PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Charleston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexsandr Slemenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Slemenko has chosen Небо Славян as his entrance music. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Charleston
vs
Slemenko

187 cm
20
195 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

180 cm
25
180 lbs
1 - 2 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, James Charleston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexsandr Slemenko!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Charleston closes the distance but Slemenko moves to the side

and Slemenko counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Slemenko.

Charleston gets control of Slemenko's arms and successfully pulls guard. Charleston will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Charleston is looking to stand up but Slemenko isn't so interested in that idea.
Charleston trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Slemenko controlling from the top position.

The ref stands the fighters back up because James Charleston just wasn't active enough.
Charleston tries to clinch but Slemenko is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slemenko avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Charleston moves into the clinch successfully.
Charleston throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Charleston misses with a knee to the head.
Charleston tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Charleston tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Charleston breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Charleston tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Slemenko defends well and Charleston ends up having to push Slemenko into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Slemenko avoids a wild elbow strike from Charleston.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Charleston throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Charleston misses with a knee to the head.
Slemenko jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Charleston walks away with a smile on his face. Slemenko gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Charleston clinches up with Slemenko and pushes him back against the cage.
Charleston taking a breather.
Charleston is trying to break the clinch but Slemenko is controlling him.
Slemenko takes a knee right on the jaw!

Slemenko breaks from the clinch.
Charleston tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Charleston looks to clinch

and Slemenko counters with a shoot takedown. Charleston fights it but they end up in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slemenko stops Charleston from standing up.
Charleston being controlled here, momentarily.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Alexsandr Slemenko.
Charleston tries to close the distance and clinch but Slemenko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Charleston tries to clinch but Slemenko moves out of range.
Charleston tries to clinch

and Slemenko moves into the clinch.
Charleston tries a knee to the head but Slemenko blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Slemenko is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Charleston using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Slemenko has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Charleston with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Slemenko breaks the clinch.
Charleston tries to clinch there but Slemenko circles away.
A head kick misses from Charleston.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A head kick by Charleston misses

and Slemenko counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Slemenko.
Charleston scores a nice knee to the body.
Charleston connects with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Charleston dominated that round.
That's time! Charleston's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Charleston moves to clinch but Slemenko breaks away

and Slemenko counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Charleston's guard now.
Slemenko slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Alexsandr Slemenko hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Charleston throws a lazy head kick

and Slemenko counters with a single leg into guard. Charleston didn't expect that.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Charleston wants to get back to his feet but Slemenko is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Alexsandr Slemenko has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Charleston throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
James Charleston is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Charleston darts in trying to clinch

and Slemenko counters with a nice double leg into side control. Charleston won't be happy with that.
Charleston tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
I would not like to be Charleston right now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Charleston wants to get back to his feet.
Charleston is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Let's hope that Slemenko has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Alexsandr Slemenko.

Charleston closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Charleston pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Charleston is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Charleston clinches up against the cage.

Charleston breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Charleston doesn't manage to clinch there - Slemenko circles away.

Charleston clinches up against the cage.
Charleston throws an elbow but it's blocked.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexsandr Slemenko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Charleston's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Charleston wants to clinch

and Slemenko counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Charleston's guard now.
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.
Charleston wants to stand but Slemenko is controlling the position.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Alexsandr Slemenko has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Charleston wants to clinch up but Slemenko keeps it at a distance.
Charleston darts in trying to clinch

and Slemenko counters by clinching up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Slemenko on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Charleston breaks the clinch.
Charleston tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Slemenko paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Charleston moves in looking to clinch but Slemenko pushes him off.
Charleston wants to clinch up but Slemenko keeps it at a distance.

Charleston has taken the fight to the clinch.
Charleston is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Slemenko.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Charleston lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Charleston tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Charleston misses with a knee strike.
Charleston with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Slemenko's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Charleston tries to clinch but Slemenko moves away

and Slemenko counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
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!
Slemenko is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Alexsandr Slemenko wasn't active enough on the ground.
Charleston looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Charleston tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Slemenko manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Charleston closes the distance and pushes Slemenko back into the cage.
Charleston lands a nice knee to the body.
Charleston looking to throw knees to the head but Slemenko is blocking nicely.
Slemenko avoiding damage as Charleston throws knees to the body.
Slemenko blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Charleston's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Charleston looking to throw knees to the head but Slemenko is blocking nicely.
Charleston misses with a knee to the head.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Slemenko working Charleston over with knees to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Charleston using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Slemenko has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Charleston using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Slemenko has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Slemenko blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Alexsandr Slemenko.
I think Slemenko has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:29
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Alexsandr Slemenko!
Alexsandr Slemenko took to the mic after the fight and begged the organizational hierarchy for a shot at the title.