PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Amir Ghanizadeh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mitka Boycheck (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Boycheck has chosen Парус as his entrance music. Mitka Boycheck is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Ghanizadeh
vs
Boycheck

189 cm
24
193 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

180 cm
34
204 lbs
14 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Tab out

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Amir Ghanizadeh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mitka Boycheck!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Wagner Zegers and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Boycheck moves away from the strike by Ghanizadeh.
Mitka Boycheck seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ghanizadeh tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A solid leg kick lands there for Boycheck.
Boycheck scoring well with a low kick there.
Boycheck throws a combination that misses
and Ghanizadeh makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Boycheck fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ghanizadeh blocks a low kick nicely.
Ghanizadeh lands a nice looking body kick.
Boycheck buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Ghanizadeh throws a head kick but Boycheck moves out of range.
Ghanizadeh with a jab.
Boycheck throws a head kick but Ghanizadeh moves out of range.
Boycheck thows a leg kick but Ghanizadeh checks it
and Ghanizadeh connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Boycheck looks to throw the jab but Ghanizadeh is out of range.
Boycheck's coach down at St Petersburg MMA Gym was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Boycheck's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.

Ghanizadeh gets a clinch.
Boycheck jumps guard but Ghanizadeh turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Nice body punch from Ghanizadeh.
Ghanizadeh definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Ghanizadeh lands a shoulder strike.
Ghanizadeh is defending well against a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ghanizadeh scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Boycheck blocking some punches.
Ghanizadeh lands with a light punch inside.
Boycheck tries to pull guard but Ghanizadeh forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Amir Ghanizadeh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mitka Boycheck.
Ghanizadeh lands a left hand.

Boycheck has hold of one of Ghanizadeh's legs. Ghanizadeh is fighting the takedown attempt but Boycheck gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Boycheck is fighting to break Ghanizadeh's control of his arms but Ghanizadeh is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Ghanizadeh looking for a sweep. Not yet Ghanizadeh, not yet.

Ghanizadeh uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Boycheck throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Ghanizadeh's head.
Boycheck shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ghanizadeh defends it nicely.
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!
Ghanizadeh avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ghanizadeh rushes Boycheck and presses him up against the cage.
A short right from Ghanizadeh on the inside.
Ghanizadeh misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ghanizadeh lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Boycheck is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Boycheck tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ghanizadeh just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ghanizadeh lands with a light punch inside.
Boycheck jumps guard but Ghanizadeh turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Ghanizadeh goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Boycheck drops down looking for an ankle pick but Ghanizadeh pulls his leg out and moves away.
Boycheck misses with a head kick.
Ghanizadeh lands a head kick. Boycheck smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

It looks like Mitka Boycheck has been cut.
Ghanizadeh throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Ghanizadeh stuffs the takedown attempt from Boycheck. Boycheck gets slowly back to his feet.

Ghanizadeh gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ghanizadeh is controlling Boycheck's posture.
Ghanizadeh looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Boycheck throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ghanizadeh works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Boycheck stopping the sweep attempt from Ghanizadeh.
Boycheck is looking to work some ground and pound but Ghanizadeh has wrist control.
Ghanizadeh wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boycheck throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Boycheck passes into half guard.
Ghanizadeh is looking to control Boycheck's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ghanizadeh avoid being mounted?
Boycheck tries to pass the half guard into mount. Ghanizadeh knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Boycheck works his way into full mount!
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 Amir Ghanizadeh will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mitka Boycheck's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Boycheck shoots in looking for a takedown. Ghanizadeh tries to sprawl out of it but Boycheck keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ghanizadeh manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Boycheck misses with the body kick
and Ghanizadeh counters with an outside leg kick.
Boycheck throws a leg kick that misses.
Ghanizadeh jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Boycheck tries to clinch up.
Boycheck throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Boycheck throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Boycheck avoids the head kick by Ghanizadeh.
Boycheck throws a sloppy head kick and Ghanizadeh moves out of range easily.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Ghanizadeh.
Ghanizadeh wants to land a leg kick but Boycheck is out of range.
Boycheck takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
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!
Boycheck tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Boycheck gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Ghanizadeh.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Ghanizadeh. Boycheck shrugs it off though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Ghanizadeh.
Ghanizadeh throws a front kick aimed at Boycheck's knee but Boycheck avoids it well.
Ghanizadeh moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Boycheck pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ghanizadeh throws a sloppy head kick and Boycheck moves out of range easily.
Boycheck wants to slow Ghanizadeh down by chopping away at his legs.
Good leg kick by Ghanizadeh there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Boycheck on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Mitka Boycheck is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ghanizadeh misses with a wild body shot.
Ghanizadeh throws a sloppy head kick and Boycheck moves out of range easily.
Ghanizadeh misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A clash of legs there as Ghanizadeh blocks the low kick.
Boycheck throws a leg kick but Ghanizadeh checks it.
Amir Ghanizadeh is winning the standup battle so far.
Ghanizadeh throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Boycheck tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ghanizadeh connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Boycheck's hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Boycheck shoots in and gets a takedown into Ghanizadeh's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Boycheck stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ghanizadeh swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Boycheck drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Ghanizadeh dives on top into guard.
Boycheck is breathing heavily.

Boycheck is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ghanizadeh pushes down on Boycheck's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Boycheck looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Boycheck actively working from the bottom here.
Ghanizadeh perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Boycheck tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Ghanizadeh has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Ghanizadeh trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ghanizadeh takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Ghanizadeh prevents Boycheck from getting the reversal.
Ghanizadeh manages to capitalize on a mistake by Boycheck to take his back!
Boycheck is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Ghanizadeh controlling well, preventing Boycheck from escaping the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ghanizadeh has good solid back control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Amir Ghanizadeh dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mitka Boycheck's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Boycheck goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Ghanizadeh is looking to chop away at Boycheck's legs.
Ghanizadeh blocks the body kick.
A head kick from Boycheck lands but Ghanizadeh takes it in his stride.
Ghanizadeh throws an overhand right that lands on Boycheck's shoulder, as Boycheck tries to avoid the shot.
Ghanizadeh throws a quick inside leg kick.
Boycheck lands a jab-cross combination.

Boycheck clinches with his opponent.
Boycheck blocking some punches.
Ghanizadeh lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Boycheck blocking some punches.
Ghanizadeh lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Boycheck jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ghanizadeh walks away with a smile on his face. Boycheck gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Boycheck on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Good work by Boycheck as he checks the leg kick.
Boycheck takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ghanizadeh throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boycheck looks to land a left hand but Ghanizadeh moved out of range nicely.
Ghanizadeh connects with a solid leg kick.
Boycheck throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Ghanizadeh steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Boycheck.
Ghanizadeh throws a head kick that misses
and Boycheck counters with an inside leg kick.
Ghanizadeh just misses with a punch to the body.
Ghanizadeh blocks a head kick by Boycheck.
Ghanizadeh looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Boycheck throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Boycheck checks a leg kick.
Ghanizadeh throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Boycheck avoids the head kick by Ghanizadeh.
Boycheck fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Ghanizadeh checks it well.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ghanizadeh. Boycheck does a little dance to reset his feet.
Boycheck connects with a body shot.
Ghanizadeh scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice shot lands for Boycheck.
Ghanizadeh throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Boycheck on the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Boycheck avoids the head kick by Ghanizadeh.
Boycheck shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Boycheck's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Boycheck staying out of range there.
Ghanizadeh throws a leg kick which misses Boycheck's front leg but catches the back leg as Boycheck tries to avoid it.
Nice takedown defense from Ghanizadeh. No joy for Boycheck on that attempt.
Amir Ghanizadeh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mitka Boycheck.
Boycheck throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ghanizadeh.
A thudding body kick lands there by Ghanizadeh!
Ghanizadeh buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Ghanizadeh throws a leg kick which misses Boycheck's front leg but catches the back leg as Boycheck tries to avoid it.
Ghanizadeh is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Ghanizadeh misses with a body kick.
Ghanizadeh pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ghanizadeh throws a low kick but Boycheck avoids it.
Boycheck misses with a low kick as Ghanizadeh jumps back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ghanizadeh lands a head kick!
Boycheck avoids the head kick by Ghanizadeh.
Ghanizadeh pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ghanizadeh with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Boycheck moves out of range of the leg kick from Ghanizadeh.
Boycheck throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ghanizadeh's waist but Ghanizadeh gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Boycheck off to one side.

Ghanizadeh throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Boycheck tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Ghanizadeh is in Boycheck's guard.
Ghanizadeh sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Boycheck's guard.

Ghanizadeh moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Boycheck.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ghanizadeh taking a breather here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boycheck is looking for a sweep.
Ghanizadeh takes a little break here. Boycheck wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

Ghanizadeh stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Mitka Boycheck has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A good leg kick by Ghanizadeh.
Boycheck drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Boycheck misses with a head kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Amir Ghanizadeh showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ghanizadeh 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 Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Amir Ghanizadeh!
A victorious Amir Ghanizadeh thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.