PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mass Acre (ranked 7409 p4p, 655 weight class) and Atif Muhammad (ranked 23704 p4p, 764 weight class). Atif Muhammad has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Acre
vs
Muhammad

210 cm
21
238 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

189 cm
22
245 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mass Acre!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Atif Muhammad!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Paulsen Ambrosius and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Acre misses with a takedown

and Muhammad counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Muhammad.
Acre is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Muhammad is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Acre will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Acre wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Acre manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Acre landing knees to the head.

It looks like Atif Muhammad has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Acre escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Acre will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Acre lands with a nice combination. Muhammad backs away looking to recover.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Muhammad takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Acre lands a head kick. Muhammad smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muhammad tries to clinch up.

Muhammad moves into the clinch.
Muhammad wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Acre breaks the clinch.
Muhammad lands with a nice body kick.
Acre swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

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

Acre throws Muhammad to one side and escapes!
Acre is breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Acre pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Acre throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Muhammad.
The fight stays on the outside here - Muhammad looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Acre lands a nice looking body kick.
Muhammad looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Acre cracks the inside of Muhammad's front leg.

Acre tries to keep at a distance but Muhammad has taken the fight into the clinch.
Acre prevents Muhammad from breaking the clinch.

Acre's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Acre lands a head kick. Muhammad smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Muhammad tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Acre paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Muhammad showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Acre.
Nice takedown defense from Muhammad. No joy for Acre on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mass Acre. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Muhammad tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Acre swivels and escapes.
As Muhammad looks to move away, Acre throws a big counter combo but Muhammad just gets out of the way.
Muhammad fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Acre defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Muhammad.
Acre lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Acre is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Muhammad's half guard.

Acre is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Muhammad has managed to free his arm - good work.
Acre trying to control the action but Muhammad is working from the bottom.

Muhammad looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Acre wants to work for an arm triangle but Muhammad is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Acre looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Muhammad with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Acre seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Muhammad does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Acre moves into full mount! Muhammad won't be happy about that!
Muhammad avoids a series of strikes thrown by Acre.
Muhammad is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mass Acre dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Atif Muhammad's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Muhammad looks to clinch
and Acre counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Muhammad is looking to clinch.
No luck for Acre with that takedown attempt.
Acre tries a head kick but it misses.
Mass Acre is winning the standup battle so far.
Acre throws a one two combo.

That has opened up Atif Muhammad's cut even more.
A chopping leg kick lands by Acre.
Acre looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Acre lands with a thumping leg kick.
Acre fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Acre swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Muhammad will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Acre misses with a series of wild punches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Acre tries a head kick but it misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Acre moves in looking to clinch but Muhammad pushes him off.
Muhammad misses with a takedown attempt
and Acre counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Muhammad shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Mass Acre has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Atif Muhammad.
Muhammad misses with a takedown attempt - Acre sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Acre throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Muhammad.
Acre stalks Muhammad and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Muhammad's face. Muhammad staggers backwards, shaken.

The cut above Atif Muhammad's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Muhammad tries to clinch but Acre moves out of range.
Acre went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Muhammad shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Acre sprawls well. Acre wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Muhammad gets slowly back to his feet.
Acre shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Muhammad defends it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Acre has a takedown stuffed.
Acre looks to land a combination. Muhammad sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Acre slaps away a takedown attempt from Muhammad, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Muhammad shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Acre buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Acre fails to land with a series of punches.
Acre looks for a takedown but Muhammad sprawls well.
Muhammad is looking for the big counter here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Acre throws a good cross that connects.
Acre fails to land with a series of punches.
Mass Acre seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Muhammad gets a clinch.
Acre jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Muhammad walks away with a smile on his face. Acre gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Acre darts in and clinches Muhammad up against the cage.

Muhammad pulls guard successfully.
Acre won't allow Muhammad to get back to his feet.
Acre trying to control the position from guard on top but Muhammad is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Acre looking to pass the guard.
Muhammad can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Acre controls the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Muhammad controls Acre momentarily but Acre frees himself.
Muhammad thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Muhammad working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Acre has passed into half guard!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Muhammad can do anything to dispel that myth.
Acre tries to pass to full mount but Muhammad defends it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mass Acre dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Atif Muhammad's cut.
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!

Muhammad misses with a takedown
and Acre counters with a two punch combo.
Muhammad dodges the punch combination from Acre.
No luck for Muhammad with that takedown attempt.
Muhammad motions for Acre to come forward. Muhammad throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Acre throws a nice head kick!
Muhammad tries for a takedown but Acre sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Mass Acre has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Atif Muhammad.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Acre throws a series of punches but Muhammad moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Muhammad looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Muhammad closes this distance looking for a takedown but Acre circles away.

Acre forces Muhammad back against the cage and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Acre tries to score a body lock takedown but Muhammad shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Muhammad gets underhooks to prevent Acre's takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Acre manages to break the clinch.
Muhammad leaves Acre with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Acre throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Muhammad tries to grapple but his opponent circles
enabling Acre to counter with a crisp jab.
Muhammad fails in his attempt to clinch.
Acre moves in looking to clinch but Muhammad pushes him off.
Muhammad tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Acre lands with a slapping head kick.

Atif Muhammad's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
The fight stays on the outside here - Acre looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Muhammad throws a sloppy head kick and Acre moves out of range easily.
Acre misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Muhammad swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Muhammad misses with a leg kick
and Acre counters with a nice body shot.
Acre throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Acre connects with a high kick.

Muhammad drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Muhammad sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Muhammad prevents Acre from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Acre not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Muhammad looking to pass the guard.
Muhammad trying to control but Acre is working from the bottom.
Muhammad landing with the ground and pound.
Acre trying to keep a closed guard but Muhammad is proving a slippery customer.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Muhammad's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Muhammad wants to control from the top but Acre keeps moving.
Acre is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Acre looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Acre seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Muhammad does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Acre is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Muhammad can do to turn this around?
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Acre lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Atif Muhammad has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mass Acre is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Muhammad is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Acre pulls his head out easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mass Acre showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Acre, 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mass Acre!