PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ilnur Ilias (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeff Crowbar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ilias comes to the cage accompanied by Thé à la Menthe - La Caution. Both these guys are coming into the fight with injuries so let's see if that has a bearing on the fight. Jeff Crowbar looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Ilias
vs
Crowbar

165 cm
25
130 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

169 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ilnur Ilias!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jeff Crowbar!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Vladimir Khabensky and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ilias slips a jab and a cross from Crowbar.
Crowbar rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ilias moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ilias showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Crowbar.
No luck for Ilias with that takedown attempt.
Crowbar misses with a series of wild punches.
Crowbar fails to land with a series of punches.
Crowbar pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Ilias back to the cage. Crowbar follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Crowbar misses with the combination.
Ilias misses with a body shot.
Ilias looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Crowbar lands a jab-cross combination.
Crowbar tries to bum rush Ilias with a series of wild strikes but Ilias uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ilias comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Ilias swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Some wild striking there from Ilias.
Ilias is breathing heavily.
No joy there for Crowbar, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ilias swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Crowbar lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Crowbar rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ilias moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Crowbar works over Ilias's head and body with a nice combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ilias throws a nice looking combination but Crowbar bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Crowbar swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Crowbar will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Crowbar misses with the combination.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Crowbar throws a nice looking combination but Ilias bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Crowbar misses with a jab, cross combination.

Crowbar tries to keep at a distance but Ilias has taken the fight into the clinch.

Crowbar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Some wild striking there from Crowbar.
Crowbar throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ilias.
Ilias dodges the punch combination from Crowbar.
Crowbar misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ilias avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ilias looks to land a combination but Crowbar avoids it well.
Ilias dodges the punch combination from Crowbar.
Crowbar slips a jab and a cross from Ilias.

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.
Crowbar swinging wildly here.
Sloppy strikes from Crowbar. Those never looked like landing.
Ilias throws a jab when Crowbar was well out of range.
Ilias throws a right and a left that both miss.
Crowbar rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ilias moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ilias showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Crowbar.
Crowbar fails to land with a series of punches.
Ilias lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Danga de danga de dang - Ilias scores with a four punch combination!
Ilias throws a combination. Crowbar tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Crowbar swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ilias tries to bum rush Crowbar with a series of wild strikes but Crowbar uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Crowbar throws a series of punches but Ilias avoids them all with ease.
Crowbar throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ilias.
Jeff Crowbar is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ilias misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ilias showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Crowbar.
Crowbar slips a jab and a cross from Ilias.
Crowbar moves out of range of the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Crowbar. Those never looked like landing.
Some wild striking there from Crowbar.
Sloppy strikes from Crowbar. Those never looked like landing.
Ilias misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Crowbar throws a series of punches but Ilias moves out of range.
Ilias throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Crowbar slips under a jab from Ilias.
Crowbar looks to land a combination but Ilias avoids it well.
A right-left combo lands from Crowbar.
Ilias throws a right hand that Crowbar ducks under and follows up with a left that Crowbar also avoids with ease.
Ilias shoots for a takedown but Crowbar saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Crowbar misses with a few strikes there.
Ilias fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ilnur Ilias. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sloppy strikes from Ilias. Those never looked like landing.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Ilias.
Crowbar misses with the combination.
Sloppy strikes from Crowbar. Those never looked like landing.

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.
Ilias tries to clinch up but Crowbar circles away and keeps his distance.
Ilias shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sloppy strikes from Ilias. Those never looked like landing.
Crowbar fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Crowbar lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ilias circles away quickly and effectively.
Ilias misses with a takedown attempt - Crowbar sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ilias lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Ilias throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Crowbar misses with a few strikes there.
Ilias scores with a sloppy right hand. Crowbar should have avoided that one.
Sloppy strikes from Crowbar. Those never looked like landing.
Crowbar throws a nice looking combination but Ilias bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ilias dodges the punch combination from Crowbar.
Crowbar slips a jab and a cross from Ilias.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
No joy there for Crowbar, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ilias misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ilias showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Crowbar.
Sloppy strikes from Ilias. Those never looked like landing.
Crowbar swinging wildly here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilnur Ilias dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Ilias misses with a wild combination.
Ilias showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Crowbar.
Crowbar lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Crowbar misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ilias rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Crowbar moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Crowbar throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Crowbar fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ilias fails to land with a series of punches.
Crowbar throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Crowbar's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Crowbar duly obliges.
Crowbar throws a nice looking combination but Ilias bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A punch combination from Crowbar misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ilias swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Crowbar closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Crowbar misses with a wild combination.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ilias avoids a punch combination nicely.
A combination from Ilias does no damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crowbar slips a jab and a cross from Ilias.
Ilias misses with a double jab.
Ilnur Ilias is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ilias slips a jab and a cross from Crowbar.
Ilias misses with a double jab.
Crowbar lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ilias circles away quickly and effectively.
Crowbar fails to land with a series of punches.
Ilias fails to land with a series of punches.
Crowbar misses with a wild combination.
Ilias swinging wildly here.
A combination from Crowbar does no damage.
Ilias fails with a takedown attempt.
Crowbar fails to land with a series of punches.
Ilias throws a right hand that Crowbar ducks under and follows up with a left that Crowbar also avoids with ease.
Crowbar throws a nice looking combination but Ilias bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Crowbar misses with a double jab.
Crowbar throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ilias looks to land a combination but Crowbar avoids it well.
Ilias throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Crowbar fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

