PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rocco Best (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stephen Anane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Best
vs
Anane

221 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

165 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rocco Best!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Stephen Anane!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Vladimir Khabensky and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Anane fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Best looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Anane moves into the clinch.
Anane tries to circle away but Best has him pinned against the cage.

Anane drags the fight down to the ground.
Anane is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Best dives into side control.

Best stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Anane fails to land with a series of punches.

Anane gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Best has Anane pressed against the cage, preventing Anane from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Anane stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Anane 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.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anane throws a lazy uppercut
and Best counters with a series of strikes. Anane will be more careful next time no doubt.
Anane throws a series of punches but Best moves out of range.
Anane swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Best counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Anane closes the distance and clinches.
Best has Anane pressed against the cage, preventing Anane from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Anane tries to circle away but Best has him pinned against the cage.

Anane has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Best uses from the top position.
Best tries to stand but Anane is controlling from the bottom.
Anane wants to stand but Best is controlling the position.
Anane is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anane being controlled here, momentarily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Rocco Best has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Anane throws a combination that misses
and Best counters with a head kick.
Stephen Anane seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Anane drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Anane looks winded!
Best manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Best is looking to take a break and control but Anane is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Best content to control rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anane trying to control from the bottom.
Anane is trying to escape back to his feet but Best uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Best controlling the position from side mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Best has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Anane fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Best avoids a punch combination nicely.

Anane moves into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Anane is trying to force a seperation but Best has the dominant position.

Best breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
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 Rocco Best will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Anane swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Best counters with a big head kick but Anane shrugs it off.
Anane lands with a straight right. Best didn't see that one coming.
Best misses with a takedown attempt - Anane sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Anane shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Anane prevents Best from improving his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Anane looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The fighters are battling for position here. Best manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Anane looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Best wants to sweep but no luck.
Best throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Anane is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Anane trying to stand up but can't free himself from Best's guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Best wants to sweep but no luck.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Stephen Anane.

Anane rushes Best and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Anane throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Best misses with a hook to the ribs.

Best's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Anane swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sloppy strikes from Anane. Those never looked like landing.
Anane is breathing heavily.

Best gets tackled into the cage by Anane. Anane maintains the clinch.
Best is looking to control Anane's arms but Anane gets an underhook and turns him. Now Best has his back to the cage.
Anane is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Anane's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Best's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Anane lands a jab-cross combination.

It looks like Rocco Best has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Anane misses with a series of wild punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anane misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
The fighters circling - Anane throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Anane defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Best.
Anane throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Best counters with a big head kick but Anane shrugs it off.
Anane misses with a wild combination.
Best dives in for a single leg takedown but Anane sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rocco Best. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Anane misses with some punches.
Anane is trying to break the clinch but Best has him pressed against the cage.
Anane is trying to maintain a safe position but Best gets an underhook and turns Anane into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anane wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Best has him pressed against the cage.

Anane ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Anane no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Best is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Anane is looking to stand up but Best isn't so interested in that idea.
Best showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Best trying to control but Anane is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Anane showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Rocco Best's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nice sprawl there from Anane as Best shoots in.

Best gets caught flat footed, as Anane shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Anane trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Best striking off his back but it's not causing Anane any problems.
Best lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Anane!
Anane is wriggling around trying to escape.
Anane tries to hold on but Best postures up.
Stephen Anane has got the better of the ground game so far.
Anane takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Best controlling his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anane holds on to Best around his waist, trying desperately to prevent any attacks.
Anane trying desperately to get to his feet.
Anane is squirming around, avoiding Best's attempts to control the action.
Anane is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Best controlling from mount.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Best trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Anane is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Anane wants to control but Best is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anane wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Anane is trying to break free.
Best really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Anane controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Best punches Anane on the ear.
Best trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Anane doesn't escape.
Best's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Best tries to keep control of the position but Anane is staying busy.
Best is really struggling to control Anane but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Good control from Best.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Best's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Rocco Best just wasn't active enough.

Anane closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Best's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Best has his foot on Anane's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Anane works his way back into a safe position though.

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 Rocco Best.
I think Best 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Rocco Best!