PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Otikoro Eketone (ranked 5386 p4p, 5344 weight class) and Bilal Ahmed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Eketone
vs
Ahmed

180 cm
18
180
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
170
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Otikoro Eketone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Bilal Ahmed!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Donald Grub and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ahmed tries to clinch there but Eketone circles away.

Eketone clinches up against the cage.
Eketone manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Ahmed is looking to break free of the clinch but Eketone has double underhooks.
Ahmed working hard to break the clinch.

Eketone jumps into guard, dragging Ahmed to the mat.
Eketone keeping moving, preventing Ahmed from controlling successfully.
Ahmed is looking to work some ground and pound but Eketone has wrist control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ahmed throws a big elbow that misses.
Eketone keeping moving, preventing Ahmed from controlling successfully.

Eketone looking for subs off his back but Ahmed has passed one foot through into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eketone wants to sweep but Ahmed has passed to side control!
The strikes coming from Ahmed are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Eketone is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Ahmed has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Ahmed is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Eketone is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

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.
Eketone struggling a bit here.
Eketone knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ahmed on the ground.
Eketone is looking to regain half guard here but Ahmed keeps moving and retains side control.
Ahmed misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Ahmed trying to control the position but Eketone is working away.
Ahmed controls the position.
Eketone struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ahmed grinds an elbow into Eketone's temple.
Ahmed trying to control the position but Eketone is working away.
Ahmed advances nicely into full mount.
Ahmed avoids the attempt from Eketone to control.
Eketone is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Eketone is just holding on here. Ahmed manages to take his back.
Ahmed is not going to allow Eketone to sit and survive in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eketone is trying to get back to his feet but Ahmed has full control of the position and if anything, Eketone has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Eketone just trying to survive but Ahmed is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Eketone tries to escape but Ahmed has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ahmed scores with strikes from the back.
Eketone is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Eketone is trying to get back to his feet. He's worked up on to his knees and now he's on his feet with his head on the canvas, trying to shake Ahmed off. It looks like it's working - Ahmed slides off, much to his dismay, and we're back to standing! Eketone displaying calm under pressure there.
Ahmed fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Eketone pushes Ahmed up against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ahmed tries to clinch there but Eketone circles away.

Eketone gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Ahmed letting Eketone take a breather here.
Eketone prevents Ahmed from breaking the clinch.
Ahmed keeps control of Eketone as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Ahmed jumps guard and drags Eketone to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Eketone tries to free his leg and advance position but Ahmed is retaining full guard.
Bilal Ahmed has got the better of the ground game so far.
Eketone trying to move into half guard but instead Ahmed has managed to sweep!

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Eketone is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Ahmed trying to control but Eketone is working from the bottom.
Eketone wants to get back to his feet but Ahmed is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eketone is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Eketone can't keep his opponent in guard - Ahmed advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Ahmed is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Eketone is working to get back to half guard.
Eketone wants to control but Ahmed is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poor strikes thrown by Ahmed there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Ahmed has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Eketone is working to get back to half guard.
Ahmed looking to control but Eketone is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ahmed is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Eketone tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eketone is working hard here to advance position.
Eketone manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Ahmed wants to stand up but Eketone has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Eketone wants to control but Ahmed is keeping busy.
Eketone wants to control the action here but instead Ahmed manages to pass to full mount!
Eketone tries to hold on but Ahmed postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eketone is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Eketone wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Ahmed.
Eketone is squirming around, avoiding Ahmed's attempts to control the action.
Eketone wants to control but Ahmed is having none of it.
Eketone is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ahmed tries to control but Eketone wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bilal Ahmed showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

A head kick by Eketone misses
and Ahmed counters with a body kick that stops Eketone in his tracks momentarily.
Ahmed shoots in for a takedown but Eketone shows good takedown defense.
Eketone is looking for a counter combo.
Eketone throws a nice looking combination but Ahmed bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Eketone on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Eketone shoots in and drives through. Ahmed sprawls well.
Ahmed doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Eketone looks to throw a body kick

and Ahmed counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Eketone has control of Ahmed's left arm, preventing Ahmed from doing any damage.
Eketone 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've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Eketone pulls Ahmed in to control the position.
Eketone wants to stand up but Ahmed is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ahmed trying to control the position from guard on top but Eketone is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Eketone pulls Ahmed in close to prevent any damage.
Eketone on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Eketone tries to get out of the position.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Eketone working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ahmed doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ahmed manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ahmed throws a half hearted mid kick.

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.
Eketone shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ahmed pinned against the cage. Ahmed gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Eketone circles away from the clinch attempt.
A little feinted left hand from Eketone on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
A telegraphed right hand from Eketone misses the target.
Eketone displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Ahmed.
Eketone misses with an uppercut
and Ahmed counters with a three punch combo that has Eketone backing up. Eketone nods at Ahmed to acknowledge the strikes.
Ahmed misses with a head kick.
Eketone shoots in looking for a takedown. Ahmed tries to sprawl out of it but Eketone keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ahmed manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Ahmed is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Otikoro Eketone. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Eketone looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ahmed shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Eketone as he jumps to the side.
Ahmed is looking to clinch.
No luck for Eketone with that takedown attempt.
Ahmed doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Eketone counters by moving into the clinch.
Eketone fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Ahmed gets underhooks to prevent Eketone's takedown attempt.
Eketone goes for a takedown in the clinch but Ahmed prevents it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eketone prevents a takedown attempt there.
Ahmed changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Eketone fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Bilal Ahmed seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ahmed takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Eketone shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Ahmed napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Eketone staying calm.

Eketone is trying to get an arm triangle but Ahmed is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bilal Ahmed comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ahmed 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bilal Ahmed!