PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Henri Matisse (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sergei Kosilov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Matisse
vs
Kosilov

165 cm
20
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
142 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Henri Matisse!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sergei Kosilov!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Sergei Dronov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matisse takes a swing at Kosilov's ribcage but misses.

Kosilov moves into range and clinches up with Matisse.
Matisse is trying to break the clinch but Kosilov is controlling him.
Matisse lands a nice elbow.

It looks like Sergei Kosilov has been cut.
Kosilov can't get the takedown.
Matisse gets underhooks to prevent Kosilov's takedown attempt.
Kosilov keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Matisse's efforts to push away.
Kosilov dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Kosilov wants to get back to striking at distance but Matisse won't allow it.
Matisse has Kosilov pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Kosilov manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Matisse tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kosilov just stands there and leans against the cage.

Matisse ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Matisse no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Kosilov wants to pass the guard but Matisse is keeping the position.
Matisse scores with a short punch from the bottom.
Matisse looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kosilov is looking to stand up but Matisse won't let him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kosilov wants to pass the guard but Matisse is keeping the position.
Matisse is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kosilov sitting in guard here, content to control.
Matisse is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Henri Matisse has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Matisse tries for a takedown but Kosilov circles away easily

and Kosilov counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henri Matisse. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kosilov looking to pass the guard.
Matisse can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Kosilov controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matisse looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kosilov is one step ahead there.
Kosilov wants to pass the guard but Matisse is keeping the position.

Matisse escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kosilov gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Matisse is breathing heavily.
Matisse avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kosilov scoring with punches to the head and body.
Kosilov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kosilov sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Matisse's guard.

Kosilov stands up and beckons Matisse to join him on the feet.

Kosilov scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Kosilov decides to return to a standing position.
Matisse stuffs the takedown attempt from Kosilov. Kosilov gets slowly back to his feet.
Kosilov tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A right-left combo lands from Kosilov.
Kosilov throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Matisse's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kosilov tries to close the distance and clinch but Matisse swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Matisse fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Matisse tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Kosilov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kosilov throws a leg kick that misses.
Kosilov tries to clinch there but Matisse circles away.
Kosilov tries to clinch but Matisse moves out of range.
Kosilov lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Matisse avoids the head kick by Kosilov.
Matisse tries to clinch there but Kosilov circles away.
Kosilov tries to clinch but Matisse is having none of it.
Danga de danga de dang - Kosilov scores with a four punch combination!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergei Kosilov dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sergei Kosilov's cut.
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.

Kosilov is trying hard to land a takedown here. Matisse sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Matisse takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Matisse wants to clinch.
Matisse swats away the attempt to clinch by Kosilov.
Kosilov tries for a takedown but Matisse sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Henri Matisse is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Matisse.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matisse avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Matisse throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Matisse throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matisse fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kosilov defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Matisse.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kosilov keeps the fight on the outside.
Matisse tries for a takedown but Kosilov sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henri Matisse. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kosilov cracks Matisse with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Kosilov leaves Matisse with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Matisse tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kosilov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Matisse will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Kosilov darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Matisse wants to control but Kosilov is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Kosilov in particular looking to stall.
Matisse wants to control but Kosilov is keeping busy.
Kosilov wants to stand up but Matisse has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Matisse is looking to control Kosilov's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Matisse avoid being mounted?
Matisse is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Henri Matisse.
Matisse tries to close the distance and clinch but Kosilov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Matisse keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Kosilov fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Matisse is out of range.
Kosilov avoids the head kick by Matisse.

Kosilov has managed to clinch.
Kosilov tries for a takedown. No joy.
A right hand to the body from Kosilov.
A right handed body shot lands from Matisse.

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.
Kosilov tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Matisse smiles and moves away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kosilov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kosilov tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Matisse manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kosilov shoots in for a takedown but Matisse shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Matisse swats away the attempt to clinch by Kosilov.
Kosilov keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nice takedown defense from Matisse. No joy for Kosilov on that attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergei Kosilov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Sergei Kosilov's cut.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Matisse fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Kosilov to the ground. Matisse is now in Kosilov's guard.
Matisse trying to control the position from guard on top but Kosilov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kosilov is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Kosilov throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Matisse stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kosilov swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kosilov tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matisse is looking to stand up but Kosilov won't let him.

Kosilov is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Kosilov holds on and takes a little breather.
Matisse is pushing down on Kosilov's leg trying to pass to half guard. Kosilov is fighting to maintain full guard but Matisse has managed to sneak the leg through.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kosilov can do anything to dispel that myth.
Matisse is keen to just control but Kosilov is a slippery customer.
Kosilov wants to get back to his feet.
Matisse trying to pass the guard but Kosilov defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
Kosilov is looking to improve his position.
Kosilov desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Matisse is trying to control. Kosilov wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Henri Matisse just wasn't active enough.
Kosilov tries to clinch up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matisse tries to clinch up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Matisse is defended easily by Kosilov.

Matisse has managed to clinch.
Matisse unloads a knee to the mid-section. Kosilov lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Matisse fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Kosilov tries to score a body lock takedown but Matisse shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Kosilov tries to score a body lock takedown but Matisse shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Kosilov tightens his grip and picks Matisse up, before dumping him to the ground. Matisse manages to land in guard.

Matisse looking for a guillotine here but Kosilov defends easily.
Kosilov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Matisse swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matisse is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Matisse bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kosilov's guard.
Henri Matisse has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sergei Kosilov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Kosilov holds on and takes a little breather.

And that's the end of the fight!
Henri Matisse showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Kosilov 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sergei Kosilov!