PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Drew Foster (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yuri Harlamov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Harlamov has chosen Elka - Gorod Obmana as his entrance music. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Foster
vs
Harlamov

186 cm
25
190 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

179 cm
27
185 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Drew Foster!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Yuri Harlamov!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Ivan Kurochkin and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harlamov misses the shot to the body.
Foster takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Foster throws a hook but Harlamov blocks it.
Foster misses with a head kick.
Foster misses with a kick to the body.
Foster throws a leg kick which misses Harlamov's front leg but catches the back leg as Harlamov tries to avoid it.
Harlamov fails to land with a series of punches.
Foster fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A slow jab from Harlamov misses its intended target.
Foster scores with a jab. Harlamov acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Harlamov scores with a nice head shot.
Foster throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Harlamov.
Harlamov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Foster.
Foster throws a predictable looking body shot
and Harlamov counters with a stiff right hand.
Harlamov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Foster.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Foster has closed the distance and engaged Harlamov in a clinch.
Foster throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Harlamov blocks it with crossed arms.
Harlamov has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Foster lands with a short shot to the head.
Foster leaning against his opponent.

Harlamov jumps guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Foster is looking to stand up but Harlamov won't let him.
Harlamov is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Harlamov has a closed guard, preventing Foster from standing up.

Foster gets to his feet. Harlamov looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Foster rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Harlamov moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Harlamov fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Foster looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Foster tries to close the distance and clinch up but Harlamov swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harlamov throws a right and a left that both miss.
Harlamov displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Foster throws out the jab.
Foster misses with the combination.
Harlamov scores with a jab.
Harlamov's jab looks to have found its range, popping Foster under the eye.
Harlamov throws the left hand but Foster avoids the punch easily.
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!
Harlamov cracks Foster with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Harlamov throws a sloppy body shot
and Foster counters with a thumping low kick.
Harlamov lands a nice hook to Foster's body. Foster takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Foster tries to clinch but Harlamov moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Foster moves in looking to clinch but Harlamov pushes him off.
Harlamov throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Foster.
Foster throws a shot from downtown. Harlamov moves away and avoids it.
Foster tries to bum rush Harlamov with a series of wild strikes but Harlamov uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Foster misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Foster throws a jab but it's blocked by Harlamov.
Foster walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Foster misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Foster gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Harlamov wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Foster has him pressed against the cage.
Harlamov looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Harlamov blocks an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harlamov wants to break free but Foster has control.
Foster misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Harlamov.
A hook to the body from Harlamov.
Foster missing with knees to the body.
Harlamov takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Yuri Harlamov has been cut.
Harlamov wants to get back to striking at distance but Foster won't allow it.
Harlamov has had enough of the clinch but Foster keeps him there for the moment.

Harlamov breaks from the clinch.
Foster shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Harlamov connects with a body shot.
Foster tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Harlamov was well out of range. Poor timing from Foster.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Harlamov uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Harlamov is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Foster had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Foster fails in his attempt to clinch.
Harlamov scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Drew Foster will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Yuri Harlamov's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Harlamov lands a nice hook to Foster's body. Foster takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Harlamov throws a shot to the body.
Foster is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Harlamov with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Foster misses with a wild body shot.

Foster has closed the distance and engaged Harlamov in a clinch.
Foster is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Foster tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Harlamov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Harlamov misses with a body shot.
Foster dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Harlamov. That did some damage!
Foster misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harlamov misses with a body shot.
Harlamov is breathing heavily.
Foster is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Harlamov defending well as Foster loads up on a big left hand.
Harlamov just misses with a punch to the body.
Harlamov lands with an uppercut that bounces Foster off the cage and back into range.
The fighters circling - Foster throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Foster scores with a leg kick.

Foster clinches.
Foster misses with an elbow over the top.
Foster tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Foster throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Foster tries a knee to the head but Harlamov blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Foster stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Foster lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Foster lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Foster missing with knees to the body.
Foster lands an elbow that stopped Harlamov in his tracks for a moment.
Foster looking to throw knees to the head but Harlamov is blocking nicely.
Foster keeps control of Harlamov as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Harlamov wants to break free but Foster has control.
Foster looking to slow down the pace here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Foster misses with a knee to the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Harlamov.
Harlamov has had enough of the clinch but Foster keeps him there for the moment.
Harlamov wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Foster has him pressed against the cage.
Foster has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Harlamov is looking to take this one to the mat.
Harlamov avoids the elbow strike from Foster, against the cage.
Harlamov tries to break the clinch but Foster is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Foster lands a good knee to the midsection. Harlamov won't want to take too many of those.
Foster creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Harlamov's defenses.
Foster putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Harlamov in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Foster lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Foster looking to throw knees to the head but Harlamov is blocking nicely.
Foster doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Foster looking to throw knees to the head but Harlamov is blocking nicely.
Harlamov wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Harlamov is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Harlamov wants to break free but Foster has control.
Foster comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Harlamov blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Harlamov wants to break the clinch but can't.
A short left from Foster.
Harlamov tries to circle away but Foster has him pinned against the cage.
Harlamov wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Foster has him pressed against the cage.
Foster tries a body shot but Harlamov blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harlamov wants to break the clinch but can't.
Foster has Harlamov pressed against the cage, preventing Harlamov from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Foster looking to throw knees to the head but Harlamov is blocking nicely.
Foster utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Foster tries to work over Harlamov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Foster gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Harlamov managing to block the knees to the body from Foster.
Harlamov is pushing Foster up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Foster lands an elbow just above Harlamov 's eye.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Foster missing with knees to the body.
Foster misses with the head strike.
Harlamov wants to get back to striking at distance but Foster won't allow it.
Foster lands a hook that snaps the head of Harlamov backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Drew Foster dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Yuri Harlamov's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Harlamov connects with a looping right hand.
Harlamov just misses with a punch to the body.
Foster walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Harlamov avoids a punch combination nicely.
Foster fails in his attempt to clinch.
Harlamov jabs Foster to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Foster swinging wildly here.
Foster swings for the body but Harlamov moves out of range.
Harlamov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Harlamov looks to score with a jab to the body but Foster is just out of range.
Foster tries to clinch but Harlamov moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Foster avoids a punch combination nicely.
Drew Foster is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Harlamov lands the left hand.
Foster tries to bum rush Harlamov with a series of wild strikes but Harlamov uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Harlamov crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Foster - the referee stops the clock and Harlamov gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Foster. Harlamov manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Foster tries to close the distance and clinch but Harlamov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Harlamov scores with a punch to the head.
Foster feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Harlamov's calf.
Harlamov tries to bum rush Foster with a series of wild strikes but Foster uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Harlamov falls off balance throwing a combination
and Foster counters with a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Foster throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Foster fails with an attempt to clinch.
Foster tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Harlamov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Harlamov circles away from the clinch attempt.
A left and a right from Harlamov both land. Nice combination.
Foster tries to clinch there but Harlamov circles away.
Foster misses with a kick to the body.
Foster misses with a two punch combination.
Foster dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Harlamov. That did some damage!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Foster is looking to clinch but Harlamov is avoiding it.
Foster pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Foster moves out of range as Harlamov strikes.
Harlamov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Foster avoids a punch combination nicely.
Foster lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
A combination from Foster does no damage.
Foster wants to clinch.
Foster misses with a body shot.
Foster tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Foster tries to clinch but Harlamov moves out of range.
Foster misses with a straight left.
Foster moves to clinch but Harlamov breaks away
and Foster takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Harlamov scores with a body shot.
Foster throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Harlamov sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Foster misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A combination from Foster does no damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Foster ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Harlamov moves away.
Harlamov connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

And that's the end of the fight!
Drew Foster showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Foster 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Drew Foster!