PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matiss Briedis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and max sirokov irsis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). irsis has chosen rocky as his entrance music. max sirokov irsis acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Briedis
vs
sirokov irsis

179 cm
21
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

182 cm
22
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Matiss Briedis!
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, max sirokov irsis!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Konstantin Menshow and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Briedis shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in irsis's guard.
Briedis trying to control the position from guard on top but irsis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Briedis has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
irsis wants to get back to his feet but Briedis is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Briedis slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
irsis wants to stand and escape but Briedis is having none of it.
Briedis throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

irsis is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
irsis has had enough of the clinch but Briedis keeps him there for the moment.
Briedis looking for a takedown.
irsis tries to circle away but Briedis has him pinned against the cage.

irsis pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Briedis slips a jab and a cross from irsis.
Briedis looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
irsis misses with an uppercut.
Briedis is trying hard to land a takedown here. irsis sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matiss Briedis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Briedis is breathing heavily.
irsis throws a nice looking combination but Briedis bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Briedis ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
irsis connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Briedis's hands.

It looks like Matiss Briedis has been cut.
irsis throws a right and a left that Briedis avoids nicely.
irsis rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Briedis moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
irsis misses with an uppercut.
irsis throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Briedis looks for a takedown but irsis sprawls well.
irsis clobbers Briedis with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Briedis looks to land a combination but irsis avoids it well.
Briedis moves out of range as irsis strikes.
Briedis throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around irsis's waist but irsis gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Briedis off to one side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Left hook, right uppercut from irsis.

irsis drops Briedis with a nice combination! irsis dives into Briedis's guard, looking to finish!

Briedis is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
irsis trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Oh Briedis is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Briedis is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
irsis lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Briedis seems to have got his legs back now.
irsis loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
irsis loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
irsis postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Briedis on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Briedis tries to get out of the position.
Briedis is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
irsis working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
irsis thows a left - swing and a miss!
Briedis ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briedis looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks irsis with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Briedis prevents irsis from standing back up.
irsis is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Briedis is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Briedis is looking to stall here but irsis recovers full guard.
irsis has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Briedis won't allow irsis to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.
Briedis looking to pass the guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Briedis on the wrong end of a nice jab.
irsis misses with a looping right.
Briedis takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
irsis misses with a looping left.

irsis gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Briedis to score an easy takedown into full guard.

irsis has his feet on Briedis's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

max sirokov irsis dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Matiss Briedis's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Briedis tries for a takedown but irsis sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
irsis looks to land a left hand but Briedis moved out of range nicely.
irsis swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Briedis counters with a single leg into guard. irsis didn't expect that.
Briedis thows a big elbow that misses.
irsis avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
irsis wants to stand up but Briedis is controlling him.

irsis has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Briedis off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Briedis fails with a takedown attempt.
irsis misses with an uppercut. Briedis saw that one coming.
irsis might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A swing and a miss from irsis.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Briedis uses good head movement to avoid the hook from irsis.

irsis throws a left that rocks Briedis and follows with a right that sends him tumbling to the canvas! irsis dives into side control, looking to finish! Can Briedis regain composure!
Briedis is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Briedis is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but irsis has just dragged him back down to the mat.
irsis working the body and head with strikes.
irsis cracks Briedis with a big elbow.
irsis scoring with punches and elbows.
Briedis parries the strikes from irsis easily there. irsis is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Briedis to escape.
Briedis is trying to get back to his feet.
Briedis on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
irsis misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
irsis is working Briedis over with some ground and pound from side control.

Briedis throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
irsis misses with a looping left.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Briedis closes this distance looking for a takedown but irsis circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matiss Briedis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Briedis ducks under a wild hook from irsis.
Briedis shoots in but no luck this time.
Briedis showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from irsis.
A lazy left from irsis finds it's target.
irsis connects with a nice looking jab.
Matiss Briedis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
irsis throws out a loose jab but Briedis uses good head movement to avoid it.

Briedis drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
irsis is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Briedis throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briedis landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
irsis wants to get back to his feet but Briedis drags him back down.

irsis explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!

Briedis looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Briedis not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Briedis looking to sit in guard and control but irsis gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
irsis landing some decent shots from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
irsis wants to pass the guard but Briedis is keeping the position.
Briedis wants to stand up but irsis is controlling him.
Briedis preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Briedis uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Briedis moves out of range of the strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Briedis steps to the side to avoid the strikes from irsis.
irsis misses with a few strikes there.
Briedis shoots for a takedown but irsis saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
irsis throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
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 Matiss Briedis will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Matiss Briedis's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

irsis pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nice takedown defense from irsis. No joy for Briedis on that attempt.
irsis throws the left hand but Briedis avoids the punch easily.
Nice defenses there by Briedis.
Briedis tries to close the distance and clinch but irsis swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
irsis scores with a nice head shot.

Matiss Briedis's cut is getting worse.
Briedis avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
irsis throws a jab when Briedis was well out of range.
irsis keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
irsis moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
A jab from irsis misses.
A swing and a miss from irsis.
irsis fails to land with a series of punches.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
irsis misses with a double jab

and Briedis counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Briedis thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Briedis prevents irsis from standing back up.
Briedis is looking to take a break and control but irsis is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Briedis seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Briedis throwing shots but irsis is blocking nicely.
irsis keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Briedis is trying to control. irsis wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

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.
Briedis sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. irsis defending well though.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
irsis stalks Briedis and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Briedis's face. Briedis staggers backwards, shaken.
Briedis takes one to the side of the head.
irsis misses with a hook.
irsis uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
max sirokov irsis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fighters circling - irsis throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
irsis throws a shot from downtown. Briedis moves away and avoids it.
irsis loads up on a big right hand but Briedis slips the punch.

Briedis throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. irsis was covering up waiting for the punch and Briedis finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Briedis tries to free his leg and advance position but irsis is retaining full guard.

irsis pushes Briedis off and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
irsis throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Briedis sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Briedis shoots in for a takedown but irsis shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matiss Briedis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Horrible takedown by Briedis or perhaps it was just good defense by irsis which made him look bad.
Briedis moves out of range of the strikes.
Briedis blocks a jab.

Briedis scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Briedis sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but irsis is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
irsis managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Briedis.
irsis is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Briedis has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Briedis working the ground and pound from side control.
irsis is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Briedis asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Briedis scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at irsis to see if he's OK.
irsis takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Briedis drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Briedis tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matiss Briedis showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Briedis 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 29:29
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!
Oh dear, what a disastrous situation! The belt remains unclaimed and both fighters go home unhappy!