PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Amir Sadaliv (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dzhabrail Kuriev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Sadaliv
vs
Kuriev

177 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
25
176 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Inexperienced

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Amir Sadaliv!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dzhabrail Kuriev!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Illya Tyunina and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sadaliv just misses with a punch to the body.
Sadaliv shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kuriev as he avoids it easily.
Sadaliv tries to clinch but Kuriev moves out of range.

Kuriev has taken the fight to the clinch.
Sadaliv avoiding damage.
Kuriev blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kuriev tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sadaliv smiles and moves away.
Kuriev stuffs the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters circle momentarily. Sadaliv darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

Kuriev changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Sadaliv looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Kuriev decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Sadaliv lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Sadaliv closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Kuriev's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Sadaliv is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Kuriev knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Sadaliv working away.
Kuriev throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.

Sadaliv is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Kuriev has escaped the position, nice work there.
Sadaliv lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Kuriev down.
Kuriev gets back to half guard.

Kuriev is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Sadaliv pulls his head out easily.
Sadaliv is breathing heavily.
Kuriev tries to roll over but Sadaliv keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kuriev pushes Sadaliv off looking to stand but Sadaliv dives back in and keeps control.

Sadaliv 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.

Kuriev is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Sadaliv pulls his head out easily.

Sadaliv is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Sadaliv is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Kuriev is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Sadaliv pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuriev trying to get back to full guard but Sadaliv takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Kuriev can't escape the position.
Sadaliv controlling the pace for now.

Sadaliv looking for a guillotine from mount but Kuriev is having none of it.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Sadaliv content just to control the position here.

Sadaliv is working for a guillotine from mount but Kuriev frees his head quite easily.

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.
Sadaliv landing strikes, looking to finish!
Sadaliv avoids the attempt from Kuriev to control.
Kuriev keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Sadaliv wants to control the pace but Kuriev is squirming around nicely.
Sadaliv with shots to the head and body - Kuriev looks very uncomfortable down there.
Sadaliv looking to control but Kuriev is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Amir Sadaliv will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Sadaliv misses with a body shot.
Kuriev is looking to clinch but Sadaliv is avoiding it.
Sadaliv scores with a nice right hand.

Sadaliv scores with a takedown into Kuriev's guard.
Sadaliv trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuriev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sadaliv passes easily into side control. Nice work.

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

Sadaliv tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sadaliv is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kuriev is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Kuriev wants to control but Sadaliv postures up.
Kuriev tries to buck Sadaliv off but Sadaliv is having none of it.

Sadaliv tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Sadaliv looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Sadaliv wants to take a breather but Kuriev manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Sadaliv.

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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sadaliv fails to land with a series of punches.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Kuriev.

Kuriev is trying to get an arm triangle but Sadaliv is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sadaliv can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuriev is looking to take a break and control but Sadaliv is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Kuriev wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Sadaliv, who protects the arm well.
Sadaliv is looking for a sweep.
Sadaliv is not content to let Kuriev control the position.
You can see the frustration on Sadaliv's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nice shot lands for Sadaliv.
Amir Sadaliv seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Sadaliv closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Sadaliv is trying to work for a kimura but Kuriev is defending well.

Sadaliv is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Sadaliv in particular looking to stall.

Sadaliv is trying to work for a kimura but Kuriev is defending well.

Sadaliv is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Amir Sadaliv dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Sadaliv scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Kuriev looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sadaliv scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Sadaliv trying to control the action but Kuriev is working from the bottom.
Kuriev tries to get to full guard but Sadaliv has control of the leg.

Sadaliv is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Kuriev doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Sadaliv.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Sadaliv is trying to work for a kimura but Kuriev is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuriev avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sadaliv.
Sadaliv passes into side control, despite Kuriev's attempt to control the position.
Kuriev can't do much from the bottom here.

Sadaliv is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kuriev is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Kuriev manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Sadaliv is working for a submission of some sort.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Sadaliv seems to be looking for submissions.

Kuriev actively working from the bottom here.

Kuriev looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Kuriev is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Kuriev is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Sadaliv pulls his head out easily.

Kuriev is defending against the submission attempts here by Sadaliv.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sadaliv wants to control but Kuriev is keeping him busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kuriev shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Sadaliv counters with a left to the body.
Sadaliv dives in and grabs Kuriev's left leg, looking for a takedown. Kuriev pushes down on Sadaliv's head and hops out.
A left and a right from Sadaliv both land. Nice combination.
Sadaliv has a takedown stuffed.
Kuriev with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Sadaliv to score with a decent uppercut.
Kuriev dives in and grabs Sadaliv's left leg, looking for a takedown. Sadaliv pushes down on Kuriev's head and hops out.
Kuriev fails with a takedown attempt.
Amir Sadaliv has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dzhabrail Kuriev.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sadaliv is looking to clinch but Kuriev is avoiding it.
Kuriev is looking to clinch but Sadaliv is avoiding it.

Sadaliv closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Kuriev is defending against the submission attempts here by Sadaliv.
Sadaliv wants to control but Kuriev is keeping him busy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Sadaliv is looking for a kimura but Kuriev is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Sadaliv to get the leverage.
Dzhabrail Kuriev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Amir Sadaliv is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kuriev throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Amir Sadaliv showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sadaliv, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Amir Sadaliv!