PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ken Bader (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kasim Gaziev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bader's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, This Is War. Ken Bader has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Bader
vs
Gaziev

188 cm
18
218 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

199 cm
21
210 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ken Bader!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kasim Gaziev!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Tarja Halkonen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gaziev gets a clinch.
Gaziev misses with an elbow over the top.
Bader working aggressively here.
Gaziev using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Bader blocks an elbow strike from Gaziev.
Bader tries to pull guard but Gaziev won't allow it.
Gaziev lands an elbow inside that Bader shrugs off.

It looks like Ken Bader has been cut.
Gaziev tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Gaziev pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Gaziev breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Gaziev shoots in and bounces Bader off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Bader looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Gaziev has picked Bader up and slammed him! Bader can't keep hold of the triangle and Gaziev manages to pass to side control!
Bader is looking to regain half guard here but Gaziev keeps moving and retains side control.

Gaziev working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
You can see the frustration on Bader's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bader is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Gaziev off and has taken his back!
Bader tries to keep control of the position but Gaziev is staying busy.
Gaziev can't escape the position.
Bader wants to control but Gaziev manages to buck him off and is now in Bader's guard! Nice work there by Gaziev!
Bader might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Gaziev stops Bader from standing up.
Gaziev wants to pass the guard but Bader is keeping the position.
Gaziev looks gassed!
Bader is looking to stand back up but Gaziev counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Bader.

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.
Bader is looking for a sweep. Gaziev is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Bader is trying to maintain the position but Gaziev is very close to passing his half guard.

Gaziev is looking for a kimura but Bader is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gaziev to get the leverage.

Bader looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bader tries to kick Gaziev off but Gaziev keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Gaziev is looking for a kimura here.
Bader tries to roll over but Gaziev keeps him under control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bader is looking to get back to is feet but Gaziev passes into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bader is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Bader sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Bader is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gaziev pulls his head out easily.
Bader wants to control but Gaziev is keeping busy.
Bader is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Bader is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bader holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Bader wants to get back to full guard.

Gaziev looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Gaziev is looking for a kimura but Bader is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gaziev to get the leverage.
Bader slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Bader is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kasim Gaziev dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ken Bader's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Bader is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bader is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bader jabs at Gaziev's body.

Gaziev closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gaziev lands in his opponent's guard.

Bader working for a triangle but Gaziev defends it easily.

Bader had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gaziev defends it easily.
Gaziev preventing the sweep.
Gaziev is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gaziev drops back, looking for a kneebar! Bader looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Bader looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Bader!
Bader wants to control but Gaziev is keeping him busy.

Bader looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Bader trying to control the action but Gaziev is working from the bottom.

That's two 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.
Bader is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Gaziev is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Bader advances nicely into full mount.

Bader goes for an armbar but Gaziev turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Gaziev.
Bader trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bader looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bader wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Gaziev is now in half guard.
Bader wants to get back to his feet.
Gaziev is thwarting Bader's attempts to control the position.
Bader is looking to improve his position.

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.

Gaziev is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Bader doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Gaziev.
Gaziev works his way into side control.
Bader tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gaziev wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gaziev prevents Bader from escaping the position.
Bader is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Gaziev off and has taken his back!
I would not like to be Gaziev right now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kasim Gaziev will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Ken Bader's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Jab, jab by Bader - just one landing.
Bader lands with an overhand left.
Kasim Gaziev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bader tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bader lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Bader.
Gaziev takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Bader lands with a hook. Gaziev tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Bader tries to clinch up.
Bader is looking to clinch but Gaziev is avoiding it.
Bader tries to clinch there but Gaziev circles away.
Bader uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Gaziev has time to react.

Bader darts in and clinches Gaziev up against the cage.
Bader is looking to break free of the clinch but Gaziev has double underhooks.
Bader presses Gaziev against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bader avoids a wild elbow strike from Gaziev.

Gaziev breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Gaziev darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Gaziev wants to work for an arm triangle but Bader is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Gaziev takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bader gets back to full guard.

Bader is looking for a triangle but Gaziev pushes his legs off easily.
Bader working a defensive guard here.
Bader wants to sweep here but Gaziev controlling him for the moment.
Bader working a defensive guard here.
Kasim Gaziev has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bader utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two 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.
Bader manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gaziev manages to get himself to full guard.
Bader trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Bader drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Bader jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Gaziev keeping moving, preventing Bader from controlling successfully.
Bader wants to stand and escape but instead Gaziev has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Bader not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bader wants to get back to his feet but Gaziev is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Bader wants to sweep here but Gaziev controlling him for the moment.
Bader trying to control the position.

Gaziev is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Bader has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Gaziev is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Bader.
Bader struggling a bit here.
Ken Bader has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.
Bader looks to move to half guard but instead Gaziev has passed into mount! Damn!
Bader can't escape the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Gaziev goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Bader turns into him and now he's in Gaziev's guard.
Kasim Gaziev is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Bader forces his way into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ken Bader.
I think Gaziev 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kasim Gaziev!