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.
Crowbar slips a jab and a cross from Ilias.
No joy there for Crowbar, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ilias throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ilias throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Crowbar throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ilias fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ilias fails with an attempt to clinch.
Crowbar misses with a series of wild punches.
Ilias throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Some wild striking there from Ilias.
Crowbar tries to bum rush Ilias with a series of wild strikes but Ilias uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ilias shoots in for a takedown but Crowbar shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Crowbar looks to land a combination but Ilias avoids it well.
Ilias throws out a powerful jab.
Crowbar misses with the combination.
Crowbar throws a right hand that Ilias ducks under and follows up with a left that Ilias also avoids with ease.
Crowbar lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ilias circles away quickly and effectively.
Ilias tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ilias is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Crowbar uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Ilias.
Crowbar throws a series of punches but Ilias moves out of range.
Ilias tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Crowbar paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ilias lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
A punch combination from Crowbar misses.
Crowbar misses with a wild combination.
Ilias lands a two punch combo.
A combination from Crowbar does no damage.
Crowbar fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Crowbar throws a right and a left that Ilias avoids nicely.
Ilias swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ilias swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Crowbar misses with a double jab.
Crowbar takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Crowbar misses with a jab, cross combination.
Crowbar scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Ilias throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Crowbar throws a nice looking combination but Ilias bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

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.
Ilias swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ilias misses with a two punch combination.
Ilias tests Crowbar's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ilias rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Crowbar moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ilias misses with a series of wild punches.
Ilias showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Crowbar.
Ilias looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Crowbar misses with a wild combination.
Ilias tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Crowbar manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Crowbar throws a nice looking combination but Ilias bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ilias changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Crowbar tries to avoid it but Ilias manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Crowbar to the ground. Crowbar escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ilnur Ilias. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ilias gets a takedown into half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Crowbar pushes Ilias off looking to stand but Ilias dives back in and keeps control.
Ilias takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilnur Ilias dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Ilias lands the left hand.
Crowbar misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ilias shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Crowbar sprawls well. Crowbar wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ilias gets slowly back to his feet.
Crowbar stalks Ilias and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Ilias's face. Ilias staggers backwards, shaken.
Crowbar goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Ilias swinging wildly here.
Crowbar shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Ilias eats them both and turns towards Crowbar to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Crowbar stalks Ilias and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Ilias's face. Ilias staggers backwards, shaken.
A right-left combo lands from Crowbar.
Some wild striking there from Crowbar.
Crowbar displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ilias throws out the jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ilias will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Left hook, right uppercut from Crowbar.
A right-left combo lands from Crowbar.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
No joy there for Crowbar, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ilias misses with a few strikes there.
Ilias misses with a series of wild punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ilias scores with a three punch combo!
Crowbar will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ilias misses with a double jab.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Crowbar!
Crowbar will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ilias misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Crowbar!
Ilias throws a right and a left that Crowbar avoids nicely.
Crowbar fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
No joy there for Ilias, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A right-left combo lands from Crowbar.
Ilias lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Crowbar circles away quickly and effectively.
Crowbar misses with a double jab.
Crowbar throws a series of punches but Ilias moves out of range.
Crowbar throws a series of punches but Ilias moves out of range.
Ilias fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Crowbar lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ilias circles away quickly and effectively.
Ilias fails to land the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Crowbar lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Crowbar throws a right and a left that Ilias avoids nicely.
Crowbar swats away the attempt to clinch by Ilias.
Crowbar throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ilias throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ilias takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Ilias has closed the distance and engaged Crowbar in a clinch.

Crowbar pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Crowbar rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ilias moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ilias shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ilnur Ilias. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ilias takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Crowbar misses with a wild combination.
Crowbar throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ilias lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Crowbar circles away quickly and effectively.
Ilias stalks Crowbar and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Crowbar's face. Crowbar staggers backwards, shaken.
Crowbar throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
No joy there for Crowbar, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Ilias has closed the distance and engaged Crowbar in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Crowbar escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ilias misses with the combination.
Ilias throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ilias dodges the punch combination from Crowbar.
Ilias waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Crowbar.
Ilias fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ilias throws a nice looking combination but Crowbar bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Crowbar throws a series of punches but Ilias moves out of range.
Ilias will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Crowbar throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Crowbar slips a jab and a cross from Ilias.
Ilias throws a big shot that misses.
Ilias looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Crowbar throws a right hand that Ilias ducks under and follows up with a left that Ilias also avoids with ease.
Crowbar misses with a few strikes there.
Ilias fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ilias throws a right and a left that Crowbar avoids nicely.
Crowbar is working the combinations to good effect here.
Ilias throws a right and a left that Crowbar avoids nicely.
Crowbar swinging wildly here.

That's four 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.
Crowbar swinging wildly here.
Sloppy strikes from Ilias. Those never looked like landing.
Crowbar scores with a three punch combo!
Crowbar misses with a few strikes there.
Crowbar swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ilias throws a hook but Crowbar avoids it easily.
Ilias pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Ilias tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ilias misses with a series of wild punches.
Some wild striking there from Ilias.
Crowbar misses with a few strikes there.
Crowbar fails to land with a series of punches.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Crowbar misses with a two punch combination.
Crowbar slips under a jab from Ilias.
Crowbar showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ilias.
Ilias misses with a two punch combination.
Jeff Crowbar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ilnur Ilias is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ilias throws a nice looking combination but Crowbar bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jeff Crowbar comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ilias has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ilnur Ilias!