PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Harry Winston (ranked 288 p4p, 38 weight class) and Sergey Sklemin (ranked 445 p4p, 62 weight class). Winston's entrance music is The Lost Boy. A fine choice. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Winston
vs
Sklemin

178 cm
27
200 lbs
17 - 9 - 0

187 cm
28
200 lbs
17 - 11 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing
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Aspire Nutrition

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 17 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Harry Winston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sergey Sklemin!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, William Gold and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sklemin misses with a hook.
Sklemin throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Winston dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Winston uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Sklemin has time to react.
Winston misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sklemin.
Winston with a lazy takedown attempt
and Sklemin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sklemin misses with a hook.
Winston blocks a jab.
Sklemin throws an off balance right hand

and Winston counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Sklemin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sklemin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sklemin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Winston won't allow Sklemin to sweep him here.
Sklemin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Winston 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sklemin pulls Winston in close to prevent any damage.
Winston throws an elbow that misses. Sklemin uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Winston's guard. Nice move by Sklemin!

Winston has an active guard here but Sklemin has managed to pass into half guard.

Winston looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sklemin is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Winston is looking for a sweep. Sklemin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sklemin moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Winston.
Winston gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Winston wants to get back to full guard but Sklemin has passed into side control.
Winston is looking to reverse the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sklemin gets to mount! Winston was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Winston is looking to get to half guard.
Winston tries to hold on but Sklemin postures up.
The referee warns Winston that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Winston tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Winston is working hard here to advance position.
We've been hearing good reports from Winston's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Winston gets back to half guard.

Winston looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Winston looking for submissions off his back.
Sklemin trying to control the pace.
Winston wants to improve his position but Sklemin is controlling well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Winston looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sklemin trying to pass the guard but Winston defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sergey Sklemin will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Winston lands a glancing blow to the side of Sklemin's head.
Sklemin ducks under a wild hook from Winston.
Nice takedown defense from Sklemin. No joy for Winston on that attempt.
It seemed like Sklemin was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A swing and a miss from Winston.
Sklemin stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Winston ducks under a wild hook from Sklemin.
Sklemin cracks Winston with a right hand to the side of the head.

Sklemin clinches.
Winston tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sklemin smiles and moves away.

Sklemin gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Sklemin has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Winston off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Winston looks to score with a jab to the body but Sklemin is just out of range.
Winston tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sklemin was well out of range. Poor timing from Winston.
Sklemin steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Winston.
Winston slips a jab from Sklemin.
Sklemin lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

Sklemin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Winston tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sklemin smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Harry Winston. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sklemin stuns Winston with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Sergey Sklemin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Winston shoots for a double leg takedown but Sklemin sprawls well. He's pushed Winston's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sklemin throws a hook but Winston blocks it.
Winston throws a hook to the side of Sklemin's head but Sklemin sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Winston ducks under a wild hook from Sklemin.
Winston feinted with a counter takedown.
Sklemin cracks Winston with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
A looping hook to the body misses from Winston. Sklemin does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Winston misses with a hook. Sklemin ducked under it nicely.
Sklemin misses with a straight left.
Winston misses with a takedown attempt - Sklemin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sklemin lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

Winston looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Sklemin!

Winston working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Winston looking to control but instead Sklemin has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.

Sklemin looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Winston thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Sklemin's head.

Winston is working for a submission of some sort.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Winston lands a nice short elbow.
Winston prevents Sklemin from standing back up.

Sklemin kicks off Winston and gets to his feet.

Sklemin has closed the distance and engaged Winston in a clinch.
Winston tries to pull guard but Sklemin forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Sklemin missing with knees to the body.
Winston fails to pull guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sklemin with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Winston tries to pull guard but Sklemin holds him up against the cage and eventually Winston drops back down to his feet.
Sklemin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Winston.
Winston blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Winston jumps guard but Sklemin turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Winston is trying to pull guard but Sklemin turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Sklemin is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Sklemin scores with an uppercut up the middle.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Winston tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Sklemin just stands there and leans against the cage.
Sklemin lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Winston jumps guard but Sklemin stands there with Winston around his waist. Winston gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Sklemin has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Winston seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Sklemin can turn it around.
Sklemin lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Winston backwards.
Winston is trying to pull guard but Sklemin turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Winston is trying to pull guard but Sklemin has him pressed against the cage.
Winston takes an elbow to the temple.

Winston has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Sklemin uses from the top position.
Sklemin tries to free his leg and advance position but Winston is retaining full guard.

Winston working for a triangle but Sklemin defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergey Sklemin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Sklemin moves into the clinch successfully.
Winston tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Sklemin just stands there and leans against the cage.
Sklemin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Winston has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Sklemin lands a left hand.
Winston tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Sklemin just stands there and leans against the cage.
Sklemin has a couple of punches blocked by Winston.

Winston has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Sklemin uses from the top position.
Sergey Sklemