PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Timur Rafkatovich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vladimir Shumanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Timur Rafkatovich has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Rafkatovich
vs
Shumanov

182 cm
24
210 lbs
2 - 13 - 0

190 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 13 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Timur Rafkatovich!
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, Vladimir Shumanov!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Valeri Chadov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rafkatovich misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Rafkatovich fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rafkatovich lands a head kick!
Rafkatovich lands a high kick!
Shumanov looks for a takedown but Rafkatovich sprawls well.
Nice takedown defense from Rafkatovich. No joy for Shumanov on that attempt.
A head kick misses from Shumanov.
Shumanov with a poor takedown

and Rafkatovich counters by clinching up.
Timur Rafkatovich has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vladimir Shumanov.

Shumanov manages to pull guard.
Rafkatovich slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Shumanov keeping moving, preventing Rafkatovich from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shumanov is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rafkatovich stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shumanov swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rafkatovich trying to control but Shumanov is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Timur Rafkatovich wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Rafkatovich avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Shumanov shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Rafkatovich counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Rafkatovich seems to be working for a kimura but Shumanov defends the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shumanov gets back to full guard.
Rafkatovich could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Rafkatovich trying to control but Shumanov is working from the bottom.
Rafkatovich controls from within his opponent's guard.
Rafkatovich trying to control the position from guard on top but Shumanov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Rafkatovich stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shumanov shoots in and drives through. Rafkatovich sprawls well.
Rafkatovich changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Shumanov tries to avoid it but Rafkatovich manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Shumanov to the ground. Shumanov escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Shumanov has a takedown stuffed.
Shumanov shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Rafkatovich counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rafkatovich is breathing heavily.
Rafkatovich forces his way into half guard.
Rafkatovich is looking to take a break and control but Shumanov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Shumanov is looking to control Rafkatovich's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Shumanov avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shumanov looks like he's trying to stand up.
Shumanov has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rafkatovich is working away from the top position though.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Rafkatovich is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rafkatovich stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Timur Rafkatovich dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Shumanov connects with a crisp jab.

Rafkatovich shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rafkatovich was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Rafkatovich trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Rafkatovich working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Rafkatovich avoids the attempt from Shumanov to control.
Rafkatovich manages to capitalize on a mistake by Shumanov to take his back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rafkatovich throwing sloppy strikes.
Rafkatovich throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
Shumanov turns into Rafkatovich and is now in his guard.
Shumanov stops Rafkatovich from standing up.
Shumanov has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rafkatovich is proving hard to escape from.
Rafkatovich is trying to keep Shumanov in close.
Shumanov throws a strike but Rafkatovich rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Rafkatovich postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shumanov tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Shumanov utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rafkatovich trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Shumanov manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Shumanov slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Rafkatovich is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Rafkatovich is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Shumanov is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rafkatovich is working to get back to half guard.
Timur Rafkatovich overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rafkatovich wants to hold on but Shumanov pushes him away.
Rafkatovich is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Rafkatovich is trying desperately to improve position.
Shumanov trying to control but Rafkatovich is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shumanov scores with a couple of good head shots there.

It looks like Timur Rafkatovich has been cut.
Shumanov looking to control and managing it successfully.
Shumanov trying to control but Rafkatovich is having none of it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vladimir Shumanov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Timur Rafkatovich'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. And we move into the final round!

Shumanov has closed the distance and engaged Rafkatovich in a clinch.

Shumanov pulls guard.

Rafkatovich drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Shumanov dives on top into guard.
Rafkatovich wants to sweep but no luck.
Rafkatovich wants to control the position but Shumanov says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Rafkatovich taking some punishment here, with Shumanov in his half guard.
Shumanov trying to control from Rafkatovich's half guard. Rafkatovich has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Shumanov wants to pass the guard but Rafkatovich is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shumanov wants to control from the top but Rafkatovich keeps moving.
Rafkatovich 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.
Rafkatovich is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rafkatovich looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Shumanov fails with the takedown

and Rafkatovich counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rafkatovich tries for a takedown. No joy.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shumanov stops a takedown attempt from Rafkatovich.
Shumanov tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Rafkatovich just stands there and leans against the cage.
Rafkatovich wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Timur Rafkatovich. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shumanov wants to break the clinch but can't.

Shumanov drags the fight down to the ground.
Rafkatovich throwing strikes from guard but Shumanov blocks nicely.
Rafkatovich trying to control but Shumanov is working from the bottom.
Rafkatovich wants to pass the guard but Shumanov is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rafkatovich postures up.
Shumanov is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Vladimir Shumanov hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Shumanov shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Shumanov misses with a takedown attempt - Rafkatovich sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rafkatovich shoots in for a takedown but Shumanov shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Shumanov throws a lazy head kick
and Rafkatovich counters with a nice body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shumanov wants to clinch
and Rafkatovich counters with a body kick.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Shumanov.

Rafkatovich drives through and clinches with Shumanov against the cage.
Shumanov looking to slow down the pace here.
Rafkatovich is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Shumanov to keep the fight standing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rafkatovich taking a breather.
Shumanov tries to circle away but Rafkatovich has him pinned against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vladimir Shumanov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Shumanov 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vladimir Shumanov!