PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sime Soldic (ranked 992 p4p, 3020 weight class) and Tahboule Alawi (ranked 90 p4p, 251 weight class). Alawi has chosen The Ruler of Everything as his entrance music. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Soldic
vs
Alawi

183 cm
26
145
7 - 2 - 0

170 cm
29
147
8 - 3 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

UNDEFEATED

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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sime Soldic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tahboule Alawi!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Fedor Mirinova and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alawi avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Soldic swings widly with a right hand

and Alawi decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Soldic's guard.
Soldic is pulling down on Alawi's head to control his posture.
Soldic is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Alawi wants to pass the guard but Soldic is keeping the position.
Soldic can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Alawi controls the pace.
Soldic wants to sweep here but Alawi controlling him for the moment.
Alawi trying to control but Soldic is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alawi tries to free his leg and advance position but Soldic is retaining full guard.
Alawi 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.
Soldic is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alawi wants to control from the top but Soldic keeps moving.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Soldic really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Soldic holds on and takes a little breather.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Soldic tries to land a leg kick but Alawi saw it coming and moves away.
Soldic thows a leg kick but Alawi checks it

and Alawi counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Soldic is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Soldic will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Alawi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Soldic is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alawi trying to control but Soldic is working from the bottom.
Soldic controlling the position.
Alawi not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alawi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Soldic is keeping the position for now.
Alawi 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.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
A jab from Soldic finds it's way through Alawi's defenses.
Soldic pivots, looking for a leg kick but Alawi is out of range and Soldic settles back down.
Soldic throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Alawi drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alawi staying calm.
It looks like Alawi 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.
You can see the frustration on Soldic's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Soldic being controlled for a moment.
Soldic gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Soldic is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Alawi tries to control but Soldic wriggling away.
Alawi takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Alawi's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Soldic prevents Alawi from taking his back.
Soldic can't escape the position.
Soldic wants to control but Alawi is having none of it.
Soldic sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Alawi controlling the action here.
Soldic trying to control from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tahboule Alawi dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Soldic keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Sime Soldic has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Soldic throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Alawi with the counter takedown but Soldic avoids it easily.
Alawi doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Soldic counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Alawi gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

Alawi feints and as Soldic raises his hands in defense, Alawi changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Alawi passes Soldic's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Soldic wants to get back to his feet.
Well, if Alawi 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alawi is looking to advance position but Soldic won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alawi with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Soldic works his way to full guard. Good work.
Alawi sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Soldic's guard.
Soldic wants to improve his position but Alawi is controlling well.
Alawi trying to mount his opponent but Soldic defends it.
Alawi is keen to just control but Soldic is a slippery customer.

Alawi is looking for a kimura here.

Alawi is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Soldic is just riding it out for now. Alawi eventually gives up the hold.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alawi trying to control from half guard but Soldic is working away.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Soldic trying to hold on to Alawi's head to control him but Alawi postures up.
Soldic keeping control of the position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Alawi is figuring out what he wants to do next.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Soldic misses with an uppercut.
A big left from Soldic misses.
Alawi changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Sime Soldic is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soldic misses the jab.
Alawi looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Soldic defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Alawi.
A good leg kick by Soldic.
Soldic thows a left - swing and a miss!
Soldic looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Alawi checks a leg kick nicely.
Alawi moves out of range of the strikes.
It seemed like Alawi was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Soldic throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A nice inside leg kick there by Soldic. That's going to slow Alawi down.
Soldic tries to land a leg kick but Alawi saw it coming and moves away.
Alawi tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Soldic with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Soldic is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Soldic scores with a punch to the head.
Alawi steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Soldic.
Alawi walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alawi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Soldic lands a nice looking body shot.
Sime Soldic seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Soldic throws an overhand right that lands on Alawi's shoulder, as Alawi tries to avoid the shot.
Alawi tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Soldic looks to land a right hand but Alawi moved out of range.
Soldic fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Alawi checks it well.
Soldic fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Alawi.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nice defenses there by Alawi.
Alawi is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Soldic lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Soldic lands an overhand right.
Soldic with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Sime Soldic is winning the standup battle so far.
Alawi takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Soldic missing with a left hand there. Alawi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Alawi avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Alawi feints the counter takedown.
Soldic misses the shot to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sime Soldic dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Alawi shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Soldic but Soldic pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Soldic misses with a lunging right hand

and Alawi counters with a shoot takedown. Soldic fights it but they end up in guard.
Alawi looking to pass the guard.
Alawi passes Soldic's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Soldic is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soldic wants to control but Alawi is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Soldic is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Soldic trying to control but Alawi postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alawi performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Soldic moves into full guard.
Alawi is stalling in the full guard.
Alawi looking to pass the guard.
Alawi trying to control but Soldic is working from the bottom.
Soldic wants to sweep here but Alawi controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Alawi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Soldic swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Alawi is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Soldic pulls Alawi in close to prevent any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
No luck for Alawi with that takedown attempt.
The fighters circling - Soldic throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Soldic misses with a hook. Alawi ducked under it nicely.
Alawi with the counter takedown but Soldic avoids it easily.
Alawi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Soldic.
Alawi takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Soldic misses with an uppercut.
Alawi changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alawi slips a jab from Soldic.
Alawi tries to counter with a clinch but Soldic shakes him off and moves away.
Soldic with a nice calf kick.
Soldic cracks Alawi with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
A looping hook to the body misses from Soldic. Alawi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Alawi avoids the body shot from Soldic.
Alawi throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Soldic's waist but Soldic gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Alawi off to one side.
Sime Soldic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tahboule Alawi.
Soldic connects with an inside leg kick.
Soldic lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Alawi takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Nice straight punches there by Soldic. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Soldic.
Soldic lands the left hand.
Alawi displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Soldic throws out the jab.
Alawi's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Soldic connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Alawi scrambles back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Soldic looks to land a left hand but Alawi moved out of range nicely.
Soldic throws out a loose jab but Alawi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Soldic throws a hook to the side of Alawi's head but Alawi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Soldic throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Alawi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A leg kick checked by Alawi.
Soldic misses with a low kick.
Soldic waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Alawi.
Soldic throws a shot to the body.
Soldic stuffs the takedown.
As Alawi backs away, Soldic returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Alawi checks a leg kick.
Alawi is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Soldic throws a leg kick that is checked

so Alawi counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Alawi forces his way into half guard.
Alawi not doing much here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sime Soldic showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Soldic 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sime Soldic!
An out of breath Sime Soldic thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.