PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Brian Belcole (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vladimir Bukharin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vladimir Bukharin has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Belcole
vs
Bukharin

180 cm
22
195 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
196 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Powerful

HGH Nutrients Q160-Q158-Q155

BioPharm Nutrition
BioPharm Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Brian Belcole!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Vladimir Bukharin!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Roger Salmon and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Belcole gets a clinch.
Belcole creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Bukharin's defenses.
Belcole is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Belcole misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Bukharin.
Belcole using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Bukharin has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Belcole pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Bukharin looking to throw knees to the head but Belcole is blocking nicely.
Belcole tries a knee to the head but Bukharin blocks it.
The referee is keeping an eye on Bukharin - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Knees to the body from Belcole.
Bukharin tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Belcole avoids it.
Bukharin digs a right hand into Belcole's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Belcole's gas tank.
Belcole is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Bukharin is defending well for now.
Bukharin is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Belcole to keep the fight standing.
Bukharin softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belcole misses with a knee to the head.
Belcole lands a nice knee to the body.
Belcole is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Belcole landing knees to the body.
Belcole lands an elbow just above Bukharin 's eye.
Belcole using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Bukharin has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Belcole misses with a knee to the head.

Bukharin has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Belcole uses from the top position.

Bukharin is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Belcole defends well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bukharin trying to control the position here.
Belcole would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bukharin pulls Belcole in to control the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Bukharin can do anything to dispel that myth.
Bukharin striking off his back but it's not causing Belcole any problems.
Bukharin will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Belcole has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bukharin has his hands on Belcole's head, controlling the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Bukharin fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Belcole is breathing heavily.

Belcole clinches up with Bukharin and pushes him back against the cage.
Belcole stalling in the clinch but Bukharin improves position.
Bukharin lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Bukharin tightens his grip and picks Belcole up, before dumping him to the ground. Belcole manages to land in guard.
Bukharin works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Bukharin seems to be looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bukharin is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Bukharin working Belcole over with strikes.
Bukharin throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Bukharin has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Well, if Bukharin is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Bukharin wants to free his trapped foot but Belcole is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Bukharin is controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bukharin seems to be working for a kimura but Belcole defends the submission attempt.
Bukharin keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Bukharin maintaining the dominant position here and is working for a kimura. He's locked it up! Belcole could be in real trouble here! He's trying to wriggle out but Bukharin has cracked it and Belcole is screaming in pain - he's tapped out! Great finish by Bukharin!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Vladimir Bukharin!