PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alex Shlemenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Birch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shlemenko comes to the cage accompanied by Rolex. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Shlemenko
vs
Birch

175 cm
22
180 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

171 cm
24
193 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Self confident

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Solid chin

Pit bull development

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Alex Shlemenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Tom Birch!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Donald Grub and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Birch shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Birch is controlling the pace.
Birch is trying to control. Shlemenko wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Birch is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Shlemenko has managed to free his arm - good work.
Birch wants to control but Shlemenko is keeping him busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shlemenko avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Birch.
Shlemenko wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Birch looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Birch is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Shlemenko has managed to free his arm - good work.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Birch lands a nice short elbow.
Shlemenko knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Birch on the ground.
Birch lands strikes from half guard.
Birch is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Shlemenko blocking the ground and pound attempt from Birch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Birch landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Birch lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Birch trying to mount his opponent but Shlemenko defends it.
Shlemenko regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Birch.
Shlemenko being controlled here, momentarily.
Birch makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Birch postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shlemenko wants to stand but Birch is controlling the position.
Birch throwing strikes from guard but Shlemenko blocks nicely.
Birch looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Birch postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Birch trying to control but Shlemenko is working from the bottom.
Birch throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Shlemenko works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Birch lands a couple of elbows.
Birch keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Shlemenko's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Birch throws a big right hand that misses.
Shlemenko preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Birch wants to pass the guard but Shlemenko is keeping the position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Birch stands and throws Shlemenko's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Shlemenko is breathing heavily.
Shlemenko defending against the ground and pound.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Birch is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Shlemenko knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Shlemenko takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Birch dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Birch closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Shlemenko to the mat! Shlemenko manages to get full guard.
Birch distracts Shlemenko with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Shlemenko keeping full guard, as Birch tries to pass.
Birch is stalling in the full guard.
Birch is in close to Shlemenko's body, working some short punches and elbows.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Birch trying to control the position from guard on top but Shlemenko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shlemenko wants to get back to his feet but Birch passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Birch thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Tom Birch has got the better of the ground game so far.
Shlemenko is looking to escape.
Birch trying to control from half guard but Shlemenko is working away.
Birch missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Birch works his way into side control.
Shlemenko tries to escape but Birch is in control.

Birch is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Shlemenko is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Birch working the ground and pound from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shlemenko is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Birch wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shlemenko keeps working.
Shlemenko parries the strikes from Birch easily there. Birch is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Shlemenko to escape.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Birch lands an elbow.
Birch tries to move into full mount but can't pass Shlemenko's legs.
Birch has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Birch staying calm.
Birch has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shlemenko is not content to let Birch control the position.
An elbow from Birch crashes against the mat.
Shlemenko taking a bit of punishment here - Birch scoring with strikes.
Birch staying calm.
Birch tries to move into full mount but can't pass Shlemenko's legs.

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.

Birch looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Birch advances to mount.
Birch scoring with strikes but Shlemenko is staying in there.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Birch takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Birch landing strikes from the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Birch showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Birch showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Shlemenko.
Birch avoids the head kick by Shlemenko.
Birch appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

Birch looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Shlemenko!
Birch landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Birch in side control, throwing shots but Shlemenko defends.

Birch working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Birch scores with punches from side control.
Birch scores with a couple of short elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Birch tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Birch has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Birch lands a decent elbow from side control.
Birch trying to control the action but Shlemenko is working from the bottom.
Birch controls the position.
Birch throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Shlemenko works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Shlemenko keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shlemenko avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Birch.
Still in half guard, Birch seems content to control.
Birch passes to side control.
Shlemenko on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

Birch is trying to get an arm triangle but Shlemenko is defending well.
Birch landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Birch has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Shlemenko!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Birch has hold of Shlemenko's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Shlemenko manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Birch landing strikes from the mount.
Birch postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Shlemenko looks a forlorn figure.
Birch with good strikes from the mount here!
Birch looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Birch cracks Shlemenko with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Birch raining down hammerfists from mount.
Birch controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Birch's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Shlemenko is in a horrible position here. Birch smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Birch landing strikes from the mount and Shlemenko is in trouble!

Shlemenko is rocked!
Birch lands a couple of good shots and Shlemenko has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Oh Shlemenko is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Birch softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Birch just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Shlemenko seems to have got his legs back now.

Birch is working for the choke. I would put my money on him to finish from this position. He's rolled onto his back and has dragged Shlemenko with him. Shlemenko is trying to defend but Birch has an arm under the chin now! Shlemenko grimaces and is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Tom Birch!
The defeated Alex Shlemenko had this to say: 'Don't give a fuck and fight back'.