PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mac Coleman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Emile Azzam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mac Coleman has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Coleman
vs
Azzam

179 cm
18
161 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
23
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mac Coleman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Emile Azzam!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Valeri Chadov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Azzam shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Coleman napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Coleman is looking for a sweep.

Azzam is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Coleman is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Coleman misses with a strike from the bottom.
Coleman knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Azzam on the ground.
Coleman wants to control but Azzam postures up.
Azzam is looking to take a break and control but Coleman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Azzam tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Coleman struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Coleman throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
A control attempt from Coleman but he's now mounted!
Azzam content just to control the position here.
Coleman is in all sorts of trouble here.
Azzam avoids the attempt from Coleman to control.
Azzam content just to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Azzam working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

Azzam jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Coleman manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Azzam in side control lands a decent elbow.
Coleman tries to buck Azzam off but Azzam is having none of it.
Coleman is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Azzam content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azzam lands some shots froms side control.
Azzam remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Coleman is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Azzam has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Azzam controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Coleman tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Coleman is trying to escape the position but Azzam is controlling the position.
You can see the frustration on Coleman's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Coleman gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emile Azzam dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Azzam throws out a leg kick but Coleman moves out of range and Azzam only half commits.
Coleman tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Azzam manages to circle out of the way.

Azzam feints and as Coleman raises his hands in defense, Azzam changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Coleman trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Azzam stays in close to Coleman's body and controls the position.
Azzam postures up.
Azzam controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Coleman working for a triangle but Azzam defends it easily.

Coleman is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Azzam defends well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azzam is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Azzam gets a takedown into half guard.
Coleman wants to control but Azzam passes into side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azzam is looking to take a break and control but Coleman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Coleman is letting Azzam control him for a moment.
Azzam lands some shots froms side control.

Azzam tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Azzam has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Azzam looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
You can see the frustration on Coleman's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Coleman is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Coleman taking punishment in the form of punches.
Coleman struggling a bit here.
Azzam lands some shots froms side control.
Azzam is looking to take a break and control but Coleman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Azzam taking a breather here.
Coleman wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Coleman is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Coleman bucks up and tries to throw Azzam off but instead Azzam has got his back!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Azzam is punishing Coleman with strikes - can he finish him?!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emile Azzam showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Azzam fails with a takedown attempt.

Azzam shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Azzam is stalling in the full guard.
Azzam prevents Coleman from getting back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Coleman working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Azzam doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Azzam manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Azzam looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azzam slips nicely into half guard.
Azzam thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Coleman is looking to control Azzam's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Coleman avoid being mounted?

Coleman is defending against the submission attempts here by Azzam.

Azzam is looking for a kimura but Coleman is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Azzam to get the leverage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azzam tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Coleman.
Azzam perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Coleman is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Azzam jumps into side control!
Azzam has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Coleman!
Azzam lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Azzam raining down shots from the mount!
Coleman is working to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azzam scores with a couple of good head shots there.

Coleman is rocked!
Azzam fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Oh Coleman is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Coleman is trying to reverse the position but instead Azzam has taken his back - oops!
Azzam cracks Coleman with a big right hand from the back mount! Coleman immediately covers up and the referee dives in to save him under a barrage of more strikes! Azzam takes this one by TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:35 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Emile Azzam!