!