PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Anzhor Azhiev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ahmed Babilon Mamed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Azhiev
vs
Babilon Mamed

177 cm
31
144 lbs
13 - 45 - 0

175 cm
26
140 lbs
7 - 15 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 45 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Anzhor Azhiev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ahmed Babilon Mamed!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Anni Minnemäki and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mamed rushes Azhiev and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Azhiev pulls guard effortlessly.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Mamed working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.

Azhiev working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mamed doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mamed manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Mamed avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Azhiev isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Mamed stacks Azhiev on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Mamed!
Azhiev is trying to get back to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mamed tries to move into full mount but can't pass Azhiev's legs.
Azhiev is trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mamed trying to control the position but Azhiev is working away.
Azhiev is looking to regain half guard here but Mamed keeps moving and retains side control.
Azhiev is working hard here to advance position.
Azhiev manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Mamed looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Azhiev looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mamed is trying to maintain the position but Azhiev is very close to passing his half guard.

Azhiev is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Mamed trying to control but Azhiev postures up.
Mamed gets back to full guard.
Mamed is trying to keep Azhiev in close.
Mamed looks winded!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azhiev stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mamed swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mamed not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Azhiev passes into half guard.
Mamed trying to control here.

Azhiev is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Azhiev seems to be working for a kimura but Mamed defends the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Azhiev is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Azhiev is looking for a kimura but Mamed is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Azhiev to get the leverage.
Mamed wants to control but Azhiev is keeping busy.

Azhiev is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Azhiev looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mamed looks like he's trying to stand up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anzhor Azhiev dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Azhiev stuffs the takedown.

Azhiev shoots in and bounces Mamed off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Azhiev drops back, looking for a kneebar! Mamed looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Mamed looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Mamed!

Azhiev manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Azhiev is trying for a kimura here. Mamed looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Azhiev wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:53 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Anzhor Azhiev!
A pretty intense looking Anzhor Azhiev took the opportunity post-fight to ask for a shot at the title.