PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Anton Kardanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marijo Palavra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kardanov comes to the cage accompanied by Riders on the storm. Marijo Palavra has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kardanov
vs
Palavra

172 cm
19
144 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

170 cm
19
140 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Kobra Clothing Inc.

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Anton Kardanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Marijo Palavra!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Fedor Mirinova and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Kardanov.
Kardanov takes a swing at Palavra's ribcage but misses.
Palavra showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kardanov.
Palavra shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kardanov stuffs the takedown attempt from Palavra. Palavra gets slowly back to his feet.
Kardanov scores with a three punch combo!
Kardanov fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Palavra fails with the takedown
and Kardanov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Anton Kardanov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marijo Palavra.
Palavra fails with the takedown
and Kardanov counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Palavra thinking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kardanov fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Kardanov throws a big shot that misses.
Anton Kardanov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Palavra closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Kardanov quickly recovers to half guard.
Kardanov wants to get back to his feet.
Kardanov wants to control but Palavra is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Palavra trying to control the action but Kardanov is working from the bottom.
Palavra has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Palavra tries to control but Kardanov wriggling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palavra misses with a head shot.
Palavra thowing shots but they're missing.
Palavra misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Kardanov wants to hold on but Palavra pushes him away.
Palavra thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Kardanov is in a horrible position here. Palavra smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kardanov is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Palavra is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Kardanov has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Palavra controlling from the full mount.

Palavra is working for a guillotine from mount but Kardanov frees his head quite easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kardanov working to try and regain half guard.

Palavra working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

Palavra jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Kardanov is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Kardanov and Palavra has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Palavra working the head and body with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marijo Palavra 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.

Palavra has his takedown stuffed
and Kardanov counters with a series of strikes. Palavra will be more careful next time no doubt.
Palavra shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Kardanov sprawls well. Kardanov wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Palavra gets slowly back to his feet.

Palavra shoots in and bounces Kardanov off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Palavra wants to control from the top but Kardanov keeps moving.
Palavra has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Palavra passes Kardanov's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palavra sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kardanov defending well though.
Palavra looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Kardanov wants to control but Palavra is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Kardanov keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Palavra tries to pass the half guard into mount. Kardanov knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Palavra passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Kardanov!
Marijo Palavra has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kardanov tries to lock up and control but Palavra gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kardanov is wriggling around trying to escape.
Kardanov is working hard here to advance position.
Palavra trying to control but Kardanov is having none of it.
Kardanov is looking to get to half guard.
Palavra trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kardanov bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Kardanov wants to control from the top but Palavra keeps moving.
Kardanov won't allow Palavra to sweep him here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Palavra with a lazy takedown attempt
and Kardanov counters with a series of strikes. Palavra will be more careful next time no doubt.
Anton Kardanov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marijo Palavra.
Palavra has his takedown stuffed
and Kardanov counters with a two punch combo.
Palavra tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kardanov swivels and escapes.
A combination from Kardanov does no damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palavra showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kardanov.
Kardanov misses with an uppercut. Palavra saw that one coming.
Palavra takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Kardanov misses with a body shot.
Kardanov throws a body punch but Palavra moves out of range.
Kardanov is looking to wear down Palavra with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Palavra throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kardanov's waist but Kardanov gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Palavra off to one side.
Kardanov throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kardanov throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Palavra shoots and misses
letting Kardanov counter with a right hand.
Horrible takedown by Palavra or perhaps it was just good defense by Kardanov which made him look bad.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Marijo Palavra will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Kardanov!
Palavra looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Kardanov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Palavra manages to avoid it.
Palavra takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Kardanov stuffs the takedown attempt from Palavra. Palavra gets slowly back to his feet.
No luck for Palavra with that takedown attempt.
Anton Kardanov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marijo Palavra.
Kardanov cracks Palavra with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kardanov takes a swing at Palavra's ribcage but misses.
Palavra tries for a takedown but Kardanov circles away easily
and Kardanov makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Palavra shoots in and drives through. Kardanov sprawls well.
Marijo Palavra seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Decent striking displayed by Kardanov there.
Kardanov swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Palavra misses with a takedown
and Kardanov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Palavra takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kardanov misses with a series of wild punches.
Palavra takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palavra misses with a takedown
and Kardanov counters with a two punch combo.
Kardanov works the jab nicely.
Kardanov just misses with a punch to the body.
Palavra takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Kardanov misses with the combination.
Palavra doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Kardanov counters with a straight right hand.
Kardanov works the jab nicely.
Kardanov scores with a jab. Palavra acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kardanov lands a two punch combo.
Palavra shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kardanov as he avoids it easily.
Kardanov fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Palavra fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Kardanov to the ground. Palavra is now in Kardanov's guard.
Kardanov looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Palavra won't allow Kardanov to sweep him here.
Palavra wants to control from the top but Kardanov keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palavra looking to pass the guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Palavra postures up in Kardanov's guard and throws a big left but Kardanov blocks it.
Palavra wants to pass the guard but Kardanov is keeping the position.
Kardanov wants to get back to his feet but Palavra is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kardanov stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kardanov wants it to stay on the feet.
Anton Kardanov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kardanov missing with a left hand there. Palavra was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anton Kardanov showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Palavra 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marijo Palavra!