PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Grisha Blozhenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Holdaen Rafer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Grisha Blozhenko looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Blozhenko
vs
Rafer

186 cm
21
204 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
19
215 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Plays chess

Country Boy MMA

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Grisha Blozhenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Holdaen Rafer!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Ivan Kurochkin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Blozhenko tries a head kick but it misses.
Blozhenko walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Blozhenko dodges the punch combination from Rafer.

Rafer decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Blozhenko slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Rafer wants to control from the top but Blozhenko keeps moving.
Rafer wants to pass the guard but Blozhenko is keeping the position.
Rafer wants to stand but Blozhenko is controlling his posture from full guard.
Blozhenko not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rafer wants to stand but Blozhenko is controlling his posture from full guard.
Blozhenko wants to hit a switch here but Rafer passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Blozhenko there!
Blozhenko bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Blozhenko is breathing heavily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Blozhenko accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two 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.
Rafer is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Blozhenko wants to control from the top but Rafer keeps moving.
Rafer looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Rafer wants to get back to his feet but Blozhenko is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Blozhenko stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rafer swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Blozhenko decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Blozhenko throws a front kick aimed at Rafer's knee but Rafer avoids it well.

Rafer has Blozhenko up against the cage in a clinch.
Rafer wants to get back to striking at distance but Blozhenko won't allow it.
Blozhenko is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Rafer wants to get back to striking at distance but Blozhenko won't allow it.
Rafer is trying to break free.

Blozhenko breaks the clinch.
Rafer lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Rafer misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rafer misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Blozhenko avoids the head kick by Rafer.
Rafer misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Rafer throws a series of strikes that have Blozhenko backpedaling.
Blozhenko tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Rafer counters with a left to the body.
Rafer stuns Blozhenko with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

Blozhenko moves into the clinch successfully.
Blozhenko jumps guard but Rafer stands there with Blozhenko around his waist. Blozhenko gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Nice body punch from Blozhenko - that landed with a thud.
Blozhenko tries to pull guard but Rafer holds him up against the cage and eventually Blozhenko drops back down to his feet.
Rafer is pressed up against the cage. Blozhenko has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rafer down to the mat. Rafer avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Grisha Blozhenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rafer lands with a nice body punch.
Rafer keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Blozhenko keeps the fight on the outside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Holdaen Rafer dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Blozhenko throws a head kick but Rafer moves out of range.
Rafer tries a head kick but it misses.
Blozhenko shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rafer as he avoids it easily.
Rafer is looking to score with low kicks.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rafer.
Blozhenko tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rafer swivels and escapes.
Rafer scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
A right-left combo lands from Rafer.
Rafer looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Blozhenko checks a leg kick.
Rafer lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Blozhenko backs up against the cage.
Rafer scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Rafer throws a one two combo.
A nice combination there by Rafer.
Rafer is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rafer avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Blozhenko misses with a double jab
and Rafer counters with a stiff right hand.

Blozhenko fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Rafer sprawls well initially but Blozhenko persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Blozhenko works his way into side control.
Rafer is not content to let Blozhenko control the position.
Blozhenko works to advance to full mount. Rafer defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Blozhenko trying to control but Rafer is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blozhenko thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rafer blocking the ground and pound.
Blozhenko avoids the attempt from Rafer to control.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Blozhenko cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rafer is squirming around, avoiding Blozhenko's attempts to control the action.
Blozhenko prevents Rafer from getting the reversal.

Blozhenko stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Blozhenko closes the distance but Rafer moves to the side
and Rafer connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

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.
Rafer swats away the attempt to clinch by Blozhenko.
Blozhenko looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rafer is fending him off so far but Blozhenko persists. Nope, Rafer circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Grisha Blozhenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rafer lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Blozhenko throws a jab but it's blocked by Rafer.
Rafer misses with a few strikes there.

Rafer has Blozhenko up against the cage in a clinch.

Blozhenko manages to break the clinch.
Blozhenko throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rafer's waist but Rafer gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Blozhenko off to one side.
Rafer throws a good cross that connects.
Blozhenko looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Blozhenko has a takedown stuffed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Holdaen Rafer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Rafer lands a jab-cross combination.
Blozhenko ducks right into an uppercut from Rafer.
Rafer scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Blozhenko tries a head kick but it misses.
Blozhenko misses with a head kick.
Rafer lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Blozhenko backs up against the cage.
Rafer misses with a double jab

and Blozhenko counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Blozhenko is thwarting Rafer's attempts to control the position.

Rafer manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Rafer throws a one two combo.
Rafer stuffs the takedown attempt from Blozhenko. Blozhenko gets slowly back to his feet.
Rafer takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Blozhenko or perhaps it was just good defense by Rafer which made him look bad.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Blozhenko.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Grisha Blozhenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Blozhenko throws a head kick but Rafer moves out of range.
The crowd cheers as Rafer lands an impressive looking overhand right. Blozhenko doesn't seem phased though.
Grisha Blozhenko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rafer moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Blozhenko pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rafer lands with a straight right. Blozhenko didn't see that one coming.
Blozhenko shoots in but Rafer avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Blozhenko.
Blozhenko throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Rafer counters with a nice body shot.
Rafer checks the leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blozhenko throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rafer is looking to score with low kicks.
Rafer lands a glancing blow to the side of Blozhenko's head.
Blozhenko fails to land the takedown.
Rafer is working the combinations to good effect here.
Rafer goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Blozhenko doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Blozhenko misses with a left hand
and Rafer connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rafer looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Blozhenko moves into the clinch successfully.

Blozhenko breaks from the clinch.
Grisha Blozhenko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Blozhenko misses with a takedown attempt - Rafer sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Horrible takedown by Blozhenko or perhaps it was just good defense by Rafer which made him look bad.
Good exchange - Rafer coming out on top.
Blozhenko looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blozhenko misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Rafer lands a nice leg kick that just misses Blozhenko's sensitive parts.
Blozhenko fails with the takedown.
Blozhenko throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rafer's waist but Rafer gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Blozhenko off to one side.
Blozhenko tries to clinch but Rafer moves out of range.
Nice sprawl there from Blozhenko as Rafer shoots in.
Blozhenko with a lazy takedown attempt
and Rafer counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Nice sprawl there from Blozhenko as Rafer shoots in.
Rafer scores with a body shot.
Rafer lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Blozhenko shoots in and drives through. Rafer sprawls well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blozhenko shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rafer counters with a series of strikes. Blozhenko will be more careful next time no doubt.
Blozhenko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Blozhenko tries to clinch up but Rafer circles away and keeps his distance.
Blozhenko showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rafer.
Blozhenko will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rafer throws a nice looking combination but Blozhenko bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rafer pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Blozhenko takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Blozhenko closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rafer circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rafer closes the distance and clinches up with Blozhenko, looking for a takedown. Rafer pushes Blozhenko against the cage but Blozhenko circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Blozhenko throws a predictable looking body shot
and Rafer counters with a three punch combo that has Blozhenko backing up. Blozhenko nods at Rafer to acknowledge the strikes.
Rafer stalks Blozhenko and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Blozhenko's face. Blozhenko staggers backwards, shaken.
Grisha Blozhenko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rafer throws a right and a left that Blozhenko avoids nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Holdaen Rafer comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rafer winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Holdaen Rafer!