PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Shlemenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Butorin (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.

Shlemenko
vs
Butorin

180 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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, Alexander Shlemenko!
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, Alex Butorin!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Igor Prikhodko and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shlemenko looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Butorin drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Shlemenko is looking to regain half guard here but Butorin keeps moving and retains side control.
Butorin working the strikes but Shlemenko uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Shlemenko tries to get to full guard but Butorin has control of the leg.

Butorin is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Butorin landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Shlemenko works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butorin sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Butorin scoring with punches to the head and body.
Butorin is in close to Shlemenko's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Shlemenko avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Butorin trying to control the position from guard on top but Shlemenko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Butorin stands up and waves to Shlemenko to follow him.
Shlemenko has his takedown stuffed

and Butorin counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Butorin is working for a kimura but Shlemenko is defending it quite comfortably.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shlemenko is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Butorin's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Butorin's back!
Butorin looks gassed!
Shlemenko scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Butorin is looking for a way out.
Butorin tries to break free.
Good control from Shlemenko.
Shlemenko trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shlemenko gets his hands free as Butorin looks to control.
Shlemenko is trying to control but Butorin is trying to escape here - he's now mounted.
Shlemenko controlling the pace for now.
Butorin tries to hold on but Shlemenko postures up.
Butorin keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

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.
Butorin regains half guard.
Butorin trying to control here.
Butorin tries to kick Shlemenko off but Shlemenko keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Shlemenko decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Shlemenko has his takedown stuffed

and Butorin counters with a single leg into guard. Shlemenko didn't expect that.
Shlemenko looking to control but Butorin passes into half guard.
Alex Butorin has got the better of the ground game so far.

Shlemenko is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Butorin pulls his head out easily.
Butorin lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Butorin is keen to just control but Shlemenko is a slippery customer.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Butorin seems to be working for a kimura but Shlemenko defends the submission attempt.
Still in half guard, Butorin seems content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shlemenko strikes from the bottom but Butorin passes into mount!
Shlemenko is in a horrible position here. Butorin smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Shlemenko tries to lock up and control but Butorin gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Butorin in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Butorin lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Shlemenko hang on?
Butorin landing punches.
Shlemenko taking shots to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shlemenko working to try and regain half guard.
Butorin has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Butorin lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Shlemenko tries to lock up and control but Butorin gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Butorin working for a submission but Shlemenko is keeping him at bay.
Shlemenko is wriggling around trying to escape.

Butorin jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Shlemenko manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Shlemenko pushes Butorin away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Butorin gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shlemenko wants to control but Butorin postures up.
Butorin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shlemenko keeps working.
Butorin lands some shots froms side control.

Shlemenko sneaks out the side door and pushes Butorin away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Butorin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shlemenko swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Shlemenko tries for a takedown but Butorin circles away easily

and Butorin counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shlemenko is refusing to be controlled, as Butorin sits in half guard.
Shlemenko wants to control but Butorin is keeping busy.
Butorin working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Shlemenko trying to hold on to Butorin's head to control him but Butorin postures up.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Butorin connects with a nice short shot to Shlemenko's temple.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Butorin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Butorin takes the fight into the clinch.
Butorin lands an elbow inside that Shlemenko shrugs off.
Shlemenko prevents a takedown attempt there.
Shlemenko tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Shlemenko takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Alexander Shlemenko has been cut.
Butorin avoiding damage.

Butorin has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Shlemenko uses from the top position.

Butorin looking for a guillotine here but Shlemenko defends easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shlemenko sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Butorin's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shlemenko wants to control but Butorin is keeping him busy.
Butorin is looking to escape.
Butorin is looking to control Shlemenko's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Butorin avoid being mounted?
Shlemenko wants to stand but Butorin has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Butorin is refusing to be controlled, as Shlemenko sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Shlemenko is really struggling to control Butorin but he's trying to hold on to the position.

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

Butorin shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Shlemenko is trying to defend but Butorin finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Shlemenko is trying to maintain the position but Butorin is very close to passing his half guard.

Shlemenko looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Butorin keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shlemenko wants to get back to full guard.
Shlemenko is looking to control Butorin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Shlemenko avoid being mounted?
Butorin working over Shlemenko with some ground and pound. Shlemenko looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Shlemenko has hold of Butorin's hands but Butorin slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Butorin working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Shlemenko gets full guard.
Shlemenko throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

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.
Shlemenko is trying to keep Butorin in close.
Butorin trying to control but Shlemenko is working from the bottom.
Shlemenko has a closed guard, preventing Butorin from standing up.

Butorin postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Shlemenko is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Butorin, into his guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shlemenko loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alex Butorin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Butorin 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alex Butorin!