PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ian Key (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rasheed Mutambo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Key
vs
Mutambo

174 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

201 cm
18
187 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ian Key!
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, Rasheed Mutambo!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Sergei Dronov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Key has managed to clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Key manages to break the clinch.

Mutambo darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Key looks like he's trying to stand up.
Key blocking the ground and pound attempt from Mutambo.

Key has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Mutambo is on him like a limpet, forcing Key back against the cage.

Key has Mutambo pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Key pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Mutambo tumbling to the mat - Key dives into Mutambo's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Key trying to stand up but can't free himself from Mutambo's guard.

Key stands up from Mutambo's guard - Key perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mutambo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Key jumps guard but Mutambo turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Key misses with an elbow over the top.

Mutambo pulls guard effortlessly.
Key controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Key could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Key is looking to work some ground and pound but Mutambo has wrist control.
Key wants to stand but Mutambo has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Mutambo can do anything to dispel that myth.

Key stands up and waves to Mutambo to follow him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Key throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Mutambo rushes Key and presses him up against the cage.
Key throws a knee to the head but misses.
Key throws a head punch that misses.
Mutambo stalling in the clinch but Key improves position.

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

Mutambo closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Key gets back to half guard.
Mutambo looks winded!
Key is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Key regains full guard. Nicely done.
Key bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mutambo's guard.

Mutambo is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Mutambo is trying to keep Key in close.
Key works over Mutambo with some ground and pound from guard.

Key stands up and waves to Mutambo to follow him.
Key tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Mutambo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Mutambo dives in and scores a takedown into Key's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Key has his feet on Mutambo's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Mutambo swats away the attempt to clinch by Key.
And Mutambo tries to counter it with a takedown but Key pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Key throws a body punch but Mutambo moves out of range.

Mutambo drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Key looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Key uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Key is looking to clinch but Mutambo is avoiding it.
Mutambo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Key fails with an attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ian Key dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Key rushes Mutambo and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Key takes an elbow to the temple.
Key looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Key works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Key drops back looking for a leg! Mutambo is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Mutambo manages to kick Key off! Key jumps back into Mutambo's guard.

Key gets to his feet - Mutambo follows without any prompting.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mutambo shoots in and bounces Key off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Key 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.
Ian Key overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mutambo is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Key pushes Mutambo off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Mutambo closes the distance looking to clinch

and Key counters with a single leg into guard. Mutambo didn't expect that.
Mutambo looking to control.

Key gets to his feet - Mutambo follows without any prompting.
Mutambo throws a push kick but Key slaps the foot to one side.
Mutambo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rasheed Mutambo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Key wants to clinch.
Mutambo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Key gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Key is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Key has Mutambo pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Key pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Mutambo tumbling to the mat - Key dives into Mutambo's guard.
Key stands up over Mutambo, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Key stands up from Mutambo's guard - Key perhaps looking for a knockout.

Key darts in and clinches Mutambo up against the cage.

Key has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Mutambo is trying to keep an underhook but Key manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Mutambo is looking to control Key's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mutambo avoid being mounted?
Key is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Key not doing much here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Key stands up and beckons Mutambo to join him on the feet.
Mutambo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Key lands a nice looking body shot.
A slapping body kick lands there for Key.
Mutambo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Key tries to clinch there but Mutambo circles away.
Key tries to clinch up but Mutambo circles away and keeps his distance.

Key pushes Mutambo up against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ian Key dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Key throws a nice looking combination but Mutambo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Mutambo changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Key looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
You can see the frustration on Key's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Mutambo laying and praying for a moment but Key takes advantage and regains half guard.
Key wants to get back to his feet.
Mutambo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Key controlling the position for now.
Key is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mutambo can do to turn this around?
Key'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 one minute gone in the round.
Key gets back to full guard.

Key pushes Mutambo off and gets back to his feet.

Mutambo feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Key pushes Mutambo off and scrambles back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Key tries to clinch but Mutambo moves out of range.

Key has closed the distance and engaged Mutambo in a clinch.

Key has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Mutambo is trying to keep an underhook but Key manages to get the takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mutambo taking some punishment here, with Key in his half guard.

Key decides to stand and escape the position.
Key tries to clinch there but Mutambo circles away.
Mutambo showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Key.

Key drives through with a takedown into guard.
Key might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Key is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Key stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Mutambo gets the takedown into side control.
Key takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Mutambo trying to control the position but Key is working away.
Key parries the strikes from Mutambo easily there. Mutambo is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Key to escape.
Key holds on to Mutambo's head and controls the position momentarily.
Mutambo prevents Key from escaping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mutambo lands some shots froms side control.

Key throws Mutambo to one side and escapes!
Mutambo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Key tries to counter with a takedown but Mutambo is quick to defend against it.
Mutambo attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

Key clinches with his opponent.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Mutambo.

Key turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Key stands up.
Rasheed Mutambo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ian Key is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ian Key is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Key looks to score with a jab to the body but Mutambo is just out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ian Key showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Key has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ian Key!