PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Slavyanin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Richards has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Anthony Richards has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Slavyanin
vs
Richards

185 cm
24
186 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

195 cm
21
184 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexander Slavyanin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Anthony Richards!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Fedor Mirinova and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Slavyanin has a takedown stuffed.
Slavyanin tries for a takedown but Richards sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Richards fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Slavyanin shoots in and drives through. Richards sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexander Slavyanin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Slavyanin shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Slavyanin showed some decent athleticism there.
Richards avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Slavyanin.
Richards looks like he's trying to stand up.
Richards looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Richards kicks off Slavyanin and gets to his feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Richards.
Richards stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Richards wants it to stay on the feet.
Slavyanin throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Richards's waist but Richards gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Slavyanin off to one side.
Slavyanin keeps the fight on the outside.

Richards tries to sprawl but Slavyanin drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Slavyanin is working for a kimura but Richards is defending it quite comfortably.
Slavyanin winds up and cracks Richards with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slavyanin performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Richards is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Slavyanin scores with a couple of nice shots.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Slavyanin is looking for submissions but instead, Richards has regained full guard.
Slavyanin has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Richards escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Slavyanin gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Richards is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slavyanin postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Slavyanin keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Richards's head.
Slavyanin landing some decent shots from guard.
Richards wants to stand but Slavyanin is controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Slavyanin with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Slavyanin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Slavyanin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Slavyanin working some strikes from top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Slavyanin sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Slavyanin trying to control but Richards is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Slavyanin dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Slavyanin shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Richards avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Slavyanin tries to free his leg and advance position but Richards is retaining full guard.
Slavyanin trying to control but Richards is working from the bottom.
Slavyanin works over Richards with some ground and pound from guard.
Slavyanin seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Richards is breathing heavily.
Slavyanin passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards taking some punishment here, with Slavyanin in his half guard.
Richards trying to control but Slavyanin postures up.
Slavyanin thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Slavyanin postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Richards to stand up.
Alexander Slavyanin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Slavyanin shoots in for a takedown but Richards shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Richards is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Slavyanin misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Slavyanin closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Slavyanin throwing shots but Richards is blocking nicely.
Slavyanin wants to take a breather but Richards is having none of it.
Slavyanin working over Richards with some ground and pound. Richards looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Slavyanin looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Richards with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Slavyanin landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Slavyanin is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slavyanin thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Richards's head.

Slavyanin looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Slavyanin is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Richards defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Slavyanin is working for a submission of some sort.
Slavyanin prevents Richards from standing back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Slavyanin dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Richards gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Slavyanin trying to control but Richards is working from the bottom.
Slavyanin stands up over Richards, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Richards preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Richards wants to sweep but no luck.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Slavyanin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Richards takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Slavyanin postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Slavyanin slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards keeping moving, preventing Slavyanin from controlling successfully.
Slavyanin throwing strikes from guard but Richards blocks nicely.

Richards is working an open guard so Slavyanin takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Slavyanin manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Richards on his heels. He'll look to pass Richards's guard now, I'm sure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards trying to control the position.
Alexander Slavyanin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Richards wants to stand but Slavyanin is controlling the position.
Slavyanin lands a couple of elbows.
Slavyanin trying to control the position from guard on top but Richards is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Richards is working an open guard so Slavyanin takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Slavyanin shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Richards as he avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slavyanin dives in and grabs Richards's left leg, looking for a takedown. Richards pushes down on Slavyanin's head and hops out.
Richards looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Slavyanin is fending him off so far but Richards persists. Nope, Slavyanin circles away and we're back to standing.
Slavyanin bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Richards's head backwards.
Richards displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Slavyanin.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexander Slavyanin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Slavyanin leaves Richards with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Slavyanin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Richards can do to turn this around?
Richards tries for a takedown but Slavyanin circles away easily

and Slavyanin counters with a nice double leg into side control. Richards won't be happy with that.

Slavyanin stands up and we're back to a striking position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Richards shoots for a takedown but Slavyanin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Slavyanin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Slavyanin.

Slavyanin gets caught flat footed, as Richards shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Richards wants to pass the guard but Slavyanin is keeping the position.
Slavyanin keeping moving, preventing Richards from controlling successfully.
Richards tries to stand but Slavyanin is controlling from the bottom.
Alexander Slavyanin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexander Slavyanin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Slavyanin has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexander Slavyanin!
A less than humble Alexander Slavyanin misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.