PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fair Child (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikhail Rakhmanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rakhmanov has chosen Russian national anthem as his entrance music. Fair Child has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Child
vs
Rakhmanov

189 cm
26
197 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

179 cm
23
190 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Milwaukee's Best 160 SALE $140

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 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Fair Child!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mikhail Rakhmanov!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Child doesn't manage to clinch there - Rakhmanov circles away.
Rakhmanov throws a sloppy head kick and Child moves out of range easily.
Child moves to clinch but Rakhmanov breaks away

so Rakhmanov counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
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.
Child is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rakhmanov wants to control from the top but Child keeps moving.
Child trying to control the position.
Rakhmanov trying to control the position from guard on top but Child is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Child controlling Rakhmanov's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Fair Child wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Sloppy strikes from Rakhmanov. Those never looked like landing.
Child tries to close the distance and clinch but Rakhmanov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rakhmanov jabs at Child's body.
Rakhmanov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Child moves away.
Rakhmanov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Fair Child seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rakhmanov connects with a body shot.
Rakhmanov ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Child closes the distance but Rakhmanov moves to the side

and Rakhmanov counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rakhmanov is looking to pass Child's guard but actually Child recovers to full guard.
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!
Child is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rakhmanov passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Rakhmanov trying to control the position but Child is working away.
Rakhmanov in side control, throwing shots but Child defends.
Child is trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Child can't do much from the bottom here.
Rakhmanov works to advance to full mount. Child defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Child wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Rakhmanov.

Rakhmanov swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Child is now in Rakhmanov's guard. A big mistake from Rakhmanov there, giving up the dominant position!

Rakhmanov looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rakhmanov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rakhmanov is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikhail Rakhmanov dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rakhmanov with a hook.
Rakhmanov cracks Child with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Child tries to clinch there but Rakhmanov circles away.
Child tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Rakhmanov counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rakhmanov wants to control from the top but Child keeps moving.
Child wants to sweep but no luck.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rakhmanov passes Child's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Child is not content to let Rakhmanov control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rakhmanov missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rakhmanov is trying to control. Child wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Rakhmanov sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Child defending well though.
Rakhmanov throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rakhmanov throwing shots but Child is blocking nicely.
Mikhail Rakhmanov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rakhmanov wants to take a breather but Child is having none of it.
Child won't allow Rakhmanov to pass to mount.
Rakhmanov keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Child is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rakhmanov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rakhmanov is looking to stall here but Child recovers full guard.
Rakhmanov trying to control but Child is working from the bottom.
Rakhmanov stands up over Child, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rakhmanov postures up and lands a big shot to Child's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Child controls Rakhmanov momentarily but Rakhmanov frees himself.
Rakhmanov with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rakhmanov with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rakhmanov controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Rakhmanov throwing strikes but missing.
Rakhmanov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rakhmanov throws a big right hand that misses.
Child wants to sweep here but Rakhmanov controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rakhmanov drops back, looking for a kneebar! Child looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Child looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Child!
Rakhmanov tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Child trying to control the position but Rakhmanov is working away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rakhmanov is looking for a sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikhail Rakhmanov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Child tries to clinch but Rakhmanov moves out of range.
Child takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Rakhmanov lands an overhand right.
No joy there for Rakhmanov, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rakhmanov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Child is fending him off so far but Rakhmanov persists. Nope, Child circles away and we're back to standing.
Child tries to clinch

and Rakhmanov counters with a single leg into guard. Child didn't expect that.
Child looking for a sweep. Not yet Child, not yet.
Child is trying to control the position but Rakhmanov postures up.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rakhmanov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rakhmanov preventing the sweep.
Rakhmanov distracts Child with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rakhmanov looking to pass the guard.
Rakhmanov loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rakhmanov passes into half guard.
Child moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rakhmanov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rakhmanov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rakhmanov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rakhmanov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Fair Child has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rakhmanov wants to control from the top but Child keeps moving.
Rakhmanov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Child swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rakhmanov throwing strikes from guard but Child blocks nicely.
Rakhmanov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rakhmanov's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Child preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rakhmanov preventing the sweep.
Rakhmanov slips nicely into half guard.
Rakhmanov wants to free his trapped foot but Child is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Rakhmanov missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Child blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rakhmanov.
Ground and pound from Rakhmanov.
Child is refusing to be controlled, as Rakhmanov sits in half guard.
Rakhmanov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rakhmanov wants to free his trapped foot but Child is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Child on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Rakhmanov is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Rakhmanov trying to control but he's not successful this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rakhmanov looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mikhail Rakhmanov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rakhmanov has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mikhail Rakhmanov!
Mikhail Rakhmanov seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.