PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Akio Isamu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ahmad Malushev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Isamu kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Superstar - Saliva. Ahmad Malushev is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Isamu
vs
Malushev

169 cm
22
162 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
26
160 lbs
4 - 4 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

SPARTA FIGHTWARE-GTI

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Akio Isamu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ahmad Malushev!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Konstantin Menshow and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Isamu clobbers Malushev with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Malushev is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Malushev throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Malushev shoots in looking for a takedown but Isamu manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Malushev's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Malushev tries to clinch but Isamu moves away
and Isamu counters with a nice uppercut.

Isamu drives through with a takedown into guard.
Malushev utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Isamu won't allow Malushev to get back to his feet.
Isamu looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Malushev wants to control the position but Isamu says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Isamu is thwarting Malushev's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Isamu stands up and beckons Malushev to join him on the feet.
Malushev is trying hard to land a takedown here. Isamu sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Akio Isamu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Isamu fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Malushev sprawls well initially but Isamu persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Malushev is looking to improve his position.
Isamu content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Isamu prevents Malushev from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Malushev is trying to control but can't.
Isamu prevents Malushev from improving his position.
Malushev is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Isamu forces Malushev back against the cage and clinches.

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

Isamu rushes Malushev and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Isamu escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Isamu thows a body shot but no joy.

Isamu moves into the clinch.
Malushev is trying to pull guard but Isamu has him pressed against the cage.
Akio Isamu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ahmad Malushev.

Isamu's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Isamu has closed the distance and engaged Malushev in a clinch.
Malushev tries to score a body lock takedown but Isamu shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Malushev is looking to take this one to the mat.
Malushev with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Malushev wants to break the clinch but can't.
Isamu is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

Isamu escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Malushev tries to clinch but Isamu is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Malushev fails in his attempt to clinch.
Malushev shoots in for a takedown but Isamu shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Isamu looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Malushev!
Malushev is wriggling around trying to escape.
Malushev looks gassed!
Malushev wants to hold on but Isamu pushes him away.
Malushev is trying desperately to improve position.
Isamu manages to capitalize on a mistake by Malushev to take his back!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Isamu is riding his opponent, not letting Malushev buck him off.
Isamu gets his hands free as Malushev looks to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akio Isamu dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Malushev looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Isamu!
Isamu wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Malushev.
Akio Isamu overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Malushev can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Isamu is looking to escape.
Isamu is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Malushev trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Malushev looking to ground and pound but Isamu is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Isamu holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Malushev tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Isamu tries to reverse the position but Malushev maintains control.
Malushev wants to control but instead Isamu manages to regain half guard.
Isamu is trying to stand up here but Malushev is controlling him well.
Malushev throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Isamu is controlling Malushev's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Malushev works his way into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Isamu is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Malushev staying calm.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Malushev tries to score with some ground and pound. Isamu controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Isamu is not content to let Malushev control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malushev might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Isamu kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Malushev decides to stand back up. Malushev steps back and let's Isamu get back to his feet.
Malushev looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Isamu is fending him off so far but Malushev persists. Nope, Isamu circles away and we're back to standing.

Isamu moves into the clinch.
Malushev tries to pull guard but Isamu forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Isamu pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nice sprawl there from Isamu as Malushev shoots in.
Akio Isamu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ahmad Malushev.
Good standup being displayed there by Malushev as he connects with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Isamu takes the fight into the clinch.

Malushev manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Isamu controls from within his opponent's guard.
Malushev trying to keep a closed guard but Isamu is proving a slippery customer.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Isamu slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ahmad Malushev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Isamu connects with a single shot there.

Isamu changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Malushev looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Isamu taking a breather here.
Isamu wants to control but Malushev is keeping him busy.
Malushev is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Malushev is trying to control Isamu's posture but Isamu avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Isamu controlling the position from side mount.
Isamu's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Akio Isamu just wasn't active enough.

Isamu darts in and clinches Malushev up against the cage.

Malushev manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Malushev tries to keep at a distance but Isamu has taken the fight into the clinch.

Isamu breaks the clinch.
Malushev tries to close the distance and clinch but Isamu swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Isamu bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Isamu misses with a body kick.
Malushev tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Isamu paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Isamu fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Malushev, pushing him back against the cage.
Malushev wants to break the clinch but can't.

Malushev pulls guard.
Malushev trying to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Isamu stopping the sweep attempt from Malushev.
Malushev trying to keep a closed guard but Isamu is proving a slippery customer.

Ahmad Malushev has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Isamu instigates a clinch.
Isamu blocks the elbow strike.
Malushev tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Isamu smiles and moves away.
Malushev shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Isamu sprawls well. Isamu wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Malushev gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Isamu closes the distance and pushes Malushev back into the cage.
Isamu lands a damaging elbow.

Isamu escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Isamu throws a right and a left that Malushev avoids nicely.

Isamu has taken the fight to the clinch.

Isamu's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Isamu swats away the attempt to clinch by Malushev.
Malushev fails with the takedown
and Isamu connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Akio Isamu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ahmad Malushev.

Isamu forces Malushev back against the cage and clinches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Isamu breaks the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Malushev gets tackled into the cage by Isamu. Isamu maintains the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Isamu as Malushev tries to tie him up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Akio Isamu showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Isamu 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Akio Isamu!
Akio Isamu made sure to mention his sponsor, SPARTA FIGHTWARE-GTI in his post fight interview.