PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Xi Li (ranked 3868 p4p, 408 weight class) and Abey Sin (ranked 4667 p4p, 454 weight class). Li kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is HYFR by Drake featuring Lil Wayne. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Li
vs
Sin

197 cm
24
190 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

185 cm
24
185 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Xi Li!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Abey Sin!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Roosa Järviläinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sin shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Li but Li pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Li gets tackled into the cage by Sin. Sin maintains the clinch.
I was talking to Li's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Li gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Sin fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Li breaks from the clinch.
Li fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

Li takes the fight into the clinch.
Li comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Abey Sin has been cut.
Li really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Li lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Li breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Li drives through and clinches with Sin against the cage.
Sin goes for a takedown in the clinch but Li prevents it.
Xi Li has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Abey Sin.
Li lands a right hand that snaps the head of Sin backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Li lands an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Li fails to land.
Li scores with a nice hook to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Li's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Sin moves into the clinch successfully.
Li tries to circle away but Sin has him pinned against the cage.
Li lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Li breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Li connects with a body shot that sends Sin's belly button to the back.

Sin looking to score a takedown here. Li is defending well but Sin drives through and ends up in Li's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Li wants to stand up but Sin is controlling him.
Sin is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Li wants to stand but Sin is controlling the position.
Sin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Li swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sin trying to control the position from guard on top but Li is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sin sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Sin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Sin wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Sin gets the takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sin trying to control the action but Li is working from the bottom.
Sin in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sin trying to control the position but Li is working away.
Li is working to avoid the ground and pound but Sin connects with a decent elbow.
Sin working the head and body with strikes.
Sin throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Li defending against the ground and pound.
Li is trying to get back to his feet.
Sloppy strikes there by Sin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sin takes a little break here. Li wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Sin fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Sin controlling the position.
Li knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sin on the ground.
Sin working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Sin in side control, throwing shots but Li defends.
Sin throwing strikes but Li manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Sin looks to move to half guard but instead Li has passed into mount! Damn!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xi Li dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Abey Sin's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sin closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Sin wants to take a breather but Li is having none of it.
Sin is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Li tries to kick Sin off but Sin keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Sin controlling the action here.

Li is defending against the submission attempts here by Sin.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sin is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li is trying to stand up here but Sin is controlling him well.
Sin throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

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

Sin is working for a kimura here but Li manages to reverse the position and he's now in Sin's guard.

Sin is looking for a triangle here but Li uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Abey Sin has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sin is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Sin wants to control but Li postures up.
Sin is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sin keeps trying to improve his position.
Sin is trying to work for a sweep but Li has mounted him!
Li is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Sin is working to get back to half guard.
Sin controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Sin really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Li is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
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 Xi Li will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Abey Sin's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Li darts in trying to clinch

and Sin decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Li's guard.
Sin distracts Li with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sin throws a strike but Li rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Sin is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Sin is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sin not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sin performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Sin with the ground and pound but Li uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Sin is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Sin wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.
Sin is looking to work some ground and pound but Li has wrist control.
Sin postures up in Li's guard and throws a big left but Li blocks it.
Sin with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Li working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sin.
Li avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sin landing with the ground and pound.

Sin is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Li is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Li has escaped and now he's on top!

Sin lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sin keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Li's head.
Sin lands a couple of digs.
Sin throwing strikes but missing.

Sin drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Li manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Sin has Li in his guard.

Li has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Sin is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sin has a closed guard, preventing Li from standing up.

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

Li decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Sin, up you get!

And that's the end of the fight!
Abey Sin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Li has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Xi Li!
Xi Li took to the mic in his post fight interview and said 'I feel I can move through this division. This isn't even my natural weight class. I'm coming out to end guys careers. Thanks to the fans and to my camp at So Cal Fight Club. We here now!!!'.