PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jeffrey Emerson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aleksander Rykov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Emerson
vs
Rykov

187 cm
21
188 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
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, Jeffrey Emerson!
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, Aleksander Rykov!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Vladimir Khabensky and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rykov swats away the attempt to clinch by Emerson.

Emerson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Rykov explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!

Emerson clinches up with Rykov and pushes him back against the cage.

Rykov is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Emerson can't fight it off and eventually Rykov manages to take the fight to the floor. Emerson looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rykov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Rykov drops back looking for a leg! Emerson is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Emerson manages to kick Rykov off! Rykov jumps back into Emerson's guard.
Emerson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Emerson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rykov is aware though and is defending well.
Rykov is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Rykov drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Rykov jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Rykov trying to control the position from guard on top but Emerson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rykov is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rykov wants to control from the top but Emerson keeps moving.
Rykov in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Emerson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rykov is aware though and is defending well.
Emerson keeping moving, preventing Rykov from controlling successfully.
Emerson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rykov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rykov wants to control from the top but Emerson keeps moving.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Rykov looks winded!
Emerson tries to clinch but Rykov moves out of range.
Rykov tries to counter with a clinch but Emerson shakes him off and moves away.
Rykov keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emerson is looking to clinch but Rykov is avoiding it.
Rykov wants to counter with a clinch but Emerson pushes him away.

Rykov closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Emerson's guard.

Emerson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rykov is pushing down on Emerson's leg trying to pass to half guard. Emerson is fighting to maintain full guard but Rykov has managed to sneak the leg through.
Emerson gets full guard.

Emerson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rykov throwing strikes but missing.
Rykov throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Emerson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rykov passes into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rykov is working for a submission of some sort.

Rykov is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Emerson sees it coming and defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Emerson tries to close the distance and clinch but Rykov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rykov throws a fast counter high kick but Emerson manages to duck under it in time.
Emerson looks for the body kick but Rykov saw that one coming.
Emerson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Emerson shoots in and bounces Rykov off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Rykov is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Emerson is aware though and is defending well.

Rykov is looking to cinch up a triangle. Emerson throws the leg off to one side though and gets in tight to Rykov's body to avoid the submission. Rykov has instead reached around Emerson's neck and now has a guillotine! Oh, this is biiiig trouble! Rykov arches his back and squeezes and forces the tap from his hapless opponent.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Aleksander Rykov!
A relieved looking Aleksander Rykov thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.