PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mohammad Ganji (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cody Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Ganji
vs
Black

170 cm
25
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
19
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid Muay Thai
Good in bed

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mohammad Ganji!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Cody Black!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Paul Gruel and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ganji scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Ganji wants to pass to mount but Black is defending the position.
Black wants to improve his position but Ganji is controlling well.
Ganji stops Black from getting back to his feet.
Ganji slows the pace down in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ganji working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Black's thigh. Black counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Black working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Black throws a head kick that misses.
Ganji fails to land with a series of punches.

Ganji dives in and scores a takedown into Black's guard.

Ganji got a little sloppy there for a moment and Black has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ganji has managed to get both his arms back between Black's legs - danger averted.
Ganji's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Ganji postures up.
Ganji is looking to stand up but Black won't let him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Black working for a triangle but Ganji defends it easily.
Ganji preventing the sweep.
Ganji trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ganji tries to stand but Black is controlling from the bottom.
Black is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Black wants to control the position but Ganji says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Black is trying to maintain the position but Ganji is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ganji is working for a kimura but Black is defending it quite comfortably.
Black is trying to control but can't.

Black looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Black wants to control but Ganji is keeping busy.
Ganji not doing much here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ganji wants to stand up but Black manages to regain full guard.
Ganji 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.
Ganji trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ganji preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mohammad Ganji dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Black misses with a wild combination.

Ganji shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Ganji was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Black is looking to reverse the position.

Ganji wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Black, who protects the arm well.
Black can't do much from the bottom here.
Mohammad Ganji overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Ganji is trying to get an arm triangle but Black is defending well.
Ganji knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Black on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Black wants to get back to his feet but Ganji drags him back down.
Black struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Ganji tries to pass to full mount but Black defends it.
Ganji landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Ganji with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Ganji has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ganji not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Ganji stopping the sweep attempt from Black.

Black escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ganji gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ganji postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ganji is stalling in the full guard.
Black not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ganji trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Black wants to stand and escape but Ganji is having none of it.
Black is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Ganji dives into side control.
Ganji scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Black to see if he's OK.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ganji working away.
Ganji controlling from side mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mohammad Ganji will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Ganji throws a sloppy head kick
and Black counters with a three punch combo that has Ganji backing up. Ganji nods at Black to acknowledge the strikes.
No joy there for Black, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Black throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Black lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Ganji blocks a head kick by Black.

Black tries to keep at a distance but Ganji has taken the fight into the clinch.
Black wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ganji has him pressed against the cage.
Black is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Ganji.

Ganji wants the takedown. Black is fighting it off but Ganji persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Black's guard against the cage.
Ganji engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Black throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ganji not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Black looking to control.
Ganji trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Black throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ganji looking to pass the guard.
Ganji is looking to work some ground and pound but Black has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ganji stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Black swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Black trying to keep a closed guard but Ganji is proving a slippery customer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Ganji moves into range and clinches up with Black.

Ganji is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Black can't fight it off and eventually Ganji manages to take the fight to the floor. Black looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Black is trying to control the position but Ganji postures up.

Ganji drops back looking for a leg! Black is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Black manages to kick Ganji off! Ganji jumps back into Black's guard.

Black escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ganji gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ganji drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Black dives on top into guard.
Black throws a big elbow that misses.
Black would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Ganji escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Black gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ganji wants to sweep but no luck.

Black drops back looking for a leg! Ganji is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ganji manages to kick Black off! Black jumps back into Ganji's guard.

Ganji throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Cody Black has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mohammad Ganji is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Black loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mohammad Ganji showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ganji, 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mohammad Ganji!