PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Raith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vlad Alexiev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vlad Alexiev is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Raith
vs
Alexiev

188 cm
19
175 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

180 cm
20
175 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Thomas Raith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vlad Alexiev!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Dmitry Maklakov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alexiev throws a right and a left that Raith avoids nicely.
Raith shoots in for a double leg but Alexiev sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Raith.

Raith drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

Raith thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Alexiev looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Raith passes into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Raith wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Alexiev, who protects the arm well.
Raith working away.
Raith tries to move into full mount but can't pass Alexiev's legs.

Raith thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raith working away.
Alexiev is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Raith off and has taken his back!
Raith trying to control the hands but Alexiev breaks the grip.
Alexiev keeps control of the position as Raith tries to break free.
Alexiev connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Raith to escape the position.
Alexiev keeps control of the position easily here as Raith tries to buck him off.
Raith has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Alexiev.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raith is trying to break free.
Raith rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Well, if Alexiev is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Alexiev thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alexiev is trying to control the action in half guard but Raith is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Raith is looking to improve his position.
Raith is trying to maintain the position but Alexiev is very close to passing his half guard.
Alexiev throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Alexiev doesn't manage to clinch there - Raith circles away.
Raith is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Raith shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Alexiev sprawls well. Alexiev wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Raith gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thomas Raith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alexiev swinging wildly here.
Raith closes the distance and clinches up with Alexiev, looking for a takedown. Raith pushes Alexiev against the cage but Alexiev circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Alexiev misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Raith.

Raith shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Alexiev manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Alexiev keeping moving, preventing Raith from controlling successfully.
Raith wanted to stand there but Alexiev had control of the position.
Alexiev controls Raith momentarily but Raith frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Raith dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

The fight stays on the outside here - Alexiev looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Alexiev keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Thomas Raith is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Raith looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Alexiev is fending him off so far but Raith persists. Nope, Alexiev circles away and we're back to standing.
Raith shoots for a double leg takedown but Alexiev sprawls well. He's pushed Raith's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thomas Raith. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Alexiev forces Raith back against the cage and clinches.
Raith tries for a takedown but Alexiev manages to get underhooks.

Raith gets control of Alexiev's arms and successfully pulls guard. Raith will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Alexiev landing some decent shots from guard.
Raith keeping moving, preventing Alexiev from controlling successfully.

Raith working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Alexiev doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Alexiev manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raith utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Alexiev trying to control but Raith is working from the bottom.

Raith has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Alexiev can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Alexiev is looking to work some ground and pound but Raith has wrist control.
Alexiev sitting in guard here, content to control.

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.
Alexiev working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Raith bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Alexiev's guard.
Alexiev looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Raith puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Alexiev won't allow Raith to pass to mount.
Alexiev wants to control but Raith is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Raith wants to take a breather but Alexiev is having none of it.
Alexiev wants to improve his position but Raith is controlling well.
Alexiev manages to get to full guard.
Raith wants to control from the top but Alexiev keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Raith drops back, looking for a kneebar! Alexiev looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Alexiev looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Alexiev!
Alexiev misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Alexiev trying to control the action but Raith is working from the bottom.
Raith is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Alexiev off and has taken his back!

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.

Raith is looking for the choke from the back position but Alexiev is controlling his hands well.
Alexiev looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Alexiev looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Alexiev staying busy and making it hard for Raith to control.

Raith working for a choke but Alexiev is defending well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Alexiev wants to control his opponent's hands but Raith gets his hands free.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Thomas Raith will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Alexiev misses the shot to the body.
Alexiev misses with a jab, cross combination.
Raith shoots in and drives through. Alexiev sprawls well.
Raith shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Alexiev sprawls well. Alexiev wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Raith gets slowly back to his feet.
Alexiev misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Raith fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thomas Raith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Raith shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Alexiev pinned against the cage. Alexiev gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Raith shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Alexiev defends it nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raith has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Alexiev smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Alexiev's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raith shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Raith looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Alexiev is fending him off so far but Raith persists. Nope, Alexiev circles away and we're back to standing.
Alexiev stuffs the takedown attempt from Raith. Raith gets slowly back to his feet.
Alexiev closes the distance looking to clinch

and Raith counters with a single leg into guard. Alexiev didn't expect that.
Alexiev thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Alexiev looking to hit a scissor sweep but Raith is one step ahead there.

Alexiev manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Alexiev wants to clinch up but Raith keeps it at a distance.
Alexiev thuds a left hand into Raith's body.
Raith circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alexiev tries to clinch up.
Alexiev connects with a nice looking jab.
Alexiev lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Raith at a distance.
Vlad Alexiev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Raith slips a jab and a cross from Alexiev.
Raith keeps the fight on the outside.

Raith shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Raith showed some decent athleticism there.
Alexiev is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Raith's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Raith's back!
Alexiev scores with punches to the body.
Alexiev missing with punches from the back.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Alexiev's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raith trying to control but not successfully.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
You can see the frustration on Raith's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Alexiev avoiding Raith 's attempts to control his hands.

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.
Alexiev trying to control momentarily.
Raith breaks Alexiev's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Alexiev is trying to control the position but Raith postures up.
Thomas Raith is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Alexiev wants to clinch.

Raith takes the fight into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vlad Alexiev comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Raith has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Raith!