PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov (ranked 3600 p4p, 4700 weight class) and Rayan Halli (ranked 338 p4p, 399 weight class). Nurmagomedov's entrance music is Face the Pain. A fine choice. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Nurmagomedov
vs
Halli

178 cm
23
154
1 - 1 - 0

179 cm
18
154
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Island Boys Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Khabib Nurmagomedov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Rayan Halli!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Dirk Anderson and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nurmagomedov throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Halli was covering up waiting for the punch and Nurmagomedov finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Halli 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 been hearing good reports from Nurmagomedov'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.
Nurmagomedov wants to control from the top but Halli keeps moving.
Nurmagomedov has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Halli is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Nurmagomedov cracks Halli with a solid left hand.
Halli trying to keep a closed guard but Nurmagomedov is proving a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nurmagomedov trying to control the position from guard on top but Halli is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nurmagomedov with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Halli controls Nurmagomedov momentarily but Nurmagomedov frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halli might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Nurmagomedov haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Halli looking for a guillotine here but Nurmagomedov defends easily.
Nurmagomedov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Halli swivels though and keeps the full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nurmagomedov accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Nurmagomedov avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Nurmagomedov working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Nurmagomedov avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov throws a big elbow that misses.
Nurmagomedov wants to pass the guard but Halli is keeping the position.

Halli has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Nurmagomedov can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Halli keeping full guard, as Nurmagomedov tries to pass.
Nurmagomedov trying to control but Halli is working from the bottom.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halli trying to control the position.
Halli preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nurmagomedov trying to control but Halli is working from the bottom.

Halli looking for subs off his back but Nurmagomedov has passed one foot through into half guard.
Nurmagomedov performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

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.
Nurmagomedov is keen to just control but Halli is a slippery customer.

Halli looking for submissions off his back.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Nurmagomedov lands a nice short elbow.
Halli has hold of Nurmagomedov's hands but Nurmagomedov slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Halli is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Nurmagomedov scores with a couple of nice shots.
Nurmagomedov wants to take a breather but Halli is having none of it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Nurmagomedov is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Halli is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nurmagomedov pulls his head out easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Khabib Nurmagomedov dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nurmagomedov closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Nurmagomedov lands in his opponent's guard.
Nurmagomedov slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Halli controlling Nurmagomedov's posture.
Nurmagomedov working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nurmagomedov lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Halli controls Nurmagomedov momentarily but Nurmagomedov frees himself.
Nurmagomedov is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halli 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.
Nurmagomedov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Halli is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Nurmagomedov wants to control from the top but Halli keeps moving.
Nurmagomedov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Halli can do to turn this around?

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

Halli looking for a guillotine here but Nurmagomedov defends easily.
Nurmagomedov passes Halli's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halli is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Nurmagomedov's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Nurmagomedov's back!
Nurmagomedov is in bad spot here.
Nurmagomedov turns into Halli and is now in his guard.
Halli looking to control.
Nurmagomedov stays in close to Halli's body and controls the position.
Nurmagomedov lands a couple of elbows.
Nurmagomedov lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Nurmagomedov trying to control but Halli is working from the bottom.
Nurmagomedov is in close to Halli's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halli is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Nurmagomedov got a little sloppy there for a moment and Halli has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nurmagomedov has managed to get both his arms back between Halli's legs - danger averted.
Halli is breathing heavily.
Nurmagomedov keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Halli's head.
Nurmagomedov is working Halli over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Nurmagomedov throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Halli works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Halli trying to keep a closed guard but Nurmagomedov is proving a slippery customer.
Nurmagomedov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nurmagomedov is in close to Halli's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Halli escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Nurmagomedov gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Nurmagomedov trying to control the position from guard on top but Halli is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov lands a couple of digs.
Nurmagomedov knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Halli on the ground.
Nurmagomedov with a nice head shot there.
Nurmagomedov lands a couple of elbows.
Nurmagomedov sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Nurmagomedov with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Halli is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Nurmagomedov has his hands clasped together but Halli extends and breaks Nurmagomedov's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Halli.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Rayan Halli!
In defeat, Khabib Nurmagomedov stepped up to the mic, saying 'I never fight for the money, but every person is different'.