PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mikhail Rakhmanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kaito Rin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rakhmanov comes to the cage accompanied by Russian national anthem. The crowd seem to be enjoying Rin's choice of entrance music: Tracktor Bowling - Scars. Kaito Rin has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rakhmanov
vs
Rin

179 cm
24
190 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

179 cm
26
194 lbs
15 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mikhail Rakhmanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kaito Rin!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Ivan Kurochkin and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rin throws a body punch but Rakhmanov moves out of range.
Rakhmanov takes a shot to the body in his stride.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rin.
Rakhmanov takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Rakhmanov waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rin.
Rakhmanov missing with a left hand there. Rin was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rin does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Rin lands with a hook. Rakhmanov tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Rin moves out of range as Rakhmanov strikes.
Rin misses with a straight right.
Rin fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Rakhmanov checks it well.
Rakhmanov blocks a leg kick.
Rin fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Kaito Rin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rin tests Rakhmanov's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Rin turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rin lunges at Rakhmanov with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Rakhmanov's hand.
Rin throws a half hearted mid kick.
A low kick from Rin misses
and Rakhmanov connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A big right from Rin misses.
Rin moves forwards but Rakhmanov connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Rakhmanov throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Rakhmanov throws a leg kick

and Rin counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Rakhmanov!

Rin is trying to get an arm triangle but Rakhmanov is defending well.
Rakhmanov is looking to reverse the position.
Rakhmanov wants to control but Rin postures up.
Rakhmanov is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The fighters are battling for position here. Rakhmanov manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Rakhmanov has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Rin trying to control but Rakhmanov is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rin looking to pass the guard.
Rin is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Rin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rakhmanov is trying to keep Rin in close.
Rin postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rin content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Rin throws a big right hand that misses.
Rin trying to control but Rakhmanov is working from the bottom.
Rin postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rin trying to control the position from guard on top but Rakhmanov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rakhmanov is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rin has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rakhmanov keeping moving, preventing Rin from controlling successfully.
Rakhmanov tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rin looking to sit in guard and control but Rakhmanov gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rakhmanov wants to control from the top but Rin keeps moving.
Rin is trying to keep Rakhmanov in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rakhmanov throwing strikes from guard but Rin blocks nicely.

Rin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rakhmanov can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Rakhmanov not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Rin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rakhmanov not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Rakhmanov postures up and lands a big shot to Rin's brow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kaito Rin dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rin turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Rin.
Rakhmanov is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Rin staying out of range there.
Rin looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rakhmanov is fending him off so far but Rin persists. Nope, Rakhmanov circles away and we're back to standing.

Rin fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Rakhmanov to the ground. Rin is now in Rakhmanov's guard.
Rin controlling from the top position.
Rin trying to move into half guard but instead Rakhmanov has managed to sweep!
Rin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rakhmanov trying to control the position from guard on top but Rin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Rin looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rakhmanov passes into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rakhmanov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rin keeps working.
Rakhmanov controlling the position from side mount.
Rin is looking to regain half guard here but Rakhmanov keeps moving and retains side control.
Rakhmanov throwing strikes but Rin manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Rin advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rakhmanov keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Rin unloading with bombs!
Rakhmanov is bucking up trying to escape but Rin cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Rin pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rin is looking to work his way around to Rakhmanov's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Rin lands a heavy elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rin lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Rakhmanov is trying desperately to improve position.
Rin wants to control the pace but Rakhmanov is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rakhmanov slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Rakhmanov is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Rin scores with a couple of nice shots.
Rin moves into full mount! Rakhmanov won't be happy about that!
Rin wants to control but instead Rakhmanov manages to regain half guard.
Rin is trying to control. Rakhmanov wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Rakhmanov is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Rin scores with a couple of nice shots.
Rin throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rakhmanov is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kaito Rin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rin is trying to control the action in half guard but Rakhmanov is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Rin is trying to work for a kimura but Rakhmanov is defending well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rin is trying to control. Rakhmanov wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Rin throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rin looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Rakhmanov with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Rin is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rakhmanov defends it well.

Rin is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rakhmanov is just riding it out for now. Rin eventually gives up the hold.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kaito Rin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Rakhmanov misses with a double jab.
Rin throws a leg kick that misses.
Nice body punch from Rin.
Rin lands with a hook. Rakhmanov tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Rin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Decent striking displayed by Rin there.
Kaito Rin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rakhmanov scores with a three punch combo!
Rakhmanov misses with a two punch combination.
Rin throws an overhand right that lands on Rakhmanov's shoulder, as Rakhmanov tries to avoid the shot.
Rin fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rin swings for the body but Rakhmanov moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rin connects with a single shot there.
Rin tries for a takedown but Rakhmanov sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rakhmanov lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Rakhmanov throws a head kick that misses.
Rin takes a swing at Rakhmanov's ribcage but misses.
Rin takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Mikhail Rakhmanov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rakhmanov scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Rin misses the jab.
Rakhmanov misses with the combination.
Rin is looking to chop away at Rakhmanov's legs.
Rakhmanov throws the left hand but Rin avoids the punch easily.
Rin lets loose with a powerful body kick. Rakhmanov will feel that in the morning.
Mikhail Rakhmanov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rakhmanov moves out of range of the body kick.
Rakhmanov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rin looks to land a right hand but Rakhmanov moved out of range.
Rin fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Rakhmanov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rin takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rakhmanov misses with a body shot.
Rin throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Rin lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Kaito Rin is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Rin throws a leg kick but Rakhmanov checks it.
Rin jabs Rakhmanov right on the nose. Rakhmanov blinks but takes it well.
Rakhmanov takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Rin fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Rakhmanov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rin connects with a jab.
Rakhmanov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rakhmanov throws a lazy right hand but Rin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rin throws the left hand but Rakhmanov avoids the punch easily.
Rin tries a low kick but Rakhmanov avoids it.
Rakhmanov scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Rin fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
A slow jab from Rakhmanov misses its intended target.
Rin misses with a body kick.
Rin scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Rakhmanov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rin was well out of range. Poor timing from Rakhmanov.
Rakhmanov misses with a body kick.
Rin scores with a nice right hand.
A nice inside leg kick there by Rin. That's going to slow Rakhmanov down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rakhmanov misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rin.
Rin checks a low kick from Rakhmanov.
Rakhmanov keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Mikhail Rakhmanov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kaito Rin.
Rin throws a right hand that misses
and Rakhmanov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rakhmanov avoids the body shot from Rin.
Rin dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A solid leg kick lands there for Rakhmanov.
Rakhmanov thows a body shot but no joy.
Rakhmanov throws a nice inside leg kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rakhmanov takes a swing at Rin's ribcage but misses.
Rin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rakhmanov.
Decent striking displayed by Rin there.

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 Mikhail Rakhmanov.
Well Rin 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kaito Rin!
Kaito Rin decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.