PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tristan Mkhalele (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Damm (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mkhalele comes into the arena with Noir Désir - Un jour en France blaring out of the sound system. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Mkhalele
vs
Damm

180 cm
23
199 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent knees
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Tristan Mkhalele!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Sam Damm!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Donald Grub and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mkhalele tries a head kick but it misses.
Damm tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mkhalele swats him away and circles back towards the center.

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

Mkhalele goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Damm has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Mkhalele but great work by Damm.
Mkhalele is trying to get back to half guard.

Damm stands up and beckons Mkhalele to his feet.
Mkhalele shoots in for a double leg but Damm sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mkhalele fails with the takedown.
Damm thumps Mkhalele with a low kick.
Mkhalele is breathing heavily.

Damm rushes Mkhalele and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Mkhalele as Damm tries to tie him up.
Damm misses with a knee strike.
Mkhalele looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tristan Mkhalele. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Damm scores a nice knee to the body.
Mkhalele throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Damm with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Damm blocks the elbow strike.
Mkhalele lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Sam Damm has been cut.
Damm lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Damm lands a knee to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damm tries to land a knee to the head but Mkhalele blocks with his arms.
Damm with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Damm throws a knee to the head but misses.
Damm landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Damm is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mkhalele is defending well for now.
Damm using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Damm stalling.
Damm misses with a knee to the head.
Damm missing with knees to the body.
Mkhalele lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Mkhalele avoiding damage as Damm throws knees to the body.
Damm holding his opponent close, against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Mkhalele.
Mkhalele takes a knee right on the jaw!
A nice glancing elbow lands by Mkhalele.
Damm with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Damm misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mkhalele.
Mkhalele wants a takedown.
Mkhalele drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Damm gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Damm landing knees to the head.
Mkhalele dodges an elbow strike from Damm.
Mkhalele pushes off an throws an elbow but Damm leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Mkhalele gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mkhalele has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Damm is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Damm throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mkhalele blocks it with crossed arms.
Mkhalele lands a damaging elbow.
Damm takes an elbow to the forehead.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Damm obliges.
Damm is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mkhalele is defending well for now.
Mkhalele with a knee to the head.
Damm takes an elbow to the temple.
Mkhalele misses with a knee to the head.
Damm takes an elbow to the temple.
Damm blocks the elbow strike.
Damm throws a knee to the head but misses.
Mkhalele throws a knee to the head but misses.
Mkhalele throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Damm tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Damm blocks an elbow strike from Mkhalele.

Mkhalele manages to pull guard.
Damm wants to get up but he can't break Mkhalele's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Damm is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Damm must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Mkhalele trying to keep a closed guard but Damm is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mkhalele is looking for a triangle but Damm pushes his legs off easily.
Damm would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Mkhalele is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Mkhalele trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mkhalele is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Mkhalele looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Damm wants to stand but Mkhalele is controlling his posture from full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sam Damm will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Sam Damm's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Damm tries to keep at a distance but Mkhalele has taken the fight into the clinch.
Damm takes an elbow to the forehead.
Mkhalele looking to throw knees to the head but Damm is blocking nicely.
Mkhalele throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Damm blocks it with crossed arms.

Mkhalele has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Damm is trying to keep an underhook but Mkhalele manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Mkhalele is looking to take a break and control but Damm is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Damm tries to kick Mkhalele off but Mkhalele keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Mkhalele wants to work for an arm triangle but Damm is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Mkhalele is trying to control. Damm wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Mkhalele seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mkhalele sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Damm defending well though.
Mkhalele is trying to control the action in half guard but Damm is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Mkhalele moves into the clinch successfully.
Damm tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mkhalele pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Mkhalele tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Damm lands an elbow just above Mkhalele 's eye.
Mkhalele throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Damm blocks an elbow strike from Mkhalele.
Mkhalele tries a knee to the head but Damm blocks it.
Damm with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Mkhalele changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Damm fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Damm is looking to clinch but Mkhalele is avoiding it.
Mkhalele closes the distance but Damm moves to the side

and Damm counters by clinching up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damm avoids a wild elbow strike from Mkhalele.
Damm with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Mkhalele avoids a wild elbow strike from Damm.
Damm throws a knee to the head but misses.
Mkhalele creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Mkhalele goes for a takedown in the clinch but Damm prevents it.
Mkhalele lands a nice elbow.

Mkhalele wants the takedown. Damm is fighting it off but Mkhalele persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Damm's guard against the cage.
Mkhalele trying to control the position from guard on top but Damm is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mkhalele slips nicely into half guard.

Mkhalele is working for a kimura but Damm is defending it quite comfortably.
Mkhalele wants to free his trapped foot but Damm is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mkhalele scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Damm looks like he's trying to stand up.

Mkhalele is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Mkhalele is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Damm doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Mkhalele.
Mkhalele content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Mkhalele not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Damm avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Mkhalele.
Mkhalele wants to take a breather but Damm is having none of it.
Mkhalele is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Damm!
Mkhalele throws some wild stikes that Damm manages to avoid easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tristan Mkhalele dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Sam Damm's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Mkhalele moves into the clinch.
Mkhalele lands an elbow that stopped Damm in his tracks for a moment.
Mkhalele misses with an elbow over the top.
Mkhalele misses with an elbow over the top.
Mkhalele on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Damm tries to land a knee to the head but Mkhalele blocks with his arms.
Damm throws a knee to the head but misses.
Damm tries to land a knee to the head but Mkhalele blocks with his arms.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Mkhalele goes for a takedown in the clinch but Damm prevents it.
Mkhalele lands a nice elbow.
Mkhalele lands an elbow just above Damm 's eye.
Mkhalele throws an elbow but it misses.
Damm tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Mkhalele blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Nice elbow from Mkhalele.

That has opened up Sam Damm's cut even more.
Mkhalele has Damm pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Damm manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Mkhalele lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Mkhalele throws an elbow that misses.
Mkhalele lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Mkhalele lands an elbow that stopped Damm in his tracks for a moment.
Damm takes an elbow to the forehead.
Damm tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mkhalele avoids it.
Damm takes an elbow to the forehead.

Mkhalele gets control of Damm's arms and successfully pulls guard. Mkhalele will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mkhalele is pulling down on Damm's head. It's preventing any offense from Damm, at least for the moment.
Damm tries to stand but Mkhalele is controlling from the bottom.
Mkhalele manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Damm manages to get himself to full guard.
Mkhalele advances to half guard.
Mkhalele thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Mkhalele not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Damm keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Mkhalele seems to be working for a kimura but Damm defends the submission attempt.
Damm really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Mkhalele. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Mkhalele seems to be looking for submissions.

Mkhalele seems to be looking for submissions.
Mkhalele looks to land a strike but Damm avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Mkhalele trying to control the position from guard on top but Damm is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damm working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mkhalele.
Damm preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mkhalele 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.
Mkhalele advances to half guard.
Mkhalele wants to control but Damm is keeping him busy.
Damm avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Mkhalele.

Mkhalele is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Damm defends it well.
Mkhalele works his way into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Damm is pushing Mkhalele's head away, looking to escape. Mkhalele manages to hold on to the position though.
Mkhalele throws a strike aimed at the side of Damm's head but Damm avoids it well.
Mkhalele advances to full mount.

Mkhalele is working close to his opponent, looking to work a submission by the looks of things. Oh, he's managed to get a guillotine from mount as his opponent reached up! That looks tiiiiight! Will he tap? YES, he's tapped! Impressive submission by Mkhalele!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:52 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Tristan Mkhalele!