PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sterling Archer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shawn Mandelev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Archer kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Kenny Loggins - Danger Zone . Mandelev has chosen Rage as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Archer
vs
Mandelev

187 cm
20
190 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

174 cm
25
170 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Insanely flexible

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Master Lee's One Stop
The Empire Clothing and Laundry

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sterling Archer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Shawn Mandelev!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Franklyn Lucas and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mandelev lands a slapping body shot.
Archer slips a straight right by Mandelev.
Mandelev looks to score with a jab to the body but Archer is just out of range.

Mandelev instigates a clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Mandelev's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Archer lands an elbow inside that Mandelev shrugs off.
Mandelev pushes Archer back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Archer fails to land.

Mandelev pulls guard effortlessly.
Mandelev is pulling down on Archer's head to control his posture.
Archer wants to control from the top but Mandelev keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Archer lands a couple of elbows.

Archer thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Archer has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Mandelev looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mandelev working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Archer.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Mandelev can do anything to dispel that myth.
Archer in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Archer wants to control from the top but Mandelev keeps moving.
Archer missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Archer trying to control but Mandelev is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Archer is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Mandelev misses with a straight right.
Mandelev throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Mandelev connects with a body shot that sends Archer's belly button to the back.
Mandelev misses with a series of wild punches.
Mandelev thows a left - swing and a miss!
Archer throws a front kick that sends Mandelev stumbling back into the cage.
Archer on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Archer misses with a double jab.
A combination from Mandelev does no damage.
Archer uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mandelev.
Archer takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Archer throws a sloppy head kick and Mandelev moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mandelev lands a head shot.
Archer blocks a jab.
Shawn Mandelev is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mandelev jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Archer avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Archer throws a sloppy head kick and Mandelev moves out of range easily.
Archer showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mandelev.
A slow jab from Mandelev misses its intended target.
Mandelev throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Archer tries to counter with a takedown but Mandelev is quick to defend against it.
A telegraphed right hand from Mandelev misses the target.
Archer feinted with a counter takedown.
Archer throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Mandelev cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Archer misses with an attempted mid kick.
Archer takes one on the chin but seems OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Archer closes the distance and pushes Mandelev back into the cage.
Mandelev lands with a right to the head.
Archer lands a good knee to the midsection. Mandelev won't want to take too many of those.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Archer can't find room to land a body shot as Mandelev controls the action.
Mandelev blocks an elbow strike from Archer.
Mandelev lands with a short shot to the head.
Archer fails to pull guard.
Mandelev looking to slow down the pace here.
Archer landing knees to the head.
Mandelev misses with the head strike.
Archer trying to land knees to the body.
The referee calls for Archer to work.
Mandelev pushes off an throws an elbow but Archer leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Mandelev drags the fight down to the ground.
Mandelev trying to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shawn Mandelev dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Mandelev slaps away a takedown attempt from Archer, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Mandelev throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Archer clinches up with Mandelev and pushes him back against the cage.
Archer jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mandelev walks away with a smile on his face. Archer gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Mandelev missing with a left hand there. Archer was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Archer tries to counter with a takedown but Mandelev is quick to defend against it.
Mandelev misses with a few strikes there.
Archer misses with a body kick.
Mandelev swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Shawn Mandelev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mandelev misses with a lunging right hand
and Archer counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Mandelev is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Good shot there by Mandelev.
Mandelev jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Mandelev throws a lazy right hand but Archer sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mandelev looks to throw the jab but Archer is out of range.
Mandelev works Archer's body with a nice hook.
Mandelev takes a swing at Archer's ribcage but misses.
Mandelev scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Mandelev lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

It looks like Sterling Archer has been cut.
Good exchange - Mandelev coming out on top.
Archer connects with an inside leg kick.
Mandelev lands a jab to the head.
Mandelev thuds a left hand into Archer's body.
Archer takes one to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mandelev looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Archer tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Mandelev defends well and Archer ends up having to push Mandelev into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sterling Archer. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mandelev misses with a body shot.

Mandelev moves into the clinch successfully.
Archer is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mandelev is defending well for now.
Mandelev lands a hook that snaps the head of Archer backwards.
Archer using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Mandelev can't break the clinch.

Archer decides to pull guard.
Mandelev is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Mandelev. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Mandelev tries to free his leg and advance position but Archer is retaining full guard.
Mandelev passes Archer's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Archer wants to control but Mandelev is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Archer wants to get back to full guard but Mandelev has passed into side control.
Mandelev has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mandelev working away.
My spies in Blitzkrieg Fighting Systems: Ground inform me that Mandelev has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
You can see the frustration on Archer's face as Mandelev controls the position.
Mandelev really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Archer. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Mandelev gets to mount! Archer was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Mandelev tries to control but Archer wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Mandelev prevents Archer from getting the reversal.
Mandelev tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Archer is desperately trying to improve his position but Mandelev has a good base and remains in mount.
Mandelev controlling from mount.
Archer is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Archer is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shawn Mandelev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Sterling Archer's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Mandelev looks to score with a jab to the body but Archer is just out of range.
It looked like Archer was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Mandelev has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Mandelev there as he acknowledges the shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Archer. Mandelev does a little dance to reset his feet.
Mandelev lands a jab to Archer's midsection.
A big left from Archer misses.
Mandelev throws a left and a right that both miss

and Archer decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Mandelev's guard.
Mandelev wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Mandelev's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mandelev is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Archer being controlled here momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Archer postures up.

Archer drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Archer jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Archer trying to control but Mandelev is working from the bottom.
Mandelev is trying to control the position but Archer postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Archer blocks a jab.
Mandelev 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.
Mandelev swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sterling Archer has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Mandelev is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Archer.
Mandelev moves out of range as Archer throws a body kick.
Good standup being displayed there by Mandelev as he connects with a hook.
A jab from Archer misses.
Jab by Mandelev.
Mandelev looks to land a left hand but Archer moved out of range nicely.
Mandelev misses the shot to the body.
Archer tries to counter with a takedown but Mandelev is quick to defend against it.

Archer gets a double leg takedown into Mandelev's guard.
Archer will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Mandelev pulls Archer in close to his closed guard and prevents Archer from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Archer thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Archer pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mandelev is keeping the position for now.
Archer trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Archer missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Mandelev is trying to control the position but Archer postures up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Nice defenses there by Archer.
Archer tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Mandelev manages to circle out of the way.
Mandelev misses with a looping right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Archer throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Mandelev's head.
Archer throws the kick towards the body but Mandelev avoids it.
A jab from Mandelev misses.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Mandelev, as that shot connected.
Archer throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mandelev.
Mandelev lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Mandelev will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Archer half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mandelev misses with a wild body shot.
Archer is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Mandelev.
Mandelev throws a series of punches but Archer avoids them all with ease.
Shawn Mandelev is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Archer throws a big shot that misses.

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 Sterling Archer.
I think Mandelev 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shawn Mandelev!
In his post fight interview, Shawn Mandelev started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.
In defeat, Sterling Archer stepped up to the mic, saying 'Wait, ... What?'.