PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sasha Lebedev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sergei Karaev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lebedev
vs
Karaev

180 cm
23
180 lbs
3 - 1 - 1

170 cm
23
181 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sasha Lebedev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sergei Karaev!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Ivan Kurochkin and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lebedev shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Karaev but Karaev pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Lebedev scores with a takedown into Karaev's guard.
Karaev is trying to keep Lebedev in close.

Lebedev drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Lebedev jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Lebedev loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Karaev wants to sweep here but Lebedev controlling him for the moment.
Lebedev pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Karaev is keeping the position for now.
Lebedev sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Karaev's guard.

Karaev is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Lebedev pulls his head out easily.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Lebedev gets the takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lebedev tries to score with some ground and pound. Karaev controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Lebedev working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Karaev struggling a bit here.

Lebedev working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Karaev is trying to improve his position.
Lebedev wants to lay and pray for a moment but Karaev keeps working.

Lebedev is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Karaev has escaped the position, nice work there.
Lebedev is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Karaev gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Karaev is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Lebedev's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Lebedev's back!
Lebedev rolls, trying to escape but Karaev keeps control of the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Karaev is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Lebedev is trying to break free.
Karaev is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Karaev gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Karaev gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Karaev apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Lebedev will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karaev with a lazy takedown attempt

and Lebedev counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Karaev's guard now.
Lebedev pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Karaev is keeping the position for now.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Karaev is on top in guard.
Karaev postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lebedev tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Karaev avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Lebedev looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Karaev trying to control the position from guard on top but Lebedev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karaev pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lebedev is keeping the position for now.

Lebedev is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Lebedev can't keep his opponent in guard - Karaev advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Karaev trying to control from half guard but Lebedev is working away.

Lebedev looking for subs from the bottom but Karaev mounts him!
Karaev looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

Karaev working for a submission but Lebedev is keeping him at bay.
Lebedev regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sasha Lebedev dominated that round.
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.

Lebedev with a lazy takedown attempt

and Karaev counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Karaev looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Lebedev looking for submissions off his back.

Lebedev is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Karaev pulls his head out easily.

Lebedev is defending against the submission attempts here by Karaev.
Lebedev makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Lebedev.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karaev working some strikes from top position.
Karaev trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Karaev trying to control but Lebedev is working from the bottom.
Lebedev wants to sweep but no luck.

Lebedev escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Karaev gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Lebedev keeping moving, preventing Karaev from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Karaev works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Karaev wants to control but Lebedev is keeping him busy.
Karaev throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Karaev wants to pass to mount but Lebedev is defending the position.
Lebedev tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Lebedev keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Lebedev wants to control but Karaev is keeping busy.
Karaev wants to control but Lebedev is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Lebedev looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Karaev wants to get back to full guard.
Lebedev trying to control the pace.
The fighters are battling for position here. Karaev manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Lebedev trying to control but Karaev is working from the bottom.
Karaev bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Lebedev's guard.
Lebedev keeping moving, preventing Karaev from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lebedev punching from the bottom.
Karaev looking to pass the guard.
Sasha Lebedev overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Karaev wants to control from the top but Lebedev keeps moving.
Lebedev manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Karaev wants to hold on but Lebedev pushes him away.
Karaev is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Karaev tries to lock up and control but Lebedev gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Sergei Karaev will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Lebedev's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Lebedev feints and as Karaev raises his hands in defense, Lebedev changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Karaev trying to keep a closed guard but Lebedev is proving a slippery customer.
Lebedev won't allow Karaev to sweep him here.
Lebedev is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Lebedev wants to control from the top but Karaev keeps moving.
Lebedev is pushing down on Karaev's leg trying to pass to half guard. Karaev is fighting to maintain full guard but Lebedev has managed to sneak the leg through.

Lebedev is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Karaev won't allow Lebedev to pass to mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karaev trying to hold on to Lebedev's head to control him but Lebedev postures up.
Karaev is looking to improve his position.
Karaev is looking to control Lebedev's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Karaev avoid being mounted?
Karaev tries to roll over but Lebedev keeps him under control.
Lebedev is stalling here. Karaev is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Lebedev seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Karaev has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Lebedev tries to improve position but can't.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Karaev shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karaev is trying to control the action in half guard but Lebedev is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Lebedev moves into full guard.
Karaev preventing the sweep.
Lebedev is working hard here to advance position.

Lebedev is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Karaev trying to control the position from guard on top but Lebedev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Lebedev escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Karaev gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Karaev trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lebedev looking for a sweep. Not yet Lebedev, not yet.
Karaev tries to free his leg and advance position but Lebedev is retaining full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Karaev doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Lebedev counters with a takedown into side control.
Lebedev throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Lebedev thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Lebedev working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Lebedev tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karaev sneaks back into half guard.
Karaev tries to roll over but Lebedev keeps him under control.
Lebedev wants to pass to mount but Karaev is defending the position.
Karaev is in trouble now - Lebedev has advanced to mount!
Karaev really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Karaev is bucking up trying to escape but Lebedev cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

Lebedev looking to secure an arm triangle but Karaev defends it well.
Lebedev can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Karaev is looking to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sasha Lebedev showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Lebedev has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sasha Lebedev!