PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Micheal Bates (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Shlemenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shlemenko has chosen Rolex as his entrance music. Alex Shlemenko has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Bates
vs
Shlemenko

185 cm
25
174 lbs
6 - 10 - 0

175 cm
23
177 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Micheal Bates!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alex Shlemenko!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yukihiro Shimada and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bates gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Shlemenko has a couple of punches blocked by Bates.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Bates creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Shlemenko managing to block the knees to the body from Bates.
A shot in the inside from Shlemenko.
Shlemenko throws a punch but it's blocked by Bates.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
The referee is keeping an eye on Bates - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Shlemenko with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Shlemenko on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Good body shot from Bates.
Shlemenko swings wildly with an uppercut but Bates uses good head movement to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bates escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Shlemenko has closed the distance and engaged Bates in a clinch.
Bates goes for a takedown attempt but Shlemenko pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Shlemenko looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Shlemenko tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Bates manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Bates wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Shlemenko throws a head kick but Bates moves out of range.
Bates is looking to counter the offense by Shlemenko and move into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shlemenko swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Bates moves into the clinch.
Bates wants a takedown.
Bates utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Shlemenko fails to land.
Bates blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Shlemenko breaks the clinch.
Shlemenko tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Bates scores with a takedown into Shlemenko's guard.
Shlemenko is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Bates wants to control from the top but Shlemenko keeps moving.
Bates loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bates pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Shlemenko is keeping the position for now.
Bates landing some decent shots from guard.
Bates won't allow Shlemenko to sweep him here.
Shlemenko is trying to control the position but Bates postures up.
Bates preventing the sweep.
Bates's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Bates trying to control the position from guard on top but Shlemenko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bates throwing strikes but missing.
Bates trying to control but Shlemenko is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bates controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Bates clinches.
Shlemenko wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Bates works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Shlemenko manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

Shlemenko breaks from the clinch.
Shlemenko throws a sloppy head kick
and Bates makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Shlemenko wants to clinch up but Bates keeps it at a distance.
A quick step to the side and Bates tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.

Bates drives through and clinches with Shlemenko against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Bates.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shlemenko wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Bates's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bates moves into range and clinches up with Shlemenko.

Bates has hold of one of Shlemenko's legs. Shlemenko is fighting the takedown attempt but Bates gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Bates lands a couple of elbows.
Shlemenko working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bates.
Shlemenko preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Bates working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Shlemenko's head.
Bates is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Bates with a nice head shot there.
Bates scoring with some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Bates shoots for a takedown but Shlemenko saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Shlemenko pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Bates instigates a clinch.
Shlemenko looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Bates is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Shlemenko can do to turn this around?
Shlemenko wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Micheal Bates has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Bates tries for a takedown. No joy.

Bates breaks from the clinch.
Bates tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Alex Shlemenko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shlemenko falls off balance throwing a combination
and Bates counters with a straight right hand.
Bates blocks a head kick by Shlemenko.

Bates gets a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shlemenko is looking to break free of the clinch but Bates has double underhooks.

Bates breaks from the clinch.
Shlemenko misses with the combination.
Shlemenko misses with a head kick.

Bates forces Shlemenko back against the cage and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates keeps control of Shlemenko as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Shlemenko tries to pull guard but Bates forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Bates prevents Shlemenko from breaking the clinch.

Bates's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Bates bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Bates wants to control but Shlemenko is keeping him busy.
Bates working the ground and pound from side control.
Bates is trying to ground and pound but Shlemenko uses the momentary lack of control by Bates to regain half guard.
Shlemenko is trying to maintain the position but Bates is very close to passing his half guard.
Bates thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bates scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Shlemenko avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bates.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bates seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Bates takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Shlemenko is breathing heavily.
Bates frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bates has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Shlemenko's face.
Bates cracks Shlemenko with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Bates lands with some strikes.

Shlemenko is rocked!
Bates is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Shlemenko can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Shlemenko is still in real trouble! Can Bates finish him?
Bates scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Bates cracks Shlemenko with a big head shot that has him covering up instantly! He's rolled onto his side and the referee has seen enough - this one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Micheal Bates!
Alex Shlemenko spoke after the fight, saying 'Don't give a fuck and fight back'.