PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tahboule Alawi (ranked 2994 p4p, 4879 weight class) and Jake Smith (ranked 190 p4p, 273 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Alawi might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to The Ruler of Everything. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Alawi
vs
Smith

170 cm
30
147
9 - 6 - 2

176 cm
33
155
18 - 17 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Powerful

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 9 - 6 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tahboule Alawi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jake Smith!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith connects with a good right hand that stumbles Alawi. Alawi circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Smith scores with a head kick.
Smith throws a nice looking combination but Alawi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Alawi tries to counter with a takedown but Smith is quick to defend against it.

Alawi shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Smith napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Alawi working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Alawi tries to advance to mount but Smith denies him.
Smith tries to bench press Alawi off him but Alawi keeps the position.
Alawi staying calm.
Smith tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Alawi wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Alawi is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Alawi looking to control but Smith is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Smith regains half guard.
Alawi with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Smith is trying to get back to full guard.
Alawi is thwarting Smith's attempts to control the position.
Alawi keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Smith wants to improve his position but Alawi is controlling well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alawi looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Alawi is pressing down on Smith's thigh, looking to free his foot. Smith is holding on for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alawi prevents Smith from improving his position.
Smith is not content to let Alawi control the position.
Alawi wants to free his trapped foot but Smith is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Smith works his way to full guard. Good work.

Smith looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Alawi looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Alawi trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Alawi sitting in guard here, content to control.
Smith looking to hit a scissor sweep but Alawi is one step ahead there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alawi wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.
Alawi looking to pass the guard.
Smith is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Smith wants to sweep here but Alawi controlling him for the moment.

Smith had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Alawi defends it easily.
Alawi wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.
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.

Alawi avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Alawi wants to pass the guard but Smith is keeping the position.

Smith looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Alawi not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Alawi's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Alawi moves out of range of the strikes.
Smith throws a leg kick that is checked

and Alawi counters with a nice double leg into side control. Smith won't be happy with that.

Alawi wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Smith, who protects the arm well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Alawi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Smith keeps working.

Alawi thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tahboule Alawi dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Alawi avoids the body shot from Smith.
Alawi attempts a counter takedown but Smith avoids it well and moves away.

Alawi drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Alawi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smith swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Alawi works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Alawi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Smith keeps working.
Alawi works his way into side control.
Alawi taking a breather here.
Alawi tries to advance to mount but Smith denies him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alawi happy to just control the position for now.
Smith is trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alawi trying to control the action but Smith is working from the bottom.
Smith is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Alawi advances nicely into full mount.
Alawi looking to control and managing it successfully.
Smith prevents Alawi from taking his back.
Alawi looking to control but Smith is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Alawi with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Alawi controlling the pace for now.
Alawi can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Smith is looking to escape.
Tahboule Alawi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alawi controlling the position easily from mount.
Alawi trying to control but Smith is having none of it.
Smith tries to hold on but Alawi pushes him away.
Alawi controlling the pace for now.

Alawi with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Smith working to try and regain half guard.
Alawi wants to control the pace but Smith is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith is in all sorts of trouble here.
Alawi looking to control but Smith is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Alawi controlling from the full mount.
Alawi wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
Alawi looking to control and managing it successfully.
Alawi trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Smith has given up his back here. Will Alawi look for the submission or keep pounding away?
Alawi controlling well, preventing Smith from escaping the position.

Alawi patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

Alawi working for the choke.
Alawi keeps control of the position as Smith tries to break free.
Alawi seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Alawi looking for the choke but no joy.
Alawi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Smith can do to turn this around?
Alawi controlling from the back.
Alawi avoiding Smith 's attempts to control his hands.
Alawi controlling the position well here. Smith rolled but Alawi kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Alawi controlling well, preventing Smith from escaping the position.
Smith turns into Alawi and is now in his guard.
Smith wants to control from the top but Alawi keeps moving.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tahboule Alawi dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Smith swinging wildly here.
Smith dives in and grabs Alawi's left leg, looking for a takedown. Alawi pushes down on Smith's head and hops out.
Alawi is looking to counter punch.

Alawi closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Smith did well to prevent Alawi getting side control.
Alawi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Smith keeps working.
Alawi works his foot free and advances to mount.

Alawi looking for a guillotine from mount but Smith is having none of it.
Alawi looking to control and managing it successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alawi wants to control the pace but Smith is squirming around nicely.
Smith tries to reverse the position but Alawi maintains control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
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.
Smith is squirming around, avoiding Alawi's attempts to control the action.
Smith can't escape the position.
Smith wants to control but Alawi is having none of it.
Smith prevents Alawi from taking his back.
Alawi controlling his opponent.
Smith sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Alawi is working for a kimura but Smith is defending it quite comfortably.
Alawi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Smith keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith is looking for a sweep. Alawi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Alawi wants to control but Smith is keeping him busy.
Alawi takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Smith wants to control but Alawi is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Alawi is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Smith has managed to free his arm - good work.
Smith is looking to improve his position.
Alawi keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Alawi has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Alawi has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Smith sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Alawi seems content to control.
Smith regains full guard. Nicely done.

Smith has his foot on Alawi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Alawi works his way back into a safe position though.
Alawi looking to pass the guard.
Alawi slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Alawi trying to control the action but Smith is working from the bottom.
Smith manages to get back to half guard.
Alawi not doing much here.
Alawi wants to pass to mount but Smith is defending the position.
Jake Smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tahboule Alawi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to control but Alawi postures up.
Alawi is trying to control the action in half guard but Smith is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Alawi in particular looking to stall.
Smith moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Smith wants to sweep but no luck.
Alawi slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Alawi wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Smith is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Alawi stays in close to Smith's body and controls the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tahboule Alawi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Alawi, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tahboule Alawi!
Tahboule Alawi thanked the fans post fight for their support.
The defeated Jake Smith had this to say: 'Get ready for the gulag, homeboy.'.