PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Vener Galiev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vasili Kouzmanoff (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Galiev
vs
Kouzmanoff

175 cm
18
145 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

179 cm
22
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

Acton Nutritional Company

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vener Galiev!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vasili Kouzmanoff!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Igor Prikhodko and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kouzmanoff stuffs the takedown attempt from Galiev. Galiev gets slowly back to his feet.
Galiev throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Galiev circles away from the clinch attempt.
Galiev throws a front kick that sends Kouzmanoff stumbling back into the cage.
Galiev swats away the attempt to clinch by Kouzmanoff.
Kouzmanoff fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kouzmanoff tries to clinch there but Galiev circles away.
Kouzmanoff tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Galiev throws a body kick that misses.
Kouzmanoff is looking to clinch.
Kouzmanoff tries to close the distance and clinch up but Galiev swats him away and circles back towards the center.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Galiev avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Galiev swats away the attempt to clinch by Kouzmanoff.
Kouzmanoff is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Galiev pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kouzmanoff tries to clinch there but Galiev circles away.
Galiev avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Vasili Kouzmanoff is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Kouzmanoff has Galiev up against the cage in a clinch.
Galiev with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kouzmanoff just leaning against Galiev, taking a breather.
Knees to the body from Galiev.
Kouzmanoff tries to land a knee to the head but Galiev blocks with his arms.
Kouzmanoff gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Galiev.
Galiev is trying to break the clinch but Kouzmanoff has him pressed against the cage.
Kouzmanoff gets underhooks to prevent Galiev's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vener Galiev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Galiev takes an elbow to the temple.
Galiev wants a takedown but no success here.
Kouzmanoff dodges an elbow strike from Galiev.

Galiev breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Kouzmanoff clinches.
Kouzmanoff looking to throw knees to the head but Galiev is blocking nicely.
Kouzmanoff stalling in the clinch.
Galiev throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Kouzmanoff blocks an elbow strike.
Galiev is breathing heavily.

Kouzmanoff jumps guard.
Galiev trying to control the position from guard on top but Kouzmanoff is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Galiev missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kouzmanoff looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kouzmanoff wants to stand but Galiev is controlling the position.
Galiev trying to move into half guard but instead Kouzmanoff has managed to sweep!
Kouzmanoff is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Let's hope that Kouzmanoff has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Kouzmanoff trying to control but Galiev is working from the bottom.

Galiev has his foot on Kouzmanoff's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kouzmanoff works his way back into a safe position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kouzmanoff gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Kouzmanoff tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kouzmanoff fails in his attempt to clinch.

Kouzmanoff fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Galiev, pushing him back against the cage.
Kouzmanoff taking a breather.
Kouzmanoff receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Kouzmanoff with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A knee to the head by Kouzmanoff.
Galiev tries to land knees in the clinch but Kouzmanoff avoids the damage to the body.

Kouzmanoff tightens his grip and picks Galiev up, before dumping him to the ground. Galiev manages to land in guard.
Galiev tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kouzmanoff controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Kouzmanoff preventing the sweep.

Galiev looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Kouzmanoff passes into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kouzmanoff staying calm.

Kouzmanoff decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Galiev throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A head kick misses from Galiev.
Kouzmanoff tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kouzmanoff is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kouzmanoff tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kouzmanoff is looking to clinch but Galiev is avoiding it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vasili Kouzmanoff dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Galiev blocks a head kick by Kouzmanoff.
Kouzmanoff wants to slow Galiev down by chopping away at his legs.
Galiev fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Kouzmanoff looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Galiev throws a jab when Kouzmanoff was well out of range.
Galiev just misses with a punch to the body.
Galiev throws a front kick aimed at Kouzmanoff's knee but Kouzmanoff avoids it well.
Kouzmanoff with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Galiev lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Kouzmanoff fails with an attempt to clinch.
A clash of legs there as Kouzmanoff blocks the low kick.
Galiev misses the shot to the body.
Galiev explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Kouzmanoff tries to clinch up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kouzmanoff doesn't manage to clinch there - Galiev circles away.
Kouzmanoff tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kouzmanoff scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Galiev swats away the attempt to clinch by Kouzmanoff.
A combination from Kouzmanoff does no damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kouzmanoff closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Kouzmanoff lands an elbow inside.
Kouzmanoff tries a knee to the head but Galiev blocks it.
Galiev throws an elbow that misses.
Kouzmanoff lands an elbow that stopped Galiev in his tracks for a moment.

Kouzmanoff jumps guard.
Galiev trying to control the position from guard on top but Kouzmanoff is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kouzmanoff looking to control.
Kouzmanoff looking to hit a scissor sweep but Galiev is one step ahead there.
Kouzmanoff is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Galiev looking to sit in guard and control but Kouzmanoff gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Kouzmanoff preventing the sweep.

Kouzmanoff stands and steps away. Galiev gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Galiev throws out a loose jab but Kouzmanoff uses good head movement to avoid it.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Galiev.
Kouzmanoff tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Galiev thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Kouzmanoff if he has to take too many more of those.
Galiev throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Kouzmanoff tries to close the distance and clinch up but Galiev swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Galiev throws a sloppy head kick

and Kouzmanoff counters by clinching up.
Kouzmanoff scores with a knee to the head.
A knee to the head by Kouzmanoff.

Kouzmanoff lands a takedown into guard.
Kouzmanoff must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Galiev striking off his back but it's not causing Kouzmanoff any problems.

Galiev throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Kouzmanoff wants to stand but Galiev has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kouzmanoff is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Kouzmanoff wants to control from the top but Galiev keeps moving.
Kouzmanoff wanted to stand there but Galiev had control of the position.
Galiev trying to control the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Kouzmanoff moves out of range of the body kick from Galiev.

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.
Galiev avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kouzmanoff tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Galiev paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Galiev throws a head kick that misses

and Kouzmanoff counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kouzmanoff.
Kouzmanoff blocks an elbow strike.
Kouzmanoff lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Kouzmanoff misses with a knee strike.

Kouzmanoff breaks the clinch.
Vasili Kouzmanoff is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Galiev pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kouzmanoff tries to close the distance and clinch but Galiev swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kouzmanoff tries to close the distance and clinch up but Galiev swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Galiev circles away from the clinch attempt.
Galiev tries to bum rush Kouzmanoff with a series of wild strikes but Kouzmanoff uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Galiev misses with an uppercut

and Kouzmanoff holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Kouzmanoff connects with a knee to the head.
Galiev throws an elbow that misses.
Kouzmanoff with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kouzmanoff misses with a knee strike.
Galiev gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Kouzmanoff blocks an elbow strike from Galiev.
Kouzmanoff lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Kouzmanoff tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kouzmanoff tries a knee to the head but Galiev blocks it.
Galiev misses with a knee to the head.
Kouzmanoff connects with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vasili Kouzmanoff showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Kouzmanoff is looking to clinch but Galiev is avoiding it.
Galiev misses with a head kick.
Kouzmanoff wants to clinch.
Galiev tries to land a leg kick but Kouzmanoff saw it coming and moves away.
Horrible takedown by Galiev or perhaps it was just good defense by Kouzmanoff which made him look bad.
Kouzmanoff tries to clinch but Galiev moves out of range.
Galiev misses with a takedown attempt - Kouzmanoff sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Galiev looks to throw a body kick

and Kouzmanoff moves into the clinch.
Galiev tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kouzmanoff just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vener Galiev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kouzmanoff managing to block the knees to the body from Galiev.
A knee to the head by Kouzmanoff.
Kouzmanoff with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Kouzmanoff gets underhooks to prevent Galiev's takedown attempt.
Kouzmanoff gets underhooks to prevent Galiev's takedown attempt.
Kouzmanoff landing knees to the head.
Kouzmanoff tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Galiev wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kouzmanoff has him pressed against the cage.
Kouzmanoff using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Galiev has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kouzmanoff takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Galiev misses with an elbow strike.
Kouzmanoff takes a knee right on the jaw!
Kouzmanoff avoids the elbow strike from Galiev, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Galiev fails to pull guard.
Galiev pushes off an throws an elbow but Kouzmanoff leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Galiev throws an elbow but misses.
Galiev throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kouzmanoff blocks it with crossed arms.
Kouzmanoff tries a knee to the head but Galiev blocks it.

Galiev drags the fight down to the ground.

Kouzmanoff has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Galiev to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Kouzmanoff is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Galiev pulls down on the head and he's put Kouzmanoff to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:29 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Vener Galiev!
Vener Galiev retains his featherweight title!