PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between KirNik Kirillov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and jp Califf (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as jp Califf enters the cage!

Kirillov
vs
Califf

168 cm
18
130 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

170 cm
19
135 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, KirNik Kirillov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, jp Califf!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Daniel Bishop and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch combination from Califf misses.
Kirillov tries to clinch but Califf moves out of range.

Kirillov gets a clinch.
Califf lands a body shot in the clinch.
Kirillov trying to stall but Califf improves his position.
Califf has Kirillov pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Kirillov manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Kirillov tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kirillov avoiding damage as Califf throws knees to the body.
Califf changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Kirillov fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Califf takes the fight into the clinch.
Califf tries to pull guard but Kirillov forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
KirNik Kirillov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of jp Califf.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kirillov misses with the head strike.
Kirillov lands an uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kirillov.
Califf taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Califf jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kirillov walks away with a smile on his face. Califf gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Kirillov misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Kirillov tries to clinch up.

Califf gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Califf wants a takedown but no success here.
Kirillov tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Califf just stands there and leans against the cage.
Califf has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Kirillov avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kirillov wants to stall.
Kirillov tries to land knees in the clinch but Califf avoids the damage to the body.
Califf is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Califf breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Califf defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Kirillov.
Califf needs to keep his hands up - Kirillov had a free shot at his head there.
A head kick misses from Califf.
Califf throws a head kick that misses.
Kirillov showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Califf.
Kirillov dives in and grabs Califf's left leg, looking for a takedown. Califf pushes down on Kirillov's head and hops out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kirillov wants to clinch but Califf slips to the side
and Califf counters with a straight right hand.

Califf closes the distance and pushes Kirillov back into the cage.

Califf successfully pulls guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Kirillov postures up and lands a big shot to Califf's brow.
Kirillov content to stall in guard here.
Kirillov wants to control from the top but Califf keeps moving.
Califf controlling Kirillov's posture.
Califf lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Kirillov!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kirillov is squirming around, avoiding Califf's attempts to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kirillov is looking to improve his position but Califf isn't that keen on the idea.
Kirillov swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Califf unloads with some shots from mount but Kirillov bucks and avoids them well.
Califf wants to control the pace but Kirillov is squirming around nicely.
Califf controlling his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

jp Califf 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.

Califf clinches up with Kirillov and pushes him back against the cage.
Kirillov looking to throw knees to the head but Califf is blocking nicely.
Califf wants to take the fight to the mat but Kirillov manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Kirillov looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Kirillov is trying to maintain a safe position but Califf gets an underhook and turns Kirillov into the cage.
Kirillov is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Califf is defending well for now.
Kirillov letting Califf take a breather here.
Califf has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Kirillov is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Kirillov creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kirillov manages to break the clinch.
Kirillov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Califf swivels and escapes.
Califf shoots in and drives through. Kirillov sprawls well.
KirNik Kirillov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of jp Califf.

Califf moves into the clinch.
Califf tries to pull guard but Kirillov won't allow it.
Kirillov tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Califf smiles and moves away.
A head kick misses from Kirillov.
Kirillov changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Califf tries to avoid it but Kirillov manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Califf to the ground. Califf escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Califf moves into the clinch.
Kirillov tries to land knees in the clinch but Califf avoids the damage to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Califf drops down looking for an ankle pick but Kirillov pulls his leg out and moves away.
Kirillov shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Califf as he jumps to the side.

Califf moves into the clinch.
Califf fails to pull the fight into his guard.
A knee to the head by Califf.
Califf has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Kirillov is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Califf as Kirillov tries to tie him up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Califf is trying to break free.
Kirillov missing with knees to the body.
Kirillov holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Califf jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kirillov walks away with a smile on his face. Califf gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Kirillov looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Kirillov moves to clinch but Califf breaks away
and Califf counters with a leg kick.
Horrible takedown by Califf or perhaps it was just good defense by Kirillov which made him look bad.
Kirillov showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Califf.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kirillov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Califf shoots in for a takedown but Kirillov shows good takedown defense.
Califf is breathing heavily.
Califf shoots in looking for a takedown but Kirillov manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Califf's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Kirillov misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Kirillov tries to clinch up but Califf circles away and keeps his distance.
jp Califf seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kirillov displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Califf.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A nice inside leg kick there by Kirillov. That's going to slow Califf down.
Kirillov shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Califf as he jumps to the side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but jp Califf will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Califf tries a head kick but it misses.

Califf has managed to clinch.

Califf gets control of Kirillov's arms and successfully pulls guard. Califf will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Kirillov trying to control the position from guard on top but Califf is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kirillov tries to free his leg and advance position but Califf is retaining full guard.
Kirillov trying to control the position from guard on top but Califf is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of KirNik Kirillov.
Kirillov shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Califf but Califf pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kirillov avoids the head kick by Califf.

Califf gets the takedown into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Califf works to advance to full mount. Kirillov defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Califf sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Califf throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Califf lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Kirillov hang on?
Califf tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Califf prevents Kirillov from getting the reversal.
Califf blocks Kirillov's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
jp Califf has got the better of the ground game so far.
Poor strikes thrown by Califf there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Califf sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Califf trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Califf throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Califf controlling from mount.
Kirillov wants to control but Califf is having none of it.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Kirillov really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Califf controlling the position easily from mount.
Califf lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Kirillov swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Kirillov tries to hold on but Califf postures up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Califf controlling the position easily from mount.
KirNik Kirillov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
jp Califf is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

And that's the end of the fight!
jp Califf comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Califf has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... jp Califf!