PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sabed Azbuhlev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and The Beast (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sabed Azbuhlev has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Azbuhlev
vs
Beast

172 cm
19
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

160 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight 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, Sabed Azbuhlev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, The Beast!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Illya Tyunina and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Beast shoots for a takedown but Azbuhlev saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Beast cracks Azbuhlev with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Azbuhlev moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
A low kick from Azbuhlev is predictable there
and Beast counters with a nice low kick that buckles Azbuhlev's knee momentarily.
Beast avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Azbuhlev stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Beast.
The fight stays on the outside here - Beast looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Azbuhlev tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Beast counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Azbuhlev thinking.
Beast throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Azbuhlev lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Beast has closed the distance and engaged Azbuhlev in a clinch.
Azbuhlev swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Azbuhlev working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Beast pulls guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azbuhlev trying to control the position from guard on top but Beast is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Azbuhlev content to stall in guard here.
Azbuhlev working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Azbuhlev sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Beast's guard.
Azbuhlev is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Beast tries to get to full guard but Azbuhlev has control of the leg.
Azbuhlev has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Azbuhlev not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Beast felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Beast is looking to improve his position.
Beast wants to control but Azbuhlev is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Beast is not content to let Azbuhlev control the position.

Azbuhlev seems to be looking for submissions.
Azbuhlev trying to control the action but Beast is working from the bottom.
Beast is trying to stand up here but Azbuhlev is controlling him well.
Azbuhlev trying to control from half guard but Beast is working away.
Beast trying to hold on to Azbuhlev's head to control him but Azbuhlev postures up.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Azbuhlev enables Beast to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Azbuhlev manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Beast trying to control the position from guard on top but Azbuhlev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azbuhlev is trying to keep Beast in close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Azbuhlev looking for a guillotine here but Beast defends easily.
Azbuhlev wants to sweep here but Beast controlling him for the moment.
Azbuhlev working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Azbuhlev being controlled here, momentarily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Beast tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Azbuhlev paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Beast gets a double leg takedown into Azbuhlev's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Azbuhlev looking to hit a scissor sweep but Beast is one step ahead there.
Azbuhlev trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
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 Sabed Azbuhlev will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Beast misses with an attempted mid kick.
Azbuhlev looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Azbuhlev is looking to clinch but Beast is avoiding it.
Azbuhlev waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Beast.
Beast scores with a body shot.
Azbuhlev gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Beast counters with a low kick, right behind Azbuhlev 's knee.
Azbuhlev jabs Beast right on the nose. Beast blinks but takes it well.
Beast throws a series of strikes that have Azbuhlev backpedaling.

It looks like Sabed Azbuhlev has been cut.
Beast gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Azbuhlev missing with a left hand there. Beast was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Beast looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Azbuhlev is on top in guard.
Azbuhlev trying to control but Beast is working from the bottom.

Azbuhlev avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Azbuhlev drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Azbuhlev jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Azbuhlev won't allow Beast to sweep him here.
Azbuhlev with a nice head shot there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azbuhlev trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Azbuhlev landing with the ground and pound.
Sabed Azbuhlev overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Azbuhlev keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Beast's head.
Beast can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Azbuhlev controls the pace.
Beast tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Beast really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Azbuhlev. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Azbuhlev accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Azbuhlev throws a big right hand that misses.
Azbuhlev throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Beast works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Beast is trying to control the position but Azbuhlev postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Azbuhlev throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Azbuhlev scoring with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azbuhlev with a nice head shot there.
Azbuhlev being controlled here momentarily.

Azbuhlev avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Beast looking to hit a scissor sweep but Azbuhlev is one step ahead there.

Azbuhlev 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.
Azbuhlev working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Azbuhlev will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Azbuhlev stands up over Beast, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Beast is trying to keep Azbuhlev in close.
Azbuhlev controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Azbuhlev prevents Beast from getting back to his feet.
Azbuhlev is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Beast keeping moving, preventing Azbuhlev from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Azbuhlev wanted to stand there but Beast had control of the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Azbuhlev tries to close the distance and clinch but Beast swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sabed Azbuhlev dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Sabed Azbuhlev's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Azbuhlev misses with a straight right.

Beast shoots in and bounces Azbuhlev off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Azbuhlev 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.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Azbuhlev is on top in guard.
Beast is trying to keep Azbuhlev in close.
Azbuhlev sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Beast's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azbuhlev working over Beast with some ground and pound. Beast looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Beast can do anything to dispel that myth.
Azbuhlev is trying to control the action in half guard but Beast is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Beast slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Beast preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Azbuhlev trying to control but Beast is working from the bottom.
Azbuhlev stopping the sweep attempt from Beast.
Azbuhlev wants to control from the top but Beast keeps moving.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Azbuhlev missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azbuhlev looking to sit in guard and control but Beast gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Beast looking to pass the guard.
Beast keeps trying to improve his position.
Azbuhlev looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Beast wants to stand but Azbuhlev has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Azbuhlev wants to control but Beast passes easily into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Beast is just content to waste time from the top position. Azbuhlev takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Azbuhlev keeping moving, preventing Beast from controlling successfully.
Azbuhlev pulls Beast in to control the position.
Beast must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Azbuhlev is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Beast wants to get back to his feet.
Sabed Azbuhlev is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Beast trying to control from the bottom.
Azbuhlev looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Beast is looking to escape.
Azbuhlev takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Sabed Azbuhlev just wasn't active enough.
Azbuhlev pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Beast shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Azbuhlev sprawls well. Azbuhlev wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Beast gets slowly back to his feet.
Beast tries to close the distance and clinch up but Azbuhlev swats him away and circles back towards the center.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sabed Azbuhlev showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Azbuhlev, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sabed Azbuhlev!
Sabed Azbuhlev decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.