PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between John Fratz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Kirilenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Fratz
vs
Kirilenko

180 cm
18
175 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

180 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Self confident

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Fratz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Steve Kirilenko!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Daniel Cesar and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fratz displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Kirilenko.
Kirilenko shoots for a double leg takedown but Fratz sprawls well. He's pushed Kirilenko's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Kirilenko tries for a takedown but Fratz sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
John Fratz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steve Kirilenko.
Kirilenko avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kirilenko fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Fratz throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Kirilenko shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Fratz is trying to defend but Kirilenko finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Fratz avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kirilenko.
Fratz on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Fratz tries to get out of the position.
Fratz wants to get back to his feet.
Fratz is refusing to be controlled, as Kirilenko sits in half guard.
Kirilenko stops Fratz from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kirilenko throwing shots but Fratz is blocking nicely.
Fratz is trying to stand.
Kirilenko is pressing down on Fratz's thigh, looking to free his foot. Fratz is holding on for now.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Fratz stuffs the takedown.
Kirilenko swats away the attempt to clinch by Fratz.
Fratz is looking to land body kicks.

Fratz has managed to clinch.
Fratz is pressed up against the cage. Kirilenko has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Fratz down to the mat. Fratz avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Kirilenko misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Fratz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Kirilenko moves into the clinch.

Fratz breaks from the clinch.

Fratz moves into the clinch.
Fratz stalls.
Kirilenko wants to stall.
Fratz blocks a body shot from Kirilenko.
Fratz stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Fratz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
John Fratz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Fratz lands a jab.

Fratz moves into range and clinches up with Kirilenko.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fratz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Fratz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Fratz tries to clinch up.
Fratz moves in looking to clinch but Kirilenko pushes him off.

Fratz gets a clinch.
Kirilenko is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Fratz is keeping busy.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Kirilenko takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Kirilenko jumps guard but Fratz stands there with Kirilenko around his waist. Kirilenko gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Fratz is struggling to control the position.
Fratz lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Fratz throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Fratz throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Kirilenkos head.
Kirilenko tries for a takedown. No joy.
Kirilenko looks gassed!

Fratz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Fratz tries to bum rush Kirilenko with a series of wild strikes but Kirilenko uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kirilenko takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Kirilenko swats away the attempt to clinch by Fratz.

Fratz has Kirilenko up against the cage in a clinch.

Fratz manages to break the clinch.
Kirilenko is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Fratz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kirilenko swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kirilenko avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kirilenko clinches but Fratz breaks the clinch
letting Fratz counter with a right hand.
Fratz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nice body kick from Kirilenko.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Fratz dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kirilenko throws a body punch but Fratz moves out of range.
Fratz tries to close the distance and clinch but Kirilenko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A head kick misses from Fratz.
Kirilenko fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Fratz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kirilenko fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Kirilenko tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Fratz connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kirilenko throws a combination that misses
and Fratz counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Kirilenko throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Fratz's waist but Fratz gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Kirilenko off to one side.
John Fratz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steve Kirilenko.
Kirilenko is breathing heavily.

Fratz takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kirilenko is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Fratz gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Fratz lands with a left to the head.

Fratz breaks the clinch.

Fratz pushes Kirilenko up against the cage in a clinch.

Fratz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Fratz gets a clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Fratz.
Kirilenko stalling in the clinch but Fratz improves position.
Fratz has Kirilenko pressed against the cage, preventing Kirilenko from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Kirilenko is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Fratz taking a breather.
Kirilenko drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kirilenko can't break the clinch.
Fratz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kirilenko has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kirilenko wants to break the clinch but can't.
Fratz lands a nice shot to the body.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kirilenko breaks from the clinch.
Kirilenko has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Kirilenko there as he acknowledges the shot.
Fratz cracks Kirilenko with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Fratz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Fratz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Fratz scores with a jab. Kirilenko acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

Kirilenko darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Fratz looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kirilenko throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kirilenko not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Kirilenko controlling the action here.
Kirilenko has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kirilenko thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Kirilenko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fratz keeps working.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kirilenko wants to free his trapped foot but Fratz is holding on for dear life with his legs.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kirilenko shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Fratz as he avoids it easily.
Kirilenko shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Kirilenko takes one to the side of the head.
Kirilenko swings away with a body shot that misses
and Fratz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Kirilenko tries to keep at a distance but Fratz has taken the fight into the clinch.
Kirilenko jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Fratz walks away with a smile on his face. Kirilenko gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Fratz dominated that second 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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Kirilenko is defended easily by Fratz.
John Fratz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Fratz connects with the punch.
Fratz wants to clinch.
Kirilenko closes the distance and clinches up with Fratz, looking for a takedown. Kirilenko pushes Fratz against the cage but Fratz circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Fratz tries to clinch but Kirilenko is having none of it.
Fratz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Fratz instigates a clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Fratz just leaning against Kirilenko, taking a breather.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Kirilenko has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Fratz clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fratz is trying to get back to his feet but Kirilenko has full control of the position and if anything, Fratz has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Kirilenko is working for the choke. I would put my money on him to finish from this position. He's rolled onto his back and has dragged Fratz with him. Fratz is trying to defend but Kirilenko has an arm under the chin now! Fratz grimaces and is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Steve Kirilenko!