PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Benard Edward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dmitrtiy Koschelev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Benard Edward could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Dmitrtiy Koschelev's chin.

Edward
vs
Koschelev

165 cm
21
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Benard Edward!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dmitrtiy Koschelev!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Igor Prikhodko and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Koschelev moves into range and clinches up with Edward.
Edward keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Koschelev's efforts to push away.

Koschelev pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Edward throws a front kick aimed at Koschelev's knee but Koschelev avoids it well.
Koschelev listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Koschelev throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Edward misses with a low kick.
Edward avoids the head kick by Koschelev.
Edward chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Koschelev stuns Edward with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Edward blocks a head kick by Koschelev.
Edward showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Koschelev.
Edward pivots, looking for a leg kick but Koschelev is out of range and Edward settles back down.
Koschelev fails to land with a series of punches.
Koschelev tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Edward misses.

Edward moves into range and clinches up with Koschelev.
Koschelev can't break the clinch.
Edward tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Edward landing knees to the head.
Edward has Koschelev pressed against the cage, preventing Koschelev from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Koschelev being controlled against the cage.
Koschelev is trying to break the clinch but Edward is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Edward tries a knee to the head but Koschelev blocks it.
Koschelev avoiding damage as Edward throws knees to the body.
Koschelev wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Edward has him pressed against the cage.
Edward throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Koschelev blocks it with crossed arms.
Edward with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Koschelev managing to block the knees to the body from Edward.
Come on Edward - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koschelev wants to break the clinch but can't.
Edward using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Koschelev has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Koschelev wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Koschelev is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Koschelev is trying to force a seperation but Edward has the dominant position.
Edward pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Koschelev is looking to break free of the clinch but Edward has double underhooks.
Koschelev managing to block the knees to the body from Edward.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koschelev is trying to force a seperation but Edward has the dominant position.
Edward looking to throw knees to the head but Koschelev is blocking nicely.
Koschelev wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Koschelev can't break the clinch.
Knees to the body from Edward.
Edward stalling the fight.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Edward with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Edward misses with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dmitrtiy Koschelev will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Koschelev feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Edward's calf.
Koschelev closes the distance and lands a one-two.

It looks like Benard Edward has been cut.
Edward could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Koschelev is trying to break the clinch but Edward is controlling him.
Koschelev blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Edward prevents Koschelev from breaking the clinch.
Edward avoiding damage.
Edward lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edward tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Edward misses with a knee to the head.
Edward prevents Koschelev from breaking the clinch.
Edward tries a knee to the head but Koschelev blocks it.
Edward just leaning against Koschelev, taking a breather.
Koschelev is trying to break the clinch but Edward is controlling him.
Koschelev tries to break the clinch but Edward is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Edward prevents Koschelev from breaking the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Edward has Koschelev pressed against the cage, preventing Koschelev from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Edward tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Koschelev has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A bit of stalling here from Edward.
Koschelev can't break the clinch.
Koschelev avoiding damage as Edward throws knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koschelev wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Edward has him pressed against the cage.
Koschelev wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Edward tries a knee to the head but Koschelev blocks it.
A frustrated look appears on Koschelev's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Koschelev is trying to break free.
Edward with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Koschelev is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Edward just leaning against Koschelev, taking a breather.
Edward misses with a knee strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koschelev is trying to force a seperation but Edward has the dominant position.
Koschelev is trying to break free.
Koschelev wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Edward controlling the action here for a moment.
Edward with a knee to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Koschelev can't break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dmitrtiy Koschelev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Benard Edward's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Edward shoots in and bounces Koschelev off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Edward postures up in Koschelev's guard and throws a big left but Koschelev blocks it.
Koschelev working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Edward.
Koschelev preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Koschelev avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Edward 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.
Edward postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Edward looking to pass the guard.

Koschelev kicks Edward off and gets to his feet.
Edward tried to score with a low kick but Koschelev checks it.
Koschelev chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Edward can pounce on him.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Koschelev checks a leg kick.

Koschelev closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edward misses with a knee to the head.
Koschelev is looking to break free of the clinch but Edward has double underhooks.
Edward missing with knees to the body.

Koschelev's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Edward tries a low kick but Koschelev avoids it.
Koschelev throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Edward throws a chopping leg kick but Koschelev manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

Edward tries to keep at a distance but Koschelev has taken the fight into the clinch.
Knees to the body from Edward.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Edward has Koschelev pushed against the cage.

Koschelev pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Koschelev connects with a nice looking jab.
Edward looks to land a body kick but Koschelev moved away.
Edward throws a leg kick that misses.
Koschelev tries a head kick but it misses.
Dmitrtiy Koschelev seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Koschelev gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Koschelev being controlled against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Koschelev working hard to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Koschelev's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Koschelev clinches up with Edward and pushes him back against the cage.
Edward misses with a knee strike.
Koschelev wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Edward has him pressed against the cage.
Koschelev wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Edward has him pressed against the cage.
Koschelev wants to break free but Edward has control.
Edward effectively controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Edward keeps control of Koschelev as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Koschelev is trying to break the clinch but Edward is controlling him.
Edward unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Dmitrtiy Koschelev is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Edward looking to throw knees to the head but Koschelev is blocking nicely.
Edward misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Koschelev.
Benard Edward has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Koschelev managing to block the knees to the body from Edward.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Benard Edward.
I think Koschelev 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 28:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dmitrtiy Koschelev!