PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Stefano Spinelli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikhail Burh (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.

Spinelli
vs
Burh

179 cm
22
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
21
159 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight 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, Stefano Spinelli!
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, Mikhail Burh!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Spinelli has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Spinelli shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Spinelli was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Spinelli thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Spinelli is landing with some decent strikes but Burh is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Spinelli controlling the pace for now.
Spinelli has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Burh is trying to escape the mount.
Spinelli controlling his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spinelli with shots to the head and body - Burh looks very uncomfortable down there.
Spinelli controlling the position easily from mount.
Burh tries to hold on but Spinelli pushes him away.

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.
Spinelli controlling from mount.
Burh tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Spinelli landing strikes from the mount and Burh is in trouble!
Burh really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Spinelli takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Spinelli landing punches.
Spinelli controlling the position easily from mount.

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

and Spinelli counters with a nice double leg into side control. Burh won't be happy with that.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Spinelli controls the position.
Spinelli is breathing heavily.
Burh is looking to regain half guard here but Spinelli keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spinelli tries to advance position but instead Burh slips a leg back in to half guard.
Spinelli is controlling the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Spinelli blocks the strikes from Burh.
Spinelli is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Burh tries to get to full guard but Spinelli has control of the leg.
Spinelli wants to take a breather but Burh is having none of it.
Spinelli perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Burh is staying active underneath Spinelli, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Burh regains full guard. Nicely done.
Spinelli has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Spinelli trying to control the position from guard on top but Burh is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Spinelli avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Spinelli avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Spinelli sitting in guard here, content to control.
Spinelli throws and elbow that misses. Burh uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Spinelli's guard. Nice move by Burh!
Burh landing with the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stefano Spinelli dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Burh misses with a takedown

and Spinelli counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Burh is trying to get back to full guard.

Burh looking for submissions off his back.
Burh is refusing to be controlled, as Spinelli sits in half guard.
Spinelli sitting and controlling from the half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Burh makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Burh.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Spinelli trying to control but Burh is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burh looking to control.

Burh looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Burh trying to control the position.

Burh looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Spinelli controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Stefano Spinelli overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Burh had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Spinelli is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Burh Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Spinelli's back instead.
Burh is not going to allow Spinelli to sit and survive in this position.

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.

Spinelli showing good submission defense here.
Burh scores with punches to the body.

Burh is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Spinelli is defending well though. Burh let's go of the attempt for now.
Spinelli tries to escape but Burh has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Spinelli rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Burh tries to pass the half guard into mount. Spinelli knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Burh is trying to control the action in half guard but Spinelli is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Burh working over Spinelli with some ground and pound. Spinelli looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Burh is working for a kimura but Spinelli is defending it quite comfortably.
Burh prevents Spinelli from improving his position.
Burh is looking to take a break and control but Spinelli is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Spinelli gets full guard.
Spinelli pulls Burh in close to his closed guard and prevents Burh from doing any damage or advancing position.
Spinelli has a closed guard, preventing Burh from standing up.
Spinelli manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spinelli landing strikes, looking to finish!
Spinelli looking to control and managing it successfully.
Spinelli punishing his opponent with strikes.
Spinelli trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Burh gets back to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Burh is trying to get back to full guard.
Spinelli is tying to control. Burh wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mikhail Burh will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Burh misses with a few strikes there.
Stefano Spinelli is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Burh will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Spinelli clinches.

Spinelli has hold of one of Burh's legs. Burh is fighting the takedown attempt but Spinelli gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

Burh is looking for a triangle but Spinelli pushes his legs off easily.
Burh working a defensive guard here.
Spinelli stopping the sweep attempt from Burh.
Spinelli trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Spinelli trying to control the position from guard on top but Burh is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spinelli trying to control the hands but Burh won't let him.
Spinelli tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

Burh looking to secure an arm triangle but Spinelli defends it well.
Spinelli prevents any damage by holding on tight.
Spinelli tries to lock up and control but Burh gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

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

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Spinelli has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Burh avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

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.

Spinelli gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Burh tries to roll over but Spinelli keeps him under control.
Spinelli is keen to just control but Burh is a slippery customer.
Burh tries to roll over but Spinelli keeps him under control.
Spinelli wants to control but Burh is keeping him busy.
Spinelli trying to control from Burh's half guard. Burh has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Spinelli wants to pass the guard but Burh is keeping the position.
Burh throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Burh thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Burh closes this distance looking for a takedown but Spinelli circles away.

Spinelli takes the fight into the clinch.
Burh wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Spinelli lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Spinelli tries to pass the half guard into mount. Burh knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
The fighters are battling for position here. Burh manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Burh can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Spinelli controls the pace.
Spinelli wants to control from the top but Burh keeps moving.
Burh is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burh can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Spinelli controls the pace.
Spinelli seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Burh for as long as he can get away with.

Burh working for a triangle but Spinelli defends it easily.
Burh is trying to control the position but Spinelli postures up.

Burh escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Spinelli gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stefano Spinelli showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Spinelli 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stefano Spinelli!