PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ternil Lamaj (ranked 24410 p4p, 6044 weight class) and Audie Graham (ranked 190 p4p, 172 weight class). Lamaj comes to the cage accompanied by Bloodlust til Dusk by - MORBID ANGEL. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Lamaj
vs
Graham

195 cm
21
282
1 - 4 - 0

202 cm
27
270
7 - 6 - 1

Good takedowns
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ternil Lamaj!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Audie Graham !
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Alan Glass and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Graham tries to clinch up but Lamaj circles away and keeps his distance.
Graham tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Lamaj clinches up with Graham and pushes him back against the cage.
Lamaj drops down looking for an ankle pick but Graham pulls his leg out and moves away.
Ternil Lamaj seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Lamaj.

Lamaj instigates a clinch.
Graham fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Lamaj has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Graham avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ternil Lamaj. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Lamaj gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Graham regains guard.
Graham keeping full guard, as Lamaj tries to pass.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lamaj working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Lamaj throws a big elbow that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lamaj is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Graham working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lamaj.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lamaj sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Graham 's guard.
Lamaj is thwarting Graham 's attempts to control the position.
Graham is staying active underneath Lamaj, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Graham wants to get back to full guard.

Lamaj is looking for a kimura but Graham is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Lamaj to get the leverage.
Graham tries to roll over but Lamaj keeps him under control.
Lamaj has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Lamaj working the head and body with strikes.
Graham wants to control but Lamaj is keeping busy.
Graham felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Lamaj connects with a nice short shot to Graham 's temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lamaj seems to be working for a kimura but Graham defends the submission attempt.

Lamaj is working for a kimura but Graham is defending it quite comfortably.
Lamaj wants to control but Graham is keeping him busy.
Graham wants to control but Lamaj is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Lamaj is looking to take a break and control but Graham is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Lamaj is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Graham is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lamaj looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Graham with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Well, if Lamaj is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Graham really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lamaj. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Lamaj trying to control from half guard but Graham is working away.

Lamaj wants to work for an arm triangle but Graham is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Lamaj is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Graham sees it coming and defends easily.
Graham trying to hold on to Lamaj's head to control him but Lamaj postures up.
Lamaj trying to control the action but Graham is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Graham is defending against the submission attempts here by Lamaj.
Lamaj working Graham over with strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lamaj is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Lamaj is trying to work for a kimura but Graham is defending well.
Lamaj is taking a breather. Graham says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ternil Lamaj dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

No luck with that takedown attempt from Lamaj.
Graham looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Lamaj is fending him off so far but Graham persists. Nope, Lamaj circles away and we're back to standing.
Lamaj closes this distance looking for a takedown but Graham circles away.
Graham wants to counter the offense by Lamaj and move into the clinch position.
Graham tries to clinch but Lamaj moves out of range.
Audie Graham is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Graham lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

Lamaj gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Lamaj has Graham pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Graham manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ternil Lamaj. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Graham has Lamaj pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Lamaj manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Graham gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Lamaj.
Lamaj is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Graham can do to turn this around?
Graham is pressed up against the cage. Lamaj has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Graham down to the mat. Graham avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Graham connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Graham feints and then cracks Lamaj's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Lamaj down.

Lamaj drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Graham pushes Lamaj off and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lamaj clinches.

Lamaj gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Lamaj wants to control from the top but Graham keeps moving.
Lamaj has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Graham avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Lamaj is stalling in the full guard.
Ternil Lamaj overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lamaj won't allow Graham to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lamaj with a nice head shot there.
Lamaj wants to control from the top but Graham keeps moving.
Lamaj landing some decent shots from guard.
Lamaj throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Lamaj is working Graham over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Lamaj working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Graham 's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lamaj scoring with some ground and pound.
Lamaj is pushing down on Graham 's leg trying to pass to half guard. Graham is fighting to maintain full guard but Lamaj has managed to sneak the leg through.
Lamaj sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Graham is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Lamaj's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Lamaj's back!
Lamaj trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Lamaj turns into Graham and is now in his guard.
Lamaj with a nice head shot there.
Lamaj trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Lamaj trying to control the position from guard on top but Graham is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lamaj works over Graham with some ground and pound from guard.
Lamaj wants to control from the top but Graham keeps moving.
Lamaj is in close to Graham 's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Lamaj slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Lamaj distracts Graham with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Lamaj is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Graham keeping moving, preventing Lamaj from controlling successfully.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ternil Lamaj will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Lamaj darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Lamaj is thwarting Graham 's attempts to control the position.
Graham is refusing to be controlled, as Lamaj sits in half guard.
Lamaj prevents Graham from standing back up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lamaj moves into full mount! Graham won't be happy about that!
Lamaj has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Graham 's face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lamaj raining down hammerfists from mount.
Graham is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Lamaj trying to control but Graham is having none of it.
Lamaj landing shots from mount.
Lamaj looking to control but Graham is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Lamaj working for a submission but Graham is keeping him at bay.
Lamaj lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Lamaj takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lamaj landing strikes from the mount and Graham is in trouble!
Lamaj lands a couple of good shots and Graham has given up his back, trying to escape the position!

Graham is rocked!
Graham is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Lamaj off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Graham 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 Lamaj gets his way!
Graham is still in real trouble! Can Lamaj finish him?

Lamaj has the hooks in and he's looking for a rear naked choke here. Graham is defending well but eventually Lamaj manages to get an arm under the chin and he's locked on the RNC! Graham has no choice but to tap now! He does! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Ternil Lamaj!
Our winner, Ternil Lamaj, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.