PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Christian Holm (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dmitriy Kosarev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dmitriy Kosarev struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 187.1lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. The key to victory for Christian Holm has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Holm
vs
Kosarev

188 cm
25
182 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

189 cm
20
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Christian Holm!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dmitriy Kosarev!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holm tries to clinch up.
Jeez, both these guys look absolutely knackered already, that's not a good sign!
Kosarev keeps the fight on the outside.

Kosarev looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Holm tries to kick Kosarev off but Kosarev keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Kosarev tries to stand but can't do so whilst Holm controls his leg.
Holm pushes Kosarev off looking to stand but Kosarev dives back in and keeps control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kosarev tries to pass the half guard into mount. Holm knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Kosarev content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Kosarev not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two 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.

Kosarev is working for a kimura but Holm is defending it quite comfortably.
Kosarev stalling away here and it's allowed Holm to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holm tries to close the distance and clinch but Kosarev swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Holm tries to clinch but Kosarev moves out of range.
Holm tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kosarev swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kosarev circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kosarev circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kosarev avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Holm takes the fight into the clinch.
Holm crunches a lovely knee into Kosarev's ribcage.
Holm lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Kosarev takes an elbow to the temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holm stalling the fight.
Holm tries to land knees in the clinch but Kosarev avoids the damage to the body.
Holm gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Holm comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Holm throws an elbow but it's blocked.
A bit of stalling here from Holm.
Kosarev tries for a takedown. No joy.
Holm trying to control the position but instead, Kosarev has worked for underhooks and has pushed Holm into the cage.
Holm with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Holm tries to stall but Kosarev uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Holm looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kosarev jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Holm walks away with a smile on his face. Kosarev gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Kosarev looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Holm is fending him off so far but Kosarev persists. Nope, Holm circles away and we're back to standing.
Christian Holm has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dmitriy Kosarev.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Holm slows down the pace here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Christian Holm dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Holm moves in looking to clinch but Kosarev pushes him off.
Kosarev shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Holm but Holm pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Holm is looking to clinch.
Holm fails with an attempt to clinch.
Holm moves in looking to clinch but Kosarev pushes him off.
Kosarev circles away from the clinch attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holm tries to clinch but Kosarev moves out of range.
Holm tries to clinch but Kosarev is having none of it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kosarev avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Holm tries to clinch but Kosarev moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holm tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Holm is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Holm wants to clinch.
Kosarev swats away the attempt to clinch by Holm.

Holm clinches.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Kosarev avoids the elbow strike from Holm, against the cage.
Kosarev has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Holm is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Holm lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Holm throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Holm stalling in the clinch but Kosarev improves position.
Maybe Holm would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
Holm manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Holm stalling in the clinch but Kosarev improves position.
Holm with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Holm looking to throw knees to the head but Kosarev is blocking nicely.
Kosarev avoids the elbow strike from Holm, against the cage.
Holm looking to slow down the pace here.
Kosarev changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Holm fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Christian Holm has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dmitriy Kosarev.
Kosarev circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holm tries to clinch up but Kosarev circles away and keeps his distance.
Holm fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kosarev swats away the attempt to clinch by Holm.
Holm moves in looking to clinch but Kosarev pushes him off.
Holm moves in looking to clinch but Kosarev pushes him off.
Holm tries to clinch there but Kosarev circles away.
Holm tries to clinch there but Kosarev circles away.

Kosarev looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Kosarev gets to his feet. Holm looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Kosarev.
Holm tries to clinch up.
Kosarev keeps the fight on the outside.
Holm tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kosarev paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Holm is looking to clinch.
Holm tries to clinch but Kosarev is having none of it.

Kosarev drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kosarev is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Kosarev wanted to stand there but Holm had control of the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dmitriy Kosarev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Kosarev keeps the fight on the outside.
Holm wants to clinch.
Holm tries to clinch but Kosarev is having none of it.

Holm has taken the fight to the clinch.
Holm lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Holm lands an elbow just above Kosarev 's eye.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holm unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Kosarev blocks an elbow strike.
Holm tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Holm dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Kosarev takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stalling in the clinch from Holm.
Holm looking to slow down the pace here.
Holm gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Kosarev.
Holm trying to control the position but instead, Kosarev has worked for underhooks and has pushed Holm into the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Christian Holm.
Holm tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kosarev tries to score a power double leg takedown but Holm sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Kosarev somewhat.
Holm tries to clinch up but Kosarev circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Holm is looking to clinch.
Holm tries to clinch up.
Holm is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Holm is looking to clinch but Kosarev is avoiding it.

Kosarev decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Kosarev stops Holm from getting back to his feet.

Kosarev decides to return to a standing position.
Holm fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kosarev has a takedown stuffed.
Christian Holm has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dmitriy Kosarev.
Holm doesn't manage to clinch there - Kosarev circles away.
Holm tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kosarev swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Holm fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kosarev circles away from the clinch attempt.

Holm clinches.
Holm tries to land a knee to the head but Kosarev blocks with his arms.
Kosarev has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Holm is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Holm lands an elbow just above Kosarev 's eye.
Holm lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Holm tries to land a knee to the head but Kosarev blocks with his arms.
Holm is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Holm tries a knee to the head but Kosarev blocks it.

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.

Kosarev lands a takedown into guard.
Holm on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Holm tries to get out of the position.

Kosarev stands and steps away. Holm gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Holm wants to clinch up but Kosarev keeps it at a distance.
Holm fails with an attempt to clinch.
Holm tries to close the distance and clinch but Kosarev swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kosarev looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Holm is fending him off so far but Kosarev persists. Nope, Holm circles away and we're back to standing.
Holm tries to clinch there but Kosarev circles away.
Holm tries to clinch up but Kosarev circles away and keeps his distance.

Kosarev shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Holm napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Kosarev wants to control but Holm is keeping him busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dmitriy Kosarev comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kosarev has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dmitriy Kosarev!