PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dimitry Slova (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Artem Graf (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Slova
vs
Graf

170 cm
27
149 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

178 cm
20
155 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dimitry Slova!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Artem Graf!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Viktor Lagutenko and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Graf.
Left hook, right uppercut from Graf.
Graf throws a series of strikes that have Slova backpedaling.
Graf jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Graf throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Graf misses with a series of wild punches.
Graf ducks right into an uppercut from Slova.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graf fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Slova on the side of the head.
A jab from Slova misses.
Graf lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Graf.
Graf throws a nice looking combination but Slova bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Graf lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Slova circles away quickly and effectively.
Artem Graf seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Graf misses with a few strikes there.
Graf throws a series of punches but Slova avoids them all with ease.
Slova thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graf tries to bum rush Slova with a series of wild strikes but Slova uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Graf throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Graf misses with a few strikes there.
Slova throws a head kick but Graf moves out of range.
Graf throws a right hand that Slova ducks under and follows up with a left that Slova also avoids with ease.
Graf throws a hook to the side of Slova's head but Slova sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Graf throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graf fails to land with a series of punches.
Slova just misses with a punch to the body.
Graf lands with a right hand.
Slova looks to land a right hand but Graf moved out of range.
A big right from Graf misses.
Graf bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Graf takes a swing at Slova's ribcage but misses.

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.
Slova is looking to chop away at Graf's legs.
Graf scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Graf misses with a wild combination.
Graf keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Slova.
Graf throws a right hand that Slova ducks under and follows up with a left that Slova also avoids with ease.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Graf swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
No joy there for Graf, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Artem Graf dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Graf lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Slova circles away quickly and effectively.
Graf lands a nice looking body shot.
Slova avoids a punch combination nicely.
Graf will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Graf misses with the combination.
Graf throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graf misses with a body shot.
A left and a right from Graf both land. Nice combination.
Graf throws a series of punches but Slova avoids them all with ease.
Graf swinging wildly here.
Graf misses with a double jab.

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.
Slova swings away with a body shot that misses
and Graf counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Graf throws a nice looking combination but Slova bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
No joy there for Graf, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Slova tries to work over Graf's front leg with a kick but Graf checks it.
Graf takes one on the button.
Graf throws a right hand that Slova ducks under and follows up with a left that Slova also avoids with ease.
Slova drops his hands momentarily and Graf takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slova throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Graf counters with a three punch combo that has Slova backing up. Slova nods at Graf to acknowledge the strikes.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Slova misses with an attempted mid kick.
No joy there for Graf, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Graf dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Graf swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Graf just misses with a punch to the body.
Slova takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graf rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Slova moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Jab by Graf.
Slova showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Graf.
Graf misses with a combination
and Slova counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Graf thinking.
Graf swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Graf will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Artem Graf showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Slova's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Graf throws a series of punches but Slova avoids them all with ease.
Graf lands a jab to the head.
Graf scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Graf throws a series of punches but Slova moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Graf misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Graf dips to his left and cracks Slova with an uppercut!
Slova takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graf misses with a wild combination.
Graf falls off balance throwing a combination
and Slova counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Graf swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Slova throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Graf has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Graf rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Slova moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Graf scores with a three punch combo!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slova misses the body punch
letting Graf counter with a right hand.
Graf swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Slova connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Graf falls off balance throwing a combination
and Graf takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Graf throws a series of punches but Slova avoids them all with ease.
Slova slips a jab and a cross from Graf.
Graf misses with a double jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graf misses with a combination
and Slova counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Graf getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Graf swinging wildly here.
Graf misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's four 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.
A left and a right from Graf both land. Nice combination.
Graf scores with a three punch combo!
Graf just misses with a punch to the body.
Graf fails to land with a series of punches.
Graf throws a right hand that Slova ducks under and follows up with a left that Slova also avoids with ease.
Slova shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Slova throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

And that's the end of the fight!
Artem Graf comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Graf 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Artem Graf!