PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Andrei Arshavin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and rhesus miinus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Arshavin comes to the cage accompanied by The Arsenal Mastermind. Andrei Arshavin has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Arshavin
vs
miinus

175 cm
20
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

150 cm
19
190 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue 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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Andrei Arshavin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, rhesus miinus!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Alan Glass and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arshavin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Arshavin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
miinus looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Arshavin lands with a hook. miinus tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Nice takedown defense from Arshavin. No joy for miinus on that attempt.
miinus takes a shot right to the bread basket.
miinus looks gassed!

Arshavin clinches up with miinus and pushes him back against the cage.

Arshavin breaks the clinch.

Arshavin has miinus up against the cage in a clinch.

Arshavin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Arshavin throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
miinus takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Arshavin connects with a high kick.
miinus fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Andrei Arshavin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of rhesus miinus.
This has been an exciting period of action!
miinus shoots for a takedown but Arshavin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Arshavin clinches up against the cage.

Arshavin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Arshavin moves into range and clinches up with miinus.
Arshavin taking a breather.

Arshavin breaks from the clinch.

Arshavin clinches with his opponent.
miinus tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Arshavin smiles and moves away.
miinus on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Arshavin lands a nice leg kick that just misses miinus's sensitive parts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! miinus crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Arshavin - the referee stops the clock and miinus gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Arshavin. miinus manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Arshavin feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to miinus's calf.
Arshavin throws out a powerful jab.
Arshavin is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

Arshavin darts in and clinches miinus up against the cage.
Arshavin lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Arshavin.
miinus should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
miinus is trying to drag Arshavin to the mat but Arshavin just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Arshavin.
miinus letting Arshavin take a breather here.
miinus drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Arshavin gets the underhooks and prevents it.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - miinus has eaten all the pies!
miinus has Arshavin pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Arshavin manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Arshavin manages to break the clinch.
Arshavin bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

Arshavin closes the distance and clinches.

miinus decides to pull guard.
miinus is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Arshavin has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Arshavin is looking to stand up but miinus won't let him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

miinus working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Arshavin doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Arshavin manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Arshavin would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

miinus had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Arshavin is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. miinus Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Arshavin's back instead.

miinus working for a choke but Arshavin is defending well.

miinus is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Arshavin defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

miinus is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Arshavin knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Arshavin for a finish.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrei Arshavin dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Arshavin forces miinus back against the cage and clinches.
Arshavin lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of miinus backwards.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Arshavin seems a little flustered. He's come in with the intention of controlling the clinch but miinus is preventing him from doing so, at least for the moment.
Arshavin gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from miinus.
miinus changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Arshavin fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Arshavin throws a combination. miinus tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
miinus shoots for a double leg takedown but Arshavin sprawls well. He's pushed miinus's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Andrei Arshavin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of rhesus miinus.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
miinus misses with a takedown attempt - Arshavin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
miinus takes a kick to the side of the head.

Arshavin moves into range and clinches up with miinus.
Arshavin prevents a takedown attempt there.
Arshavin unloads a knee to the mid-section. miinus lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Arshavin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Arshavin goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Arshavin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Arshavin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
rhesus miinus seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

miinus closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Arshavin wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
miinus misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

miinus thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Arshavin explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
No luck for miinus with that takedown attempt.
Arshavin goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Arshavin tries to close the distance and clinch but miinus swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

miinus scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Arshavin wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
miinus creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Arshavin sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Arshavin is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

miinus tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no miinus has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
miinus looks up at the clock and then as Arshavin takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, miinus smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
miinus tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Arshavin scores with a three punch combo!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
No luck for miinus with that takedown attempt.

Arshavin instigates a clinch.

Arshavin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
miinus looks for a takedown but Arshavin sprawls well.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Arshavin. miinus shrugs it off though.
Arshavin throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Arshavin throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by miinus.
miinus shoots in for a takedown but Arshavin shows good takedown defense.
Arshavin fakes the leg kick and cracks miinus in the body.
Andrei Arshavin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
miinus fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Arshavin doesn't manage to clinch there - miinus circles away.

miinus shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than miinus was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Andrei Arshavin will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

miinus drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
miinus throws a strike but Arshavin rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
miinus trying to control the position.
Arshavin wants to get up but he can't break miinus's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Arshavin stopping the sweep attempt from miinus.

miinus is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

miinus is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

miinus throws his legs up looking for a submission but Arshavin uses it to pass to side control.
Arshavin will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
miinus can't do much from the bottom here.

Arshavin decides to stand back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Arshavin. No joy for miinus on that attempt.
A nice combination there by Arshavin.
Horrible takedown by miinus or perhaps it was just good defense by Arshavin which made him look bad.
Arshavin fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt miinus.
Arshavin throws a nice looking combination but miinus bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

miinus 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.
miinus working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
miinus prevents Arshavin from getting back to his feet.
miinus working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
miinus looking to sit in guard and control but Arshavin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

miinus working for a triangle but Arshavin defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arshavin has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of miinus is proving hard to escape from.

miinus is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

miinus has his foot on Arshavin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Arshavin works his way back into a safe position though.
Arshavin wants to stand but miinus is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

miinus looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

miinus has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Arshavin is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for miinus.
miinus can't do much from the bottom here.

Arshavin decides to stand up, so the ref orders miinus to his feet.
rhesus miinus has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
miinus looks for a takedown but Arshavin sprawls well.

And that's the end of the fight!
rhesus miinus comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Arshavin has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Andrei Arshavin!