PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Zane Archavin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shey Foster (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shey Foster has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Archavin
vs
Foster

216 cm
22
235 lbs
3 - 8 - 0

193 cm
18
265 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes musicals

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zane Archavin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Shey Foster!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Illya Tyunina and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Archavin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Foster moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Archavin looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Foster shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Archavin pinned against the cage. Archavin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Foster rushes Archavin and presses him up against the cage.
Foster is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Archavin to keep the fight standing.
Archavin pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Archavin tries for a takedown but Foster manages to get underhooks.
Foster tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Archavin just stands there and leans against the cage.
Zane Archavin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shey Foster.
Foster is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Archavin is defending well.

Foster's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Archavin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Archavin wants it to stay on the feet.
Archavin blocks a head kick by Foster.
Foster is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Foster shoots in but no luck this time.
Foster misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Archavin throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Archavin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Foster closes this distance looking for a takedown but Archavin circles away.
Foster shoots in looking for a takedown. Archavin tries to sprawl out of it but Foster keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Archavin manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Foster fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Foster as Archavin shoots in.
Archavin really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Foster closes this distance looking for a takedown but Archavin circles away.
Foster tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Archavin swivels and escapes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Archavin has a takedown stuffed.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Foster is defended easily by Archavin.
Foster shoots in but Archavin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Horrible takedown by Archavin or perhaps it was just good defense by Foster which made him look bad.
Archavin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Archavin wants it to stay on the feet.
Archavin shoots in for a takedown but Foster shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Archavin forces Foster back against the cage and clinches.

Foster breaks the clinch.
Archavin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Archavin wants it to stay on the feet.
Nice takedown defense from Archavin. No joy for Foster on that attempt.

Archavin gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Archavin is trying to force a seperation but Foster has the dominant position.
Archavin wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Foster works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Foster manages to pull guard.
Archavin wants to control from the top but Foster keeps moving.
Archavin looking to sit in guard and control but Foster gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Archavin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Foster working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Archavin looking for a guillotine here but Foster defends easily.
Archavin keeping full guard, as Foster tries to pass.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Foster is looking to work some ground and pound but Archavin has wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Shey Foster 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.

Foster fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Foster shoots in for a takedown but Archavin shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Archavin defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Foster.
Zane Archavin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shey Foster.
Foster fails to land the takedown.
Foster tries to clinch
and Archavin counters with a body kick that stops Foster in his tracks momentarily.
Foster shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Archavin defends it nicely.
Archavin throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Foster shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Archavin but Archavin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Zane Archavin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Archavin rushes Foster and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Archavin breaks from the clinch.
Archavin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Archavin wants it to stay on the feet.
Foster doesn't manage to clinch there - Archavin circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Archavin as Foster shoots in.

Archavin has Foster up against the cage in a clinch.
Foster tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Archavin just stands there and leans against the cage.
Foster tries for a takedown but Archavin manages to get underhooks.

Archavin has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Foster uses from the top position.
Foster wants to pass the guard but Archavin is keeping the position.
Foster looking to sit in guard and control but Archavin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Archavin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Foster is keeping the position for now.
Foster wants to control the position but Archavin says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Foster should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Foster wants to get back to his feet.
Archavin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Foster keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Foster has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Archavin is working away from the top position though.
Foster is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Archavin missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Foster avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Archavin.

Shey Foster has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Foster throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Foster shoots in for a double leg but Archavin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Foster shoots in and drives through. Archavin sprawls well.
A combination from Foster does no damage.
Shey Foster seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Foster fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Foster shoots for a takedown but Archavin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Foster moves into the clinch.
Foster wants a takedown.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Foster works on Archavin's body with a couple of short punches.
Archavin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Foster blocks it with crossed arms.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

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

Archavin moves into the clinch successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Shey Foster will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Archavin closes the distance and clinches.
Foster lands a body punch in the clinch.
Archavin is looking to break free of the clinch but Foster has double underhooks.
Foster lands a nice uppercut.

Foster pulls Archavin into guard.
Foster looking for a sweep. Not yet Foster, not yet.
Foster is adopting a defensive guard.
Archavin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Foster is keeping the position for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Foster seems keen to control Archavin's posture.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Shey Foster hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Archavin stuffs the takedown attempt from Foster. Foster gets slowly back to his feet.
Foster tries for a takedown but Archavin sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Archavin leaves Foster with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Zane Archavin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shey Foster.
Foster blocks a head kick by Archavin.
Foster shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Archavin dives in and grabs Foster's left leg, looking for a takedown. Foster pushes down on Archavin's head and hops out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Foster wants to clinch.

Archavin moves into the clinch.
Foster drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Archavin gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Foster jumps guard but Archavin stands there with Foster around his waist. Foster gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Archavin ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Archavin no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Foster must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Foster pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Archavin is keeping the position for now.
Archavin keeping moving, preventing Foster from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Foster trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Archavin tries to strike from the bottom.
Archavin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Foster.
Foster forces his way into half guard.

Archavin is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Foster pulls his head out easily.
Foster tries to pass to full mount but Archavin defends it.
Foster prevents Archavin from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Foster sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Archavin defending well though.
Shey Foster is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Foster is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Archavin reverses the position - he's now on top in Foster's guard.
Archavin will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Archavin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Foster is trying to control the position but Archavin postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shey Foster comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Foster winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30

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