PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Youri Karkarov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jean Baptiste (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Baptiste has chosen Rodrigo y Gabriela - Orion Cover as his entrance music. Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Jean Baptiste enters the cage!

Karkarov
vs
Baptiste

180 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

172 cm
20
149 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

154 RECOVERY-UCF NUTRITION
Red Light Clothing ► Amsterdam!

•‡• LION 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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Youri Karkarov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jean Baptiste!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Konstantin Menshow and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karkarov just misses with a punch to the body.
Baptiste uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Karkarov.

Karkarov looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Karkarov is looking to advance position but Baptiste won't allow it.

Baptiste is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Karkarov pulls his head out easily.

Baptiste looking for submissions off his back.
Karkarov is controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karkarov seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Karkarov is nestled in close to Baptiste, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Karkarov throwing shots but Baptiste is blocking nicely.
Karkarov is nestled in close to Baptiste, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Karkarov prevents Baptiste from improving his position.
Karkarov throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baptiste on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Baptiste regains full guard. Nicely done.
Karkarov is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Karkarov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Baptiste swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Karkarov working some strikes from top position.
Karkarov has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Karkarov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Baptiste is looking for a triangle but Karkarov pushes his legs off easily.
Karkarov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baptiste keeping moving, preventing Karkarov from controlling successfully.
Karkarov is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Karkarov lands a couple of elbows.

Baptiste looking for a guillotine here but Karkarov defends easily.
Karkarov working some strikes from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karkarov trying to control but Baptiste is working from the bottom.
Karkarov showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Karkarov with a nice head shot there.
Karkarov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Baptiste swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Youri Karkarov dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Karkarov lands a head shot.
Baptiste with a poor takedown
and Karkarov counters with a left to the body.
Karkarov swings for the body but Baptiste moves out of range.
Baptiste shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Karkarov counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Karkarov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Karkarov cracks a nice hook into Baptiste's ribs.
Karkarov connects with a nice looking jab.

Karkarov drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Karkarov working the ground and pound.
Baptiste is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karkarov has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Baptiste!
Karkarov controlling the position easily from mount.
Karkarov working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Karkarov landing strikes from the mount and Baptiste is in trouble!
Karkarov breaks from Baptiste's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Karkarov putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karkarov lands a nice shot to the head.
Karkarov scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Baptiste?
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Karkarov lands with some strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Karkarov lands a big elbow.
Karkarov in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Karkarov breaks from Baptiste's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Karkarov looking to control and managing it successfully.
Karkarov scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karkarov with a couple of short strikes.
Karkarov controlling his opponent.
Karkarov unloading with bombs!
Baptiste is looking to get to half guard.
Baptiste sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baptiste is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Karkarov scores with a couple of nice shots.
Youri Karkarov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Karkarov in particular looking to stall.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Karkarov lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Karkarov drops an elbow to the side of Baptiste's head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Karkarov looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Baptiste with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Youri Karkarov dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Karkarov shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Karkarov showed some decent athleticism there.
Karkarov scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Karkarov is trying to control the action in half guard but Baptiste is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Baptiste is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Karkarov pulls his head out easily.
Karkarov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Baptiste can do to turn this around?
Karkarov is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Baptiste takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Baptiste looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baptiste is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Karkarov scores with a couple of nice shots.
Karkarov winds up and cracks Baptiste with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Baptiste looking for submissions off his back.
Nice strikes from Karkarov there.
Karkarov lands strikes from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karkarov is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Baptiste!
Karkarov wants to control the pace but Baptiste is squirming around nicely.
Karkarov lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Karkarov can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Baptiste is looking to escape.
Karkarov lands a nice shot to the head.
Karkarov in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Youri Karkarov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karkarov lands a heavy elbow.
Karkarov controlling his opponent.

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.
Karkarov lands a nice shot to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Youri Karkarov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Karkarov has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:26
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:25
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Youri Karkarov!