PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jeroen Rijkaart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ahwal Mahtulak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rijkaart comes into the arena with Iron Maiden - The Trooper blaring out of the sound system. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rijkaart
vs
Mahtulak

180 cm
18
185 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

176 cm
20
182 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jeroen Rijkaart!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ahwal Mahtulak!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Vladimir Khabensky and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mahtulak looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rijkaart is fending him off so far but Mahtulak persists. Nope, Rijkaart circles away and we're back to standing.
Mahtulak shoots in for a takedown but Rijkaart shows good takedown defense.

Rijkaart moves into the clinch.
Mahtulak is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rijkaart gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Jeroen Rijkaart has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ahwal Mahtulak.
Rijkaart wants to get back to striking at distance but Mahtulak won't allow it.
Rijkaart tries to pull guard but Mahtulak won't allow it.
Rijkaart fails to pull guard.
Mahtulak tries for a takedown but Rijkaart manages to get underhooks.

Mahtulak manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Rijkaart pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mahtulak is keeping the position for now.
Mahtulak working a defensive guard but Rijkaart passes into half guard.
Mahtulak avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rijkaart.
Rijkaart looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Mahtulak trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Rijkaart manages to pass to mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rijkaart looking to finish Mahtulak with some ground and pound. This is bad for Mahtulak!
Mahtulak is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Mahtulak tries to hold on but Rijkaart postures up.
Rijkaart lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Mahtulak manages to regain half guard. Good work.
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.
Mahtulak looks like he's trying to stand up.
Mahtulak looks gassed!
Rijkaart is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Mahtulak is looking to get back to is feet but Rijkaart passes into side control.

Rijkaart tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Mahtulak is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rijkaart tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
You can see the frustration on Mahtulak's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Mahtulak tries to improve position but can't.
Rijkaart is putting a hurting on Mahtulak here, landing some big shots from side control.
Rijkaart is working Mahtulak over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rijkaart is chipping away with strikes.

Rijkaart wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Mahtulak, who protects the arm well.
Rijkaart in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Rijkaart creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Mahtulak is looking for a sweep.
Mahtulak is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeroen Rijkaart dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rijkaart feints and as Mahtulak raises his hands in defense, Rijkaart changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Mahtulak looking for a sweep. Not yet Mahtulak, not yet.
Rijkaart trying to control the position from guard on top but Mahtulak is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mahtulak is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Rijkaart throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mahtulak works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rijkaart with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rijkaart controlling from the top position.
Mahtulak is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rijkaart has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Rijkaart has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Rijkaart scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Rijkaart prevents Mahtulak from improving his position.
Rijkaart looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Mahtulak with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Rijkaart working Mahtulak over with strikes.
Rijkaart is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Rijkaart pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rijkaart looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Rijkaart controlling the pace for now.
Rijkaart cracks Mahtulak with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Rijkaart.
Rijkaart scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Mahtulak?
Rijkaart avoids the attempt from Mahtulak to control.

Rijkaart has hold of an arm here, looking to extend it. He's committed to the armbar attempt here! Will he get it?! Yes! Mahtulak is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:37 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Jeroen Rijkaart!