PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sasha Udav (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Phenom (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sasha Udav had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 187.3lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Marcus Phenom is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Udav
vs
Phenom

180 cm
25
198 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

186 cm
22
193 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sasha Udav!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Marcus Phenom!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch combination from Phenom misses.
Phenom throws a right hand that Udav ducks under and follows up with a left that Udav also avoids with ease.

Udav closes the distance and clinches.
Phenom can't break the clinch.

Udav manages to break the clinch.
Udav throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Phenom's waist but Phenom gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Udav off to one side.

Udav shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Phenom is trying to defend but Udav finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Udav is trying to control. Phenom wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Phenom looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phenom keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Udav prevents Phenom from standing back up.
Phenom is not content to let Udav control the position.

Sasha Udav has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Udav slips a jab from Phenom.
Udav misses with a jab, cross combination.
Phenom throws a series of punches but Udav moves out of range.
Phenom shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Udav eats them both and turns towards Phenom to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Phenom looks gassed!
Udav moves out of range of the strikes.
A combination from Phenom does no damage.

Udav gets the takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Udav stands up and beckons Phenom to his feet.

Udav gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Udav is working for takedown but Phenom is calmly controlling the position for now.

Udav turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Udav manages to end up in side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Phenom can do anything to dispel that myth.
A lull in the action here as Udav stalls from top position.
Udav seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Phenom for as long as he can get away with.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Udav in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phenom is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Udav happy to just control the position for now.
Udav is chipping away with strikes.
You can see the frustration on Phenom's face as Udav controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Udav is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Phenom has escaped the position, nice work there.
Phenom tries to escape but Udav is in control.
Udav 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.
Udav has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sasha Udav 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.

A looping hook to the body misses from Phenom. Udav does a little dance to reset his feet.
Udav fails to land the takedown.
Phenom with a jab.
Phenom checks a leg kick.
Udav lands a high kick!
Phenom swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Udav.
Phenom works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Udav takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Udav misses the jab.
Phenom throws a right and a left that both miss.
Phenom misses with the combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phenom wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Phenom lands a jab to Udav's midsection.
Phenom throws a combination. Udav tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Phenom tests Udav's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Udav throws a combination that misses
and Phenom counters with a nice uppercut.
Udav slips a straight right by Phenom.

Udav gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Udav gets through Phenom's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Udav drops down looking for an ankle pick but Phenom pulls his leg out and moves away.
Phenom throws a right and a left that both miss.
Phenom misses with a looping left.
Phenom throws a hook to the side of Udav's head but Udav sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Udav misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Udav fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sasha Udav. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Phenom dips to his left and cracks Udav with an uppercut!
Phenom scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Marcus Phenom seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Phenom throws a nice looking combination but Udav bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Phenom misses with a series of wild punches.
Phenom fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A left lands for Phenom.
Phenom works the jab nicely.
Phenom throws a big shot that misses.

Udav clinches up against the cage.
Phenom is trying to force a seperation but Udav has the dominant position.
Udav is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Phenom breaks from the clinch.
Udav misses with a hook. Phenom ducked under it nicely.
Phenom scores with a one two! Udav had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Phenom misses with a two punch combination.
Udav ducks under a wild hook from Phenom.
Udav moves away from the strike by Phenom.
Phenom cracks Udav with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Udav takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Udav is looking to clinch but Phenom is avoiding it.
Phenom lands a really nice looking cross but Udav seems unphased.
Phenom pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Udav tries to move into range but Phenom moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Udav lands with a kick to the temple. Phenom shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Phenom tests Udav's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Udav tries to close the distance and clinch up but Phenom swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Phenom stalks Udav and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Udav's face. Udav staggers backwards, shaken.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Udav.
Phenom with a hook.
Phenom scores with a shot to the body.
Phenom thows a left - swing and a miss!
Phenom throws a series of punches but Udav avoids them all with ease.
Udav takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Udav gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Phenom.
Phenom dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Jab, jab by Phenom - just one landing.
Udav lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Phenom circles away quickly and effectively.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Phenom showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Udav's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Udav takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Phenom scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Phenom throws a one two combo.
Phenom avoids the head kick by Udav.
Udav shoots for a takedown but Phenom saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Phenom thuds his right hand into Udav's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Udav ducks right into an uppercut from Phenom.

Udav gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Phenom is trying to break the clinch but Udav is controlling him.
Phenom is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Udav wants a takedown but no success here.
Phenom is trying to break the clinch but Udav has him pressed against the cage.
Udav keeps control of Phenom as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Udav looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Phenom is trying to push Udav away but Udav has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Phenom is trying to break the clinch but Udav has him pressed against the cage.
Udav looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Phenom breaks from the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right-left combo lands from Phenom.
Phenom lands with a straight right. Udav didn't see that one coming.
Phenom 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.
Phenom's corner calls for a 1-2. Phenom obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Sasha Udav is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Phenom with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Phenom looks to land a right hand but Udav moved out of range.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Udav.
Phenom fails to land with a series of punches.
Udav gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Udav tries for a takedown but Phenom sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sasha Udav. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Udav misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Nice jab there from Phenom.
Phenom clobbers Udav with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Udav tries to clinch there but Phenom circles away.
Marcus Phenom is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Phenom ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Udav moves away.
Phenom swats away the attempt to clinch by Udav.
Phenom scores with a jab. Udav acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Udav shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Phenom pinned against the cage. Phenom gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Udav takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Udav misses with a low kick.
Phenom bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Udav's head.
Phenom with a nice cross.
Phenom fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phenom scores with a jab to the jaw.
Phenom lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Udav has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Phenom finds it's way round the side to connect with Udav's head.
Udav misses with a double jab
and Phenom counters with a three punch combo that has Udav backing up. Udav nods at Phenom to acknowledge the strikes.
Phenom connects with the punch.
A big left from Phenom misses.
Udav takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Phenom swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Udav tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Udav shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Phenom sprawls well. Phenom wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Udav gets slowly back to his feet.
The fighters circle momentarily. Phenom darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

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.
Udav shoots in for a takedown but Phenom shows good takedown defense.
Phenom fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Phenom moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Phenom leaves Udav with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Phenom throws a series of punches but Udav avoids them all with ease.
Udav bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Phenom lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Phenom cracks Udav with a right hand to the side of the head.

Udav moves into the clinch.
Udav wants a takedown.

Phenom manages to break the clinch.
Udav moves in looking to clinch but Phenom pushes him off.
Phenom misses with a wild combination.
Phenom connects with a good right hand that stumbles Udav. Udav circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Phenom comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Phenom 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcus Phenom!