PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Danny Festa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexey Bakharev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bakharev has chosen Hatebreed - Live For This as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Festa
vs
Bakharev

185 cm
25
140 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

161 cm
23
145 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Danny Festa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Alexey Bakharev!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Ivan Kurochkin and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Festa takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Festa is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bakharev sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Festa moves out of range of the body kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Festa.
Bakharev dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Festa. That did some damage!
Bakharev throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bakharev lands a jab to Festa's midsection.
Festa shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Danny Festa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bakharev stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Bakharev wants it to stay on the feet.
Bakharev misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Festa really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Bakharev cracks a nice hook into Festa's ribs.
Festa is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bakharev closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Festa did well to prevent Bakharev getting side control.
Bakharev is controlling the pace.
I looks like Bakharev might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Festa is striking from the bottom but he's now found himself mounted! Oh dear - not enough focus on defense there.
Bakharev sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Bakharev works his way to his opponent's back.
Bakharev has good solid back control here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Alexey Bakharev just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A nice leg kick lands there from Bakharev.

Bakharev forces Festa back against the cage and clinches.

Bakharev breaks from the clinch.
Bakharev lands with a good body shot.
A shot to de liver by Bakharev. Beautiful body shot.
Bakharev takes a swing at Festa's ribcage but misses.

Bakharev fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Festa sprawls well initially but Bakharev persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Bakharev controlling the action here.

Bakharev is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Festa sees it coming and defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bakharev controlling the action here.
Festa is in trouble now - Bakharev has advanced to mount!
Bakharev looking to control and managing it successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Bakharev forces the positional change into back control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexey Bakharev dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Bakharev gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Bakharev breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

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

Bakharev is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Festa doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Bakharev.
Bakharev passes into side control, despite Festa's attempt to control the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Festa is looking to regain half guard here but Bakharev keeps moving and retains side control.
Bakharev controlling from side mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Festa is working to avoid the ground and pound but Bakharev connects with a decent elbow.

Bakharev tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Bakharev has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Bakharev remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Festa throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Festa is trying to escape the position but Bakharev is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Alexey Bakharev just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Festa walks into a jab.
Bakharev takes a swing at Festa's ribcage but misses.
Alexey Bakharev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Festa gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Bakharev to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Bakharev's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Festa 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.
Bakharev slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Festa can't keep his opponent in guard - Bakharev advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bakharev is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Bakharev's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Festa tries to roll over but Bakharev keeps him under control.
Bakharev with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexey Bakharev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Bakharev comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Bakharev scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Bakharev throws a nice looking combination but Festa bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Festa uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bakharev.
Bakharev lands with an overhand left.
Bakharev misses the shot to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Festa tries for a takedown but Bakharev circles away easily

and Bakharev counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bakharev pushes down on Festa's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Bakharev content to control rather than advance.
Bakharev is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Festa!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bakharev tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bakharev moves to the back position.

Bakharev has the rear naked choke here! This is very bad for Festa! Can he survive? No! He's out! Bakharev gets to his feet and celebrates with his cornermen. He looks absolutely delighted. In the post fight interviews he takes time to thank his parents and everyone who has believed in him from the start. How sweet.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Alexey Bakharev!