PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bozec Bazel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Apolskis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Bozec Bazel has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Bazel
vs
Apolskis

175 cm
20
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

183 cm
18
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bozec Bazel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, David Apolskis!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Dillan Fox and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Apolskis shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Apolskis is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Bazel defends it well.
Bazel missing with punches from the bottom.
Apolskis thows a huge punch but Bazel dodges it nicely.
Apolskis wants to free his trapped foot but Bazel is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Apolskis has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Apolskis is looking for a kimura here.

Bazel looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Apolskis seems to be working for a kimura but Bazel defends the submission attempt.
Apolskis is pressing down on Bazel's thigh, looking to free his foot. Bazel is holding on for now.
Apolskis trying to control from half guard but Bazel is working away.
Apolskis tries to pass the half guard into mount. Bazel knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Apolskis not doing much here.
Apolskis is keen to just control but Bazel is a slippery customer.

Apolskis is working for a submission of some sort.
Apolskis looks gassed!
Bazel is looking to control Apolskis's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Bazel avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Apolskis seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bazel does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Bazel tries to close the distance and clinch but Apolskis swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bazel throws a series of punches but Apolskis avoids them all with ease.
Bazel could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Apolskis.
Bazel slaps away a takedown attempt from Apolskis, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Bazel lands a head kick. Apolskis smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Bazel lands a with a good body shot.
Bazel tries to close the distance and clinch up but Apolskis swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A nice combination there by Bazel.
Nice sprawl there from Bazel as Apolskis shoots in.
Bozec Bazel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of David Apolskis.

Bazel darts in and clinches Apolskis up against the cage.
Bazel lands a damaging elbow.
Bazel lands an elbow inside.

Apolskis is fighting off a takedown attempt but Bazel is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Apolskis to the mat. Apolskis regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Apolskis working for a triangle but Bazel defends it easily.
Bazel knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Apolskis on the ground.

Apolskis is working an open guard so Bazel takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Bazel has closed the distance and engaged Apolskis in a clinch.
Bazel stalling against the cage.
Bazel lands a nice knee to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bazel with a knee to the head.
Bazel lands an elbow that stopped Apolskis in his tracks for a moment.
Apolskis blocks an elbow strike.
Bazel has a couple of punches blocked by Apolskis.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bozec Bazel 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.

Apolskis fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A nice inside leg kick there by Bazel. That's going to slow Apolskis down.
David Apolskis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Horrible takedown by Apolskis or perhaps it was just good defense by Bazel which made him look bad.
Bazel fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bazel tries to close the distance and clinch up but Apolskis swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bazel works over Apolskis's head and body with a nice combination.
Apolskis changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bazel tries to avoid it but Apolskis manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bazel to the ground. Bazel escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Bozec Bazel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of David Apolskis.

Bazel gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Bazel creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Apolskis's defenses.
Bazel lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Bazel lands a damaging elbow.
Bazel utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Bazel lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Apolskis backwards.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bazel lands a nice knee to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bazel is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Apolskis pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Bazel lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Bazel is trying to maintain a safe position but Apolskis gets an underhook and turns Bazel into the cage.
Bazel creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Bazel lands a nice knee to the body.

Apolskis's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bazel throws a head kick that Apolskis semi-blocks.
Apolskis keeps the fight on the outside.
Nice takedown defense from Bazel. No joy for Apolskis on that attempt.
Bozec Bazel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Bazel moves into the clinch successfully.
Bazel with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Apolskis avoids the elbow strike from Bazel, against the cage.
Apolskis jumps guard but Bazel stands there with Apolskis around his waist. Apolskis gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Bazel creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Apolskis changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Bazel fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Bazel tries to clinch there but Apolskis circles away.

Bazel gets a clinch.
Bazel tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Apolskis just stands there and leans against the cage.
Bazel misses with a knee strike.

Apolskis lands a takedown into guard.
Apolskis trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bazel is looking to stand up but Apolskis isn't so interested in that idea.
Apolskis advances to half guard.
Apolskis is trying to control the action in half guard but Bazel is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Apolskis is working for a submission of some sort.
Apolskis wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bazel keeps working.
Bazel pushes Apolskis off looking to stand but Apolskis dives back in and keeps control.
Apolskis passes to full mount!
Bazel takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

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.
Bazel is looking to improve his position but Apolskis isn't that keen on the idea.

Apolskis working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

Apolskis looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Apolskis tries to control but Bazel wriggling away.

Apolskis working for a submission but Bazel is keeping him at bay.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Apolskis showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Bazel throws a series of punches but Apolskis moves out of range.
Bazel is looking to slow Apolskis down with leg kicks.
Apolskis shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bazel but Bazel pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Bazel tries to clinch up.
Apolskis misses with a jab, cross combination.
Apolskis fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bazel tries to bum rush Apolskis with a series of wild strikes but Apolskis uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Bazel's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Bazel duly obliges.
Bazel tries to close the distance and clinch but Apolskis swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Bazel closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bazel lands a knee to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Apolskis takes an elbow to the temple.
Apolskis avoids the elbow strike from Bazel, against the cage.
Apolskis takes a knee right on the jaw!
Bazel misses with some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bazel throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Bazel looking to stall.
Bazel prevents the takedown attempt.
Apolskis goes for a takedown in the clinch but Bazel prevents it.
Bozec Bazel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of David Apolskis.

Apolskis gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Bazel is looking to improve his position.
Apolskis works his foot free and advances to mount.
Bazel tries to hold on but Apolskis pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bazel has left one of his arms exposed and Apolskis doesn't need a second invitation. He's isolated it and locked on a tight armbar. Bazel screams and taps out, obviously in a lot of pain. Hopefully there isn't permanent damage to that arm.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:30 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). David Apolskis!