PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between John Thai (ranked 5383 p4p, 0 weight class) and Abdul Nabi (ranked 4663 p4p, 0 weight class). Nabi has chosen Here Comes The Hotstepper as his entrance music. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Thai
vs
Nabi

180 cm
18
134 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

171 cm
26
142 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

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 Rio de Janeiro, John Thai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Abdul Nabi!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Seu Braga and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thai falls off balance throwing a combination

and Nabi counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Nabi is standing up over Thai. Thai looks to escape but Nabi dives into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Nabi decides to stand back up.
Thai misses with a left hand

and Nabi counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Nabi looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Thai is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Nabi is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Nabi working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nabi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Nabi is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Nabi postures up and lands a big shot to Thai's brow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thai can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Nabi controls the pace.
Nabi prevents Thai from getting back to his feet.
Thai keeping moving, preventing Nabi from controlling successfully.
Nabi wants to pass the guard but Thai is keeping the position.
Nabi trying to control but Thai is working from the bottom.

Thai is working an open guard so Nabi takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Thai darts in trying to clinch
and Nabi counters with a nice uppercut.

Nabi shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Thai is trying to defend but Nabi finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Thai pushes Nabi off but Nabi dives into side control.
Nabi scoring with punches and elbows.
Thai tries to control but Nabi manages to take his back.

Nabi is working for a rear naked choke. Thai is not defending it well and Nabi has tightened it up quickly! This could be all over! Thai refuses to tap and goes to sleep, forcing the referee to intervene. A little trickle of blood came out of Thai's nose as his head slumped to the floor. That is naaaasty!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Abdul Nabi!
Abdul Nabi decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.