PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mikhail Ligachev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benito Galea (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Benito Galea is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Ligachev
vs
Galea

172 cm
18
150 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

164 cm
21
155 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Nemesis Cage Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Mikhail Ligachev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Benito Galea!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Richard Clark and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ligachev fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Galea manages to avoid it.
Galea fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ligachev misses with a body shot.
Galea is looking to clinch but Ligachev is avoiding it.
Galea tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ligachev swats him away and circles back towards the center.
No joy there for Ligachev, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Galea fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Galea throws a big shot that misses.

Galea shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Ligachev tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Galea goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Ligachev turns into him and now he's in Galea's guard.

Galea has his foot on Ligachev's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ligachev works his way back into a safe position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Galea looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Ligachev has picked Galea up and slammed him! Galea can't keep hold of the triangle and Ligachev manages to pass to side control!
Galea looks gassed!
Ligachev wants to lay and pray for a moment but Galea keeps working.
Galea is being controlled here.
Ligachev is looking to take a break and control but Galea is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Galea tries to buck Ligachev off but Ligachev is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Ligachev is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Galea knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Galea manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Galea wants to pass the guard but Ligachev is defending well.

Galea is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Ligachev regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Galea drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Ligachev manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Galea has Ligachev in his guard.
Ligachev loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Galea looking for a sweep. Not yet Galea, not yet.
Ligachev wants to control from the top but Galea keeps moving.
Ligachev tries to free his leg and advance position but Galea is retaining full guard.

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.
Ligachev wants to control from the top but Galea keeps moving.
Ligachev preventing the sweep.
Ligachev throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ligachev trying to control but Galea is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Galea takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Galea shoots in and drives through. Ligachev sprawls well.
Galea shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Ligachev but Ligachev pushes him off and we're back to square one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benito Galea dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Ligachev fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ligachev fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Galea manages to avoid it.
Ligachev scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Benito Galea seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Ligachev gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Ligachev breaks from the clinch.

Ligachev rushes Galea and presses him up against the cage.
Galea is trying to drag Ligachev to the mat but Ligachev just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Galea is trying to break the clinch but Ligachev has him pressed against the cage.
Galea is breathing heavily.
A body shot lands from Ligachev.
Good body shot from Ligachev.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ligachev is pushing Galea up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Ligachev breaks the clinch.
Ligachev fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ligachev lands a jab-cross combination.
Galea looks to land a combination but Ligachev avoids it well.
Galea tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ligachev scores with a jab to the head.
Mikhail Ligachev is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Galea tries a head kick but it misses.

Ligachev darts in and clinches Galea up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ligachev tries to pull guard but Galea holds him up against the cage and eventually Ligachev drops back down to his feet.
Nice body punch from Ligachev.
Ligachev pushes Galea back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Galea fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Come on Ligachev - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Galea wants to get back to striking at distance but Ligachev won't allow it.
Ligachev looking for a takedown.

Ligachev ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Ligachev no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Ligachev looking to control.
Ligachev throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Galea has gone for a leg lock! Ligachev slips out almost immediately though and dives into Galea's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ligachev wants to control from the top but Galea keeps moving.
Ligachev knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Galea on the ground.
Galea working a defensive guard here.
Ligachev trying to control the position from guard on top but Galea is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Galea working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Ligachev tries to free his leg and advance position but Galea is retaining full guard.
Galea throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Ligachev is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Galea wants to clinch
and Ligachev counters with a right hand to the body.
A big right from Ligachev misses.
Ligachev wants to clinch but Galea slips to the side

and Galea counters by clinching up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikhail Ligachev dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Ligachev scores with a body shot.
Ligachev digs a good body shot into Galea's ribs.
Galea steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Ligachev.
Ligachev throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ligachev shoots in but Galea avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Galea has a takedown stuffed.
Galea shoots in for a double leg but Ligachev sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Galea takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Galea tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice combination there by Ligachev.
Ligachev ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Galea looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ligachev tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Galea swivels and escapes.
Galea takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Ligachev throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Galea stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
A low kick from Galea is predictable there
and Ligachev counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Ligachev shoots in and drives through. Galea sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikhail Ligachev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ligachev throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ligachev has taken the fight to the clinch.
Galea fails to pull guard.

Ligachev pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ligachev fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Galea swats away the attempt to clinch by Ligachev.
Ligachev rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Galea moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Galea takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Galea throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ligachev lands a with a good body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Galea gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Ligachev counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Ligachev is looking to wear down Galea with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Galea throws a combination that misses
and Ligachev makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Ligachev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Galea swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ligachev jabs at Galea's body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ligachev.
Ligachev throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Galea changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ligachev tries to avoid it but Galea manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ligachev to the ground. Ligachev escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
No luck for Ligachev with that takedown attempt.
Ligachev uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Galea.
Ligachev throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Galea gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Ligachev counters with a three punch combo that has Galea backing up. Galea nods at Ligachev to acknowledge the strikes.
Galea gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Galea is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mikhail Ligachev showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ligachev 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mikhail Ligachev!