PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aleksi Saari (ranked 3608 p4p, 5041 weight class) and Alexander Petrov (ranked 462 p4p, 586 weight class). Saari's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Oranssi Pazuzu - Lahja . Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Saari
vs
Petrov

191 cm
18
207
1 - 1 - 0

188 cm
18
210
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aleksi Saari!
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, Alexander Petrov!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Vladimir Khabensky and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Petrov swings for the body but Saari moves out of range.
Some wild striking there from Petrov.
Saari is looking for a counter combo.
A jab from Saari finds it's way through Petrov's defenses.
Petrov wants to clinch up but Saari keeps it at a distance.
Saari's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Saari duly obliges.
Saari misses with the combination.
Petrov throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Saari sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Petrov connects with a jab.
Saari scores with a jab to the body.
Saari throws a looping overhand right but Petrov ducks down to avoid it.
Petrov dodges the punch combination from Saari.
Aleksi Saari seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Saari throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Petrov chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Petrov lands with a hook. Saari tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Saari scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Saari swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Saari fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrov misses with a hook. Saari ducked under it nicely.
Saari lands a lovely overhand right.
Petrov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Saari paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Saari throws a right and a left that Petrov avoids nicely.
Petrov swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
A combination from Petrov does no damage.
Saari throws a big shot that misses.
Petrov misses with a body shot.
Saari throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Petrov counters with a low kick, right behind Saari 's knee.
A jab lands there for Saari.
Saari scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Saari will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Petrov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Saari paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Petrov lunges at Saari with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Saari's hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Saari keeps the fight on the outside.
Petrov wants to clinch up but Saari keeps it at a distance.
Saari is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
A jab lands there for Petrov.
Saari connects with a body shot that sends Petrov's belly button to the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petrov displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

It looks like Aleksi Saari has been cut.
Petrov moves in looking to clinch but Saari pushes him off.
Saari cracks Petrov with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Petrov throws a leg kick but Saari moved away.
Saari throws a right and a left that both miss.
Petrov drops his hands momentarily and Saari takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Petrov wants to clinch.
Petrov throws a good cross that connects.
Saari misses with a few strikes there.
Saari stuns Petrov with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Petrov fails with an attempt to clinch.
Saari will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Saari swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Petrov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Saari paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrov connects with a leg kick.
Petrov avoids the body shot from Saari.
Petrov throws a right hand that Saari ducks under and follows up with a left that Saari also avoids with ease.
Petrov misses with a wild combination.
Saari throwing a counter right hand but Petrov manages to avoid it.
Saari misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Saari misses with a series of wild punches.
The crowd cheers as Saari lands an impressive looking overhand right. Petrov doesn't seem phased though.
Saari lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Saari misses with a jab, cross combination.
Petrov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Petrov throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Saari stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Petrov lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Saari circles away quickly and effectively.
Saari was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Saari on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Petrov tries to clinch but Saari moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Petrov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saari gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Petrov.
Petrov lands with a kick to the temple. Saari shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Saari throws a right hand that Petrov ducks under and follows up with a left that Petrov also avoids with ease.
Petrov is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Petrov works the jab nicely.
No joy there for Saari, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Petrov tries to clinch but Saari moves out of range.
Saari swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Saari throws a right and a left that both miss.
Petrov throws a body shot but no joy.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saari sizes up Petrov with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Saari misses with a wild combination.
Petrov looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Saari throws the left hand but Petrov avoids the punch easily.
Nice body punch from Petrov.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksi Saari dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Aleksi Saari's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A bone on bone clash there as Saari blocks the leg kick.
Saari was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Good standup being displayed there by Saari as he connects with a hook.
Saari throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Petrov.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Petrov! But no joy.
Saari works Petrov's body with a nice hook.
Saari fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Petrov tries to close the distance and clinch up but Saari swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Petrov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Petrov attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Aleksi Saari is winning the standup battle so far.
A cross from Petrov lands.
Saari shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Petrov throws a shot to the body.
Petrov moves out of range of the strikes.
Saari is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Petrov can do to turn this around?
A left lands for Petrov.
Petrov tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Saari manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Petrov misses with a jab, cross combination.
Saari throws a big counter combination but Petrov scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Saari looks to land a left hand but Petrov moved out of range nicely.
Saari connects with a body shot that sends Petrov's belly button to the back.
Saari will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrov pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Saari back to the cage. Petrov follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Saari throws a right and a left that Petrov avoids nicely.
Petrov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Saari.
Saari throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Saari just misses with a punch to the body.
Saari throws a series of punches but Petrov moves out of range.
A little jabbing left from Petrov on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Saari avoids the body shot from Petrov.
Saari takes one on the button.
Petrov bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Saari's head backwards.
Saari misses with a few strikes there.
Saari staying out of range there.
Saari appears to be looking for a big counter.
Saari misses with an uppercut. Petrov saw that one coming.
Saari tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Petrov was well out of range. Poor timing from Saari.
Saari scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A big left from Petrov misses.
Aleksi Saari is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Saari swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saari takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Petrov takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Saari takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Saari has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Saari throws an ugly left hook that misses
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
and Petrov counters with a right hand to the body.
Saari pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nice straight punches there by Saari. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Saari.
Petrov misses the jab.
Saari with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Petrov to score with a decent uppercut.
Saari swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Some wild striking there from Saari.
Saari swinging wildly here.
It seemed like Petrov was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Saari throws a poor cross that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Saari has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Saari there as he acknowledges the shot.
Saari swinging wildly here.
Petrov now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Petrov looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saari misses with a two punch combination.
Saari looks to land a combination. Petrov sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Petrov slips a jab from Saari.
Petrov tries to clinch but Saari is having none of it.
Petrov connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Saari displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Petrov throws out the jab.
Petrov connects with a right hand. Saari shakes it off.
Petrov scores with a jab.

Saari is rocked!
Saari throws a nice looking combination but Petrov bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Petrov is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Saari with a body shot.
Oh Saari is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Saari throws a right hand that Petrov ducks under and follows up with a left that Petrov also avoids with ease.
Saari seems to have got his legs back now.
No joy there for Saari, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Saari keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Petrov.
Saari throws a big counter combination but Petrov scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Saari throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A head kick misses from Petrov.
A punch combination from Saari misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Petrov. Saari does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrov uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Saari.
Some wild striking there from Petrov.
Petrov throws a body shot but no joy.
Saari looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Saari is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Petrov.
Saari takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Saari avoids the head kick by Petrov.
Saari fails to land with a series of punches.
Petrov scores with a hook to the body. Saari takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Petrov scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Saari comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Saari throws a right and a left that Petrov avoids nicely.
Saari blocks a head kick by Petrov.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Petrov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A little feinted left hand from Saari on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Petrov wants to clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Alexander Petrov will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Aleksi Saari's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Saari rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Petrov moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Saari takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Saari lands a lovely overhand right.
Saari drops his hands momentarily and Petrov takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Petrov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Saari moves away.
Petrov lands a jab to the head.
Petrov dodges the punch combination from Saari.
Saari lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Petrov circles away quickly and effectively.
Petrov misses with a head kick.
Saari appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Petrov throws out a loose jab but Saari uses good head movement to avoid it.
Petrov slips under a jab.
Petrov is looking for the big counter here.
Petrov dodges the punch combination from Saari.
Saari throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Saari throws a shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Petrov lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Petrov tries a low kick but Saari avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saari lands an overhand right.
Saari swinging wildly here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Saari throws a body punch but Petrov moves out of range.
Saari throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Petrov misses the shot to the body.
Saari defending well as Petrov loads up on a big left hand.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Petrov.
Petrov throws a jab when Saari was well out of range.
Saari takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Petrov looks to score with a jab to the body but Saari is just out of range.
Saari keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Saari throws a left and a right that both miss
and Petrov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Saari misses with a lunging right hand
and Petrov connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Saari misses with the combination.
Saari uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Petrov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petrov scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Petrov throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Saari sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Petrov getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Saari cracks Petrov with an open hand slap.
Saari swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Saari throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Saari keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Saari rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Petrov moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Petrov appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Petrov misses the target.
Saari went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Petrov gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Saari.
Some wild striking there from Saari.
Petrov throws a nice looking combination but Saari bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Petrov lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Saari missing with a left hand there. Petrov was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Saari takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Saari lands a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrov swinging wildly here.
Petrov defending well as Saari loads up on a big left hand.
Petrov looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Petrov throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Nice uppercut lands for Petrov. That snapped Saari's head back.
Saari throws a right and a left that both miss.
No joy there for Saari, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Saari misses with a few strikes there.
Petrov slips a jab and a cross from Saari.
Petrov lands a glancing blow to the side of Saari's head.
Petrov throws a solid leg kick but Saari takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Petrov.
Petrov throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Petrov tries to clinch up but Saari circles away and keeps his distance.
Saari moves out of range of the strikes.
Petrov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Petrov keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Saari.
A left and a right from Saari both land. Nice combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Saari throws a series of punches but Petrov avoids them all with ease.
Saari looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Saari slips under a jab from Petrov.
Petrov scores with a punch to the head.
Saari drops his hands momentarily and Petrov takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Saari throws a one two combo.
Petrov tries to clinch up.
Petrov tries to clinch up but Saari circles away and keeps his distance.
Petrov doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Petrov lands with a kick to the ribs.
Petrov walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Saari checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Nice cross by Petrov.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saari throws a one two combo.
Saari throws a right hand that misses
and Petrov counters with an inside leg kick.
Saari dodges the punch combination from Petrov.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Alexander Petrov.
I think Petrov has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:29
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27

The fight is ruled a draw!