PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Artem Obukhov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pierre Letang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Obukhov
vs
Letang

170 cm
29
157 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

165 cm
30
145 lbs
6 - 8 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Artem Obukhov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Pierre Letang!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Albert Achterberg and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Obukhov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Letang manages to avoid it.
Letang shoots in and drives through. Obukhov sprawls well.

Letang clinches up against the cage.
Nice body punch from Letang.

Obukhov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Obukhov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Letang moves away.
Letang has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Obukhov is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Obukhov pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Letang clinches with his opponent.
Letang can't get the takedown.

Obukhov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Obukhov bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Letang scores with a jab.

Letang closes the distance and clinches.
Obukhov lands an elbow inside that Letang shrugs off.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Obukhov keeps control of Letang as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Obukhov is leaning against Letang and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Obukhov tries a body shot but Letang blocks it.
A short uppercut from Letang.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A body shot lands from Obukhov.
Letang goes for a takedown attempt but Obukhov pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Artem Obukhov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pierre Letang.
Obukhov connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Obukhov just misses with a punch to the body.
Letang tries to clinch but Obukhov is having none of it.
Horrible takedown attempt by Letang or perhaps it was just good defense by Obukhov, which made it look bad.
Letang tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Obukhov scores with a nice head shot.
Obukhov circles away from the clinch attempt
and Obukhov counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Artem Obukhov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Obukhov just misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Obukhov misses the body punch
letting Letang counter with a right hand.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Obukhov struggles to land a body shot inside as Letang controls his hands.
Obukhov throws a punch but it's blocked by Letang.
Letang stalls.
Letang has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Obukhov after a bit of a struggle.
Letang misses with the head strike.
A bit of stalling here from Letang.
Letang struggles to land a body shot inside as Obukhov controls his hands.

Letang's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Letang throws a body punch but Obukhov moves out of range.

Letang bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Obukhov is looking to regain half guard here but Letang keeps moving and retains side control.
Obukhov is trying to control Letang's posture but Letang avoids it.
Obukhov tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Letang tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Obukhov is trying to control Letang's posture but Letang avoids it.
Obukhov tries to buck Letang off but Letang is having none of it.
Obukhov is trying to control Letang's posture but Letang avoids it.
Obukhov is trying to get back to half guard.
Letang in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Obukhov tries to improve position but can't.
Obukhov gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Letang is working for a kimura but Obukhov is defending it quite comfortably.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Obukhov is looking for a sweep. Letang is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Letang seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Obukhov on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Obukhov tries to get out of the position.
Ground and pound from Letang.
Obukhov wants to improve his position but Letang is controlling well.
Obukhov is trying to control but can't.
Obukhov wants to get back to full guard.
Letang is nestled in close to Obukhov, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pierre Letang dominated that round.
That's time! Obukhov's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Obukhov lands a nice hook to Letang's body. Letang takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Letang on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Letang misses the shot to the body.
A counter left hand to the body from Obukhov misses its target.
Letang fails in his attempt to clinch.

Letang pushes Obukhov up against the cage in a clinch.
Obukhov misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Obukhov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Horrible takedown attempt by Letang or perhaps it was just good defense by Obukhov, which made it look bad.
Obukhov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Letang manages to avoid it.
Letang wants to clinch up but Obukhov keeps it at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Obukhov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Obukhov lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Letang is looking to clinch.
Obukhov seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Obukhov misses with a wild body shot.
Artem Obukhov is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big left from Letang misses.
Obukhov keeps the fight on the outside.
Obukhov feinted with a counter takedown.
Pierre Letang is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Letang checks the leg kick.
Obukhov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Letang tries for a takedown but Obukhov circles away easily
and Obukhov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Obukhov lands with a shot to the body.

Letang has taken the fight to the clinch.
Obukhov doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Letang prevents Obukhov from breaking the clinch.
Letang goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Obukhov looking to stall.
Letang lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Obukhov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Letang tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Letang closes the distance and clinches.
Letang tries for a takedown but Obukhov manages to get underhooks.
Artem Obukhov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pierre Letang.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Obukhov as Letang tries to tie him up.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Obukhov takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Obukhov doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Letang softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Obukhov misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Letang breaks the clinch.
Letang is looking to clinch but Obukhov is avoiding it.
Obukhov is looking to wear down Letang with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Obukhov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Obukhov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Letang moves away.
Obukhov lands a nice looking body shot.
Obukhov swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Letang moves in looking to clinch but Obukhov pushes him off.

Letang looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Obukhov gets full guard.

Letang drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Obukhov dives on top into guard.

Letang working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Obukhov doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Letang is tightening it up a little... Obukhov has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Obukhov reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Obukhov taps out! Nice BJJ there by Letang!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:39 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Pierre Letang!