PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between josh fich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anatolii Kharlampiev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kharlampiev has chosen Sambo Frustration as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

fich
vs
Kharlampiev

178 cm
21
170 lbs
4 - 2 - 1

170 cm
24
175 lbs
2 - 1 - 1

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, josh fich!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Anatolii Kharlampiev!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
fich has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Kharlampiev.
fich tries for a takedown but Kharlampiev circles away easily

and Kharlampiev counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Kharlampiev trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Kharlampiev decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
fich throws a right and a left that Kharlampiev avoids nicely.
Kharlampiev checks a leg kick nicely.
Kharlampiev shoots in but no luck this time.
fich has his takedown stuffed

so Kharlampiev counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kharlampiev prevents fich from getting back to his feet.
Kharlampiev throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as fich works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Kharlampiev missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
fich is pulling down on Kharlampiev's head to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
fich keeping moving, preventing Kharlampiev from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
fich with a poor takedown
and Kharlampiev counters with a nice low kick that buckles fich's knee momentarily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for josh fich. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kharlampiev decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kharlampiev misses with a head shot. fich uses the momentum to regain guard.
Kharlampiev stops fich from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kharlampiev trying to control the position from guard on top but fich is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kharlampiev accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kharlampiev working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kharlampiev trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kharlampiev wants to stand but fich is controlling his posture from full guard.
fich on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if fich tries to get out of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
fich pulls Kharlampiev in close to his closed guard and prevents Kharlampiev from doing any damage or advancing position.
fich keeping moving, preventing Kharlampiev from controlling successfully.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kharlampiev misses with a wild combination.

That's four 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.
fich throws a head kick that misses
and Kharlampiev counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. fich is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Kharlampiev checks a low kick from fich.

fich drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
fich scores with a couple of short elbows.
fich lands an elbow.
Kharlampiev taking a bit of punishment here - fich scoring with strikes.
Kharlampiev takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Kharlampiev on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Kharlampiev looks gassed!
Kharlampiev takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
fich connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Kharlampiev some visible discomfort.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
fich cracks Kharlampiev with an elbow. That is naaassty.
fich lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Kharlampiev down.
fich knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kharlampiev on the ground.
fich working the head with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that josh fich will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

fich looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
fich looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
fich thows a huge punch but Kharlampiev dodges it nicely.
fich not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
fich working Kharlampiev over with strikes.
fich lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Kharlampiev on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
fich missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kharlampiev is breathing heavily.
Kharlampiev wants to get back to full guard.
fich missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
fich winds up and cracks Kharlampiev with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
fich scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's one minute gone in the round.
fich missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
fich lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Kharlampiev kicks fich off and gets back to his feet.

fich shoots in and bounces Kharlampiev off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Kharlampiev keeping full guard, as fich tries to pass.
fich makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Kharlampiev has momentary wrist control but fich slips an elbow through the middle.
fich keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Kharlampiev's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
fich landing some decent shots from guard.
fich chips away with some ground and pound.
fich missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
fich lands a couple of digs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
fich loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
fich has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Kharlampiev wants to sweep here but fich controlling him for the moment.
fich trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells fich's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
fich is working Kharlampiev over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
fich landing with the ground and pound.
Kharlampiev working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from fich.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
fich with a nice head shot there.
fich working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
josh fich overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
fich with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
fich lands a couple of digs.
fich makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
fich working some strikes from top position.
fich postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
fich throwing strikes but missing.
fich landing some decent shots from guard.
fich keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Kharlampiev's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
fich scoring with punches to the head and body.
fich missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
fich in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
fich working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kharlampiev's head.
fich postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
fich working some strikes from top position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
fich postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
fich lands a couple of digs.
fich postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
fich postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
fich content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
fich cracks Kharlampiev with a solid left hand.
fich lands a couple of digs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

josh fich dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

fich tries to score a power double leg takedown but Kharlampiev sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten fich somewhat.
fich closes the distance and clinches up with Kharlampiev, looking for a takedown. fich pushes Kharlampiev against the cage but Kharlampiev circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Kharlampiev throws a head kick that misses.
fich with a poor takedown

and Kharlampiev counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for josh fich. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kharlampiev trying to control from half guard but fich is working away.
fich is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kharlampiev thows a huge punch but fich dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kharlampiev not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Kharlampiev is just content to waste time from the top position. fich takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Kharlampiev trying to control but fich is working from the bottom.

Kharlampiev drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and fich dives on top into guard.
fich throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kharlampiev works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
fich makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
fich chips away with some ground and pound.
fich scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
fich working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kharlampiev's head.
fich postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
fich scoring with some ground and pound.
fich lands a couple of elbows.
fich postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Kharlampiev wants to get back to his feet but fich is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
fich landing some decent shots from guard.
fich works over Kharlampiev with some ground and pound from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
fich content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
fich scoring with some ground and pound.
fich working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
fich is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
fich working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells fich's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Hammerfist, elbow! yells fich's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Kharlampiev looking to hit a scissor sweep but fich is one step ahead there.
fich cracks Kharlampiev with a solid left hand.
fich scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kharlampiev looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells fich's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
fich is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
fich landing some decent shots from guard.
fich distracts Kharlampiev with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
fich scoring with some ground and pound.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
fich connects with a couple of short punches.
fich working some strikes from top position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
fich scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Anatolii Kharlampiev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
fich working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kharlampiev's head.
josh fich is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
fich controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

And that's the end of the fight!
josh fich showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for fich, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:26
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:26
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... josh fich!