PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jami Balkan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mahavir Ramanujam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ramanujam has chosen Shiva in Exile - Ha'nadi as his entrance music. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Balkan
vs
Ramanujam

177 cm
21
152 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

174 cm
21
164 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

CEC Nutrition Q160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jami Balkan!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mahavir Ramanujam!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balkan takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Balkan fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Ramanujam has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Balkan throws a leg kick that misses.
Balkan thows a left - swing and a miss!
Balkan drops his hands momentarily and Ramanujam takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Ramanujam lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Balkan circles away quickly and effectively.
Balkan misses with a body shot.
Ramanujam throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ramanujam checks the leg kick nicely there.
Ramanujam takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Ramanujam checks a leg kick.
Balkan thows a body shot but no joy.
Balkan lands a nice leg kick that just misses Ramanujam's sensitive parts.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Balkan checks a leg kick.
Balkan wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Balkan loads up on a big right hand but Ramanujam slips the punch.
Balkan throws an overhand right that lands on Ramanujam's shoulder, as Ramanujam tries to avoid the shot.
Balkan goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
That kick from Ramanujam tenderised Balkan's leg. Balkan is trying to keep his angry face on.
Ramanujam fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Balkan checks it well.
Jami Balkan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Balkan fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Ramanujam.
A big left from Ramanujam misses.
Ramanujam scoring well with a low kick there.
Ramanujam throws a looping overhand right but Balkan ducks down to avoid it.
Balkan digs a good hook to Ramanujam's body.
Ramanujam misses with an uppercut.
Ramanujam works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Ramanujam fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Ramanujam shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Ramanujam is pressing down on Balkan's thigh, looking to free his foot. Balkan is holding on for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ramanujam wants to lay and pray for a moment but Balkan keeps working.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Ramanujam has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Balkan defend it? Ramanujam steps over the head and cranks it - Balkan is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Ramanujam!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:21 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Mahavir Ramanujam!
Mahavir Ramanujam is the new lightweight champion!
Mahavir Ramanujam thanked the fans post fight for their support.