PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Vevrin Betlach (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Scott Cain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Betlach comes to the cage accompanied by Higher Ground. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Betlach
vs
Cain

176 cm
32
145 lbs
30 - 13 - 0

179 cm
35
155 lbs
23 - 10 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
World class boxer
Good gas tank

$10

ACME-Blood Red Q158 Always $30 (5% Laundry SALE)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 30 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Vevrin Betlach!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 10 - 2, fighting out of St Petersburg, Scott Cain!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Aleksandr Martynov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Betlach throws a body kick that misses.

Cain has taken the fight to the clinch.
Cain has a couple of punches blocked by Betlach.
Cain working aggressively here.
Betlach lands a hook to the side of the head.
Betlach avoiding damage.
Betlach blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cain has a couple of punches blocked by Betlach.
Cain is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Cain makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Nice body punch from Cain - that landed with a thud.
A short uppercut from Cain.
Cain lands a hook to the side of the head.
Betlach tries a body shot but Cain blocks it.

Betlach pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cain throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Betlach digs a good hook to Cain's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A good leg kick by Cain.
Cain keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Betlach.
Betlach does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Danga de danga de dang - Betlach scores with a four punch combination!
Betlach swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Betlach looks to land a right hand but Cain moved out of range.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cain.
Cain misses with a two punch combination.
Betlach connects with a body shot that sends Cain's belly button to the back.
Cain takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Betlach lands a jab to Cain's midsection.
Betlach has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Cain.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cain thumps Betlach with a low kick.
Betlach misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cain.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Betlach lets loose with a powerful body kick. Cain will feel that in the morning.
Betlach throws a good cross that connects.
Betlach lands a leg kick that knocks Cain off balance momentarily.
Cain comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Betlach is looking to wear down Cain with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Cain dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Cain throws a hook to the side of Betlach's head but Betlach sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cain has his takedown stuffed
and Betlach counters with a solid body kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Betlach. That's going to slow Cain down.
Betlach takes a swing at Cain's ribcage but misses.
Cain throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Betlach.
Cain lands a leg kick that knocks Betlach off balance momentarily.
Betlach avoids the head kick by Cain.
Betlach lands a head shot.
A jab from Betlach misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Betlach misses the jab.
Betlach takes a swing at Cain's ribcage but misses.
Betlach moves out of range of the strikes.
Cain tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Betlach was well out of range. Poor timing from Cain.
Cain ducks under a wild hook from Betlach.

Cain has managed to clinch.
Cain letting Betlach take a breather here.

Betlach manages to break the clinch.
Scott Cain seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cain looks to land a right hand but Betlach moved out of range.
Cain tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Cain shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Cain was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Betlach keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Cain is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Betlach can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Betlach wants to hold on but Cain pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
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!
Cain trying to control but Betlach is having none of it.
Cain moves to the back.
Betlach wants to control his opponent's hands but Cain gets his hands free.

Betlach fending off the submission attempt from Cain.
Cain has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Cain is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Betlach breaks Cain's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Scott Cain will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Cain takes a swing at Betlach's ribcage but misses.
Cain throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cain misses with a few strikes there.
Betlach throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
enabling Cain to counter with a crisp jab.
Cain tries to work over Betlach's front leg with a kick but Betlach checks it.
Cain cracks a nice hook into Betlach's ribs.
Cain shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Betlach pinned against the cage. Betlach gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
A head kick misses from Betlach.
Cain connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Betlach moves out of range as Cain throws a body kick.
Cain shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Betlach slips a jab and a cross from Cain.
Cain moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Vevrin Betlach is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Betlach avoids a kick to the body.
Cain throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cain scores with a jab to the jaw.
Cain misses with an uppercut.
Cain chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Betlach can pounce on him.
Betlach lands a leg kick that knocks Cain off balance momentarily.
Betlach walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Betlach misses with a few strikes there.
Betlach misses with a low kick.
Betlach swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Cain misses with a series of wild punches.
Betlach throws a looping overhand right but Cain ducks down to avoid it.
Betlach on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Betlach blocks a head kick by Cain.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Betlach throws a body punch but Cain moves out of range.
Betlach moves out of range as Cain strikes.
Betlach throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Cain changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Betlach tries to avoid it but Cain manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Betlach to the ground. Betlach escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A thudding body kick lands there by Cain!
Cain misses with a low kick as Betlach jumps back.
Cain walks into a stiff left hand from Betlach.
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!
Cain lands a nice shot that snaps Betlach's head back.
Betlach swings widly with a right hand
and Cain counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Cain tries a low kick but Betlach avoids it.
Betlach throws a front kick aimed at Cain's knee but Cain avoids it well.
Cain's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Betlach connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Cain scrambles back to his feet.
Cain is looking to chop away at Betlach's legs.
Cain buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Betlach scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Nice jab there from Cain.
Betlach pivots, looking for a leg kick but Cain is out of range and Betlach settles back down.
Betlach will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Betlach showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cain.
Betlach throws a hook but Cain avoids it easily.
Cain misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Betlach.
Betlach swings for the body but Cain moves out of range.
Betlach misses with a hook.
A nice inside leg kick there by Betlach. That's going to slow Cain down.
Cain connects with a right hand. Betlach shakes it off.
Nice shot lands for Cain.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cain misses with a kick to the body.
Cain throws the kick towards the body but Betlach avoids it.
Betlach misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A low kick from Cain is predictable there
and Betlach makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Cain throws a jab when Betlach was well out of range.
Betlach leaves Cain with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Vevrin Betlach has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Scott Cain.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Betlach missing with a left hand there. Cain was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cain looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Betlach just misses with a punch to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Betlach scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Cain throws the kick towards the body but Betlach avoids it.
A nice inside leg kick there by Betlach. That's going to slow Cain down.
Crunch! Cain slams his shin into Betlach's torso.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Vevrin Betlach will probably get the nod.
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. This is the final round!

That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Cain crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Betlach - the referee stops the clock and Cain gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Betlach. Cain manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
A telegraphed right hand from Betlach misses the target.
Betlach tests Cain's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Cain tries to work over Betlach's front leg with a kick but Betlach checks it.
Betlach throws a big shot that misses.
Cain lands a leg kick that knocks Betlach off balance momentarily.
Betlach is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Betlach missing with a left hand there. Cain was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Betlach walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
A chopping leg kick lands by Betlach.
Betlach throws a solid leg kick but Cain takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Betlach.
Cain dodges the punch combination from Betlach.
Betlach walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Betlach enables Cain to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Betlach manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Betlach working a defensive guard here.
Cain 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.
Cain throws a big right hand that misses.

Betlach throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Betlach controls Cain momentarily but Cain frees himself.
Cain tries to stand but Betlach is controlling from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cain wants to control from the top but Betlach keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Betlach keeping full guard, as Cain tries to pass.

Betlach is looking for a triangle but Cain pushes his legs off easily.
Cain wants to pass the guard but Betlach is keeping the position.
Betlach not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Cain pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Betlach is keeping the position for now.
Cain advances position into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Betlach prevents Cain from moving into mount.
Betlach is looking for a sweep.
Cain is chipping away with strikes.

Cain thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Betlach tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Cain is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Betlach has escaped the position, nice work there.

Cain working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cain tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Cain has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Betlach manages to work his way to half guard, despite Cain's best efforts.
Cain is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Betlach reverses the position - he's now on top in Cain's guard.
Betlach wants to pass the guard but Cain is keeping the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Betlach throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Scott Cain comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cain 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Scott Cain!
An out of breath Scott Cain thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.