PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Emil Fisker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikhail Ligachev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Fisker
vs
Ligachev

170 cm
20
145 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

172 cm
18
151 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Emil Fisker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Mikhail Ligachev!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Colin Fotheringham and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Fisker closes the distance and clinches.
Ligachev pressing his opponent against the cage.
Fisker slows down the pace here.
Ligachev misses with a hook from the clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Fisker.
Ligachev stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Fisker leaning against his opponent.
Ligachev stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Fisker slows down the pace here.
Ligachev gets through Fisker's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Fisker misses with a knee to the head.
Ligachev is struggling to control the position.
Fisker blocks an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ligachev pressing his opponent against the cage.
Ligachev tries a body shot but Fisker blocks it.
Ligachev tries to throw a body punch but Fisker avoids it by throwing Ligachev back against the cage.
Fisker is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Ligachev stops a takedown attempt from Fisker.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Fisker as Ligachev tries to tie him up.
Ligachev is struggling to control the position.
Ligachev lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Fisker.
Ligachev working aggressively here.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Ligachev tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Fisker's elbow.

Fisker has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Ligachev regains guard immediately.
Fisker controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Ligachev trying to control the position.
Fisker is stalling in the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fisker won't allow Ligachev to sweep him here.
Fisker stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ligachev swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ligachev being controlled here, momentarily.
Fisker tries to free his leg and advance position but Ligachev is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Ligachev looking to control but Fisker passes into half guard.
Ligachev wants to control but Fisker is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Ligachev is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Still in half guard, Fisker seems content to control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ligachev trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Fisker looking to control and managing it successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emil Fisker dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Fisker avoids a punch combination nicely.
Mikhail Ligachev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Fisker drives through and clinches with Ligachev against the cage.
Fisker blocks an uppercut.
Ligachev is pushing Fisker up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ligachev.

Fisker is trying to trip Ligachev. He has hold of a leg but Ligachev is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Fisker persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Ligachev looking to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fisker stopping the sweep attempt from Ligachev.
Fisker looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ligachev is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Fisker showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Ligachev not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Fisker won't allow Ligachev to sweep him here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Fisker falls off balance throwing a combination
and Ligachev counters with a nice body shot.
Ligachev with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Ligachev misses with a body shot.
Fisker slips a straight right by Ligachev.
Fisker showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ligachev.
Fisker ducks under a wild hook from Ligachev.
Ligachev fails to land with a series of punches.
Ligachev looks to score with a jab to the body but Fisker is just out of range.
Ligachev misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ligachev fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Fisker throws a one two combo.

It looks like Mikhail Ligachev has been cut.
Mikhail Ligachev is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Fisker uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ligachev.
Fisker tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ligachev swivels and escapes.
Fisker lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ligachev circles away quickly and effectively.
Ligachev digs a good body shot into Fisker's ribs.
Fisker chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Ligachev can pounce on him.
Ligachev connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Fisker momentarily.
Ligachev misses with a hook. Fisker ducked under it nicely.
Ligachev throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Fisker stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

Fisker scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
You can see the frustration on Ligachev's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Fisker is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Ligachev will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ligachev tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Fisker wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Fisker slows the pace down.
Ligachev wants to control but Fisker postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emil Fisker dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mikhail Ligachev's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

A punch lands to the side of Fisker 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Ligachev throws a right and a left that Fisker avoids nicely.
Nice cross by Ligachev.
Fisker tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Fisker fails with the takedown.
Ligachev stuffs the takedown attempt from Fisker. Fisker gets slowly back to his feet.
Ligachev ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Fisker moves away.
Fisker displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ligachev throws out the jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice defenses there by Fisker.
A swing and a miss from Ligachev.
Fisker fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Emil Fisker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fisker keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ligachev lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Ligachev misses the shot to the body.

Fisker shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Ligachev napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ligachev is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Fisker's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Fisker sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Ligachev has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Fisker is working away from the top position though.
Mikhail Ligachev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Ligachev preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Fisker content to control rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

That's four 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.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Emil Fisker just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Fisker takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Ligachev takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Ligachev keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Fisker shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ligachev as he avoids it easily.
Ligachev bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Fisker's head backwards.
Fisker rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ligachev moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ligachev misses with a series of wild punches.
Ligachev throws a low kick but Fisker avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mikhail Ligachev comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Fisker 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 William Gold scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Emil Fisker!