PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Chike Obi (ranked 814 p4p, 953 weight class) and Ivan Kamenev (ranked 109 p4p, 129 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Obi
vs
Kamenev

178 cm
24
158
5 - 1 - 0

178 cm
25
157
11 - 4 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

HELLBENT
Brooklyn Threads

HELLBENT
Conquer

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chike Obi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ivan Kamenev!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Steven Brown and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kamenev shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Obi as he avoids it easily.
Obi throws a body shot but no joy.
Obi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Obi throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Kamenev lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Obi circles away quickly and effectively.
Obi moves out of range as Kamenev strikes.
Kamenev uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Obi.
Obi throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kamenev sees it coming and avoids it easily.
And Kamenev tries to counter it with a takedown but Obi pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Kamenev fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Obi throws a shot from downtown. Kamenev moves away and avoids it.
Kamenev slips a straight right by Obi.
Kamenev is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Obi misses with a looping right.
Obi throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A slow jab from Kamenev misses its intended target.
Obi throws a big shot that misses.
Obi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kamenev manages to avoid it.
Kamenev staying out of range there.
Kamenev with the counter takedown but Obi avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Kamenev.
Kamenev drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Obi defends it well.

Kamenev closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Obi quickly recovers to half guard.
Obi keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Kamenev takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Obi wants to control but Kamenev is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Kamenev is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Obi gets full guard.

Obi looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Kamenev has picked Obi up and slammed him! Obi can't keep hold of the triangle and Kamenev manages to pass to side control!
Obi is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at BLK Elite MMA Gym, so we'll see if he gets out of it.

Kamenev wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Obi, who protects the arm well.

Kamenev is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Obi is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Obi manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Obi is trying to control. Kamenev wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Obi 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.
Kamenev wants to control but Obi is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Obi is trying to work for a kimura but Kamenev is defending well.
Kamenev is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Kamenev is staying active underneath Obi, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Kamenev works his way to full guard. Good work.

Kamenev had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Obi defends it easily.

Kamenev is looking for a triangle but Obi pushes his legs off easily.

Kamenev had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Obi defends it easily.
Obi advances position into side control!
Kamenev is being controlled here.
Obi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kamenev keeps working.
Obi is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Kamenev's shoulder. That is not cool.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Obi trying to control the action but Kamenev is working from the bottom.
Kamenev is trying to control Obi's posture but Obi avoids it.
Kamenev is trying to get back to half guard.
Kamenev has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Obi thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Kamenev tries to buck Obi off but Obi is having none of it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Chike Obi will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A jab from Obi misses.
Obi with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Kamenev uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Obi.
Kamenev changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Obi throws a hook to the side of Kamenev's head but Kamenev sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kamenev throws a right hand that misses
and Kamenev takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Kamenev jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kamenev lands with a hook. Obi tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Obi misses with an uppercut.
A punch lands to the side of Obi 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Kamenev moves out of range as Obi strikes.
Kamenev throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Obi slips a jab and a cross from Kamenev.
Chike Obi is winning the standup battle so far.
Kamenev is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Obi.
Kamenev connects with a nice looking jab.
Obi scores with a jab. Kamenev acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kamenev lands a body shot.
Kamenev throws a big shot that misses.
Obi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kamenev has managed to clinch.
Kamenev misses with a body punch.
Kamenev tries for a takedown but Obi manages to get underhooks.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kamenev.
Obi tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Kamenev smiles and moves away.
Obi throws a body punch but Kamenev moves out of range.
Obi works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Obi wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Obi jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Obi uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kamenev.
Kamenev takes a swing at Obi's ribcage but misses.
Obi shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Obi misses with a body shot.
Kamenev drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Obi defends it well.
Obi takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Kamenev tries to move into range but Obi moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Obi loads up on a big right hand but Kamenev slips the punch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sloppy strikes from Kamenev. Those never looked like landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Obi throws a shot from downtown. Kamenev moves away and avoids it.
Kamenev throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kamenev staying out of range there.
Kamenev feints the counter takedown.
Kamenev takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Obi lands with a straight right. Kamenev didn't see that one coming.
Obi throws a lazy right hand but Kamenev sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Obi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kamenev manages to avoid it.
Kamenev fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Obi manages to avoid it.
Obi on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Kamenev lands a jab.
A jab from Obi misses.
Obi misses with a hook.
Kamenev slips a jab from Obi.
Kamenev changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Obi lands a jab to Kamenev's midsection.
Kamenev bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Obi's head backwards.
Kamenev slips under a jab from Obi.
Kamenev drops his hands momentarily and Obi takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kamenev fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
The fighters circling - Kamenev throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Obi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kamenev was well out of range. Poor timing from Obi.
Kamenev getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Kamenev just misses with a punch to the body.
A counter left hand to the body from Obi misses its target.
Kamenev moves out of range as Obi strikes.
Obi slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Kamenev throws a body shot but no joy.
Kamenev throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Obi was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Obi misses the jab.
Obi swings widly with a right hand

and Kamenev counters with a takedown into side control.
Obi wants to control but Kamenev postures up.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Obi is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Kamenev trying to control the action but Obi is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Obi wants to control but Kamenev postures up.

Kamenev tries for a kimura but Obi is defending well.
Kamenev working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

Kamenev is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Obi has escaped the position, nice work there.
Obi can't do much from the bottom here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ivan Kamenev will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Obi uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kamenev.
Obi paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Obi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kamenev scores with a jab to the body.
Obi missing with a left hand there. Kamenev was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Kamenev blocks a jab.
Nice shot by Obi.

Kamenev gets a clinch.

Kamenev gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Obi is trying to control but can't.
Obi moves into full guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kamenev trying to control but Obi is working from the bottom.

Obi is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kamenev is aware though and is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Obi is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a triangle but Kamenev frees his head nicely. Oh but Obi has switched to an armbar! Kamenev is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:23 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Chike Obi!
After winning the bout, Chike Obi thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.