PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jeremiah Sainclair (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Eliseev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Sainclair
vs
Eliseev

200 cm
20
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

203 cm
22
242 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight 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, Jeremiah Sainclair!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Michael Eliseev!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Ivan Kurochkin and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Eliseev moves into the clinch.
Sainclair tries to pull guard but Eliseev holds him up against the cage and eventually Sainclair drops back down to his feet.
Sainclair tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Sainclair jumps guard but Eliseev stands there with Sainclair around his waist. Sainclair gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeremiah Sainclair. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Eliseev is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Sainclair can't fight it off and eventually Eliseev manages to take the fight to the floor. Sainclair looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Sainclair trying to control the position here.
Sainclair has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Eliseev trying to control the position from guard on top but Sainclair is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sainclair has his hands on Eliseev's head, controlling the position.
Eliseev has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Sainclair is proving hard to escape from.
Eliseev wants to control from the top but Sainclair keeps moving.
Sainclair pulls Eliseev in close to his closed guard and prevents Eliseev from doing any damage or advancing position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Eliseev trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sainclair looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Jeremiah Sainclair just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Eliseev scores with a takedown into Sainclair's guard.
Sainclair is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Sainclair working a defensive guard here.
Eliseev's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eliseev would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Sainclair is pulling down on Eliseev's head to control his posture.
Eliseev tries to free his leg and advance position but Sainclair is retaining full guard.
Eliseev wants to control from the top but Sainclair keeps moving.
Sainclair managing to control the position.
Eliseev trying to stand up but can't free himself from Sainclair's guard.
Sainclair pulls Eliseev in to control the position.
Eliseev stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sainclair swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sainclair pulls Eliseev in close to his closed guard and prevents Eliseev from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's four 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.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Jeremiah Sainclair just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Sainclair misses with a takedown attempt

and Eliseev counters with a takedown into side control.
Sainclair is breathing heavily.
Sainclair trying to control but Eliseev flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Eliseev tries to get the hooks in deep but Sainclair pushed the leg off.
Sainclair rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Sainclair is looking to control Eliseev's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sainclair avoid being mounted?
Sainclair won't allow Eliseev to pass to mount.
Sainclair controlling the position well.
Sainclair wants to control but Eliseev is keeping busy and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Eliseev dominated that round.
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.

Sainclair takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.

Eliseev closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Eliseev tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

Eliseev working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Sainclair is not content to let Eliseev control the position.
You can see the frustration on Sainclair's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sainclair fails with the takedown

and Eliseev counters by moving into the clinch.

Eliseev pulls Sainclair into guard.
Eliseev wants to stand but Sainclair is controlling the position.
Eliseev looking to control.
Eliseev looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sainclair is one step ahead there.

Sainclair thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Eliseev is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Eliseev. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

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.

Sainclair postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Eliseev is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Sainclair, into his guard.
Eliseev really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sainclair. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Eliseev trying to control but Sainclair is working from the bottom.
Sainclair keeping full guard, as Eliseev tries to pass.
Eliseev postures up in Sainclair's guard and throws a big left but Sainclair blocks it.
Sainclair is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Eliseev slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sainclair keeping full guard, as Eliseev tries to pass.
Sainclair is controlling Eliseev's posture.
Eliseev trying to control but Sainclair is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Eliseev forces Sainclair back against the cage and clinches.

Eliseev lands a takedown into guard.
Sainclair is trying to control the position but Eliseev postures up.
Eliseev wants to control from the top but Sainclair keeps moving.
Sainclair managing to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eliseev is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Sainclair trying to control the position here.
Sainclair controls Eliseev momentarily but Eliseev frees himself.
Sainclair controlling Eliseev's posture.
Eliseev throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sainclair works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Eliseev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Eliseev shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Sainclair trying to control here.
Eliseev keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Sainclair keeping control of the position.
Eliseev is pressing down on Sainclair's thigh, looking to free his foot. Sainclair is holding on for now.
Eliseev missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sainclair is positioning himself well to prevent Eliseev advancing to mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Eliseev wants to stand up but Sainclair has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sainclair is trying to control but can't.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Jeremiah Sainclair just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Sainclair fails with the takedown

and Eliseev decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Sainclair's guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Sainclair holds on and takes a little breather.
Eliseev tries to free his leg and advance position but Sainclair is retaining full guard.
Sainclair trying to control the position.
Eliseev tries to free his leg and advance position but Sainclair is retaining full guard.
Sainclair is trying to control the position but Eliseev postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Eliseev working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Eliseev pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sainclair is keeping the position for now.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Eliseev darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Sainclair is trying is best to control the position here.
Sainclair has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Eliseev is working away from the top position though.
Michael Eliseev has got the better of the ground game so far.
Eliseev is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Sainclair is trying to maintain the position but Eliseev is very close to passing his half guard.
Eliseev tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Sainclair.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sainclair trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Eliseev manages to pass to mount!
Sainclair has given up his back here.
Sainclair trying to control the action but Eliseev just sinks the hooks in.

Eliseev working for the choke.
Sainclair holding both Eliseev 's hands and preventing any damage.
Sainclair trying to control the position but Eliseev manages to sink in the hooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Jeremiah Sainclair just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Sainclair misses with a takedown

and Eliseev counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Eliseev trying to control the position from guard on top but Sainclair is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Eliseev tries to stand but Sainclair is controlling from the bottom.
Sainclair is adopting a defensive guard.
Sainclair is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Jeremiah Sainclair has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Michael Eliseev is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Eliseev comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Eliseev has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Eliseev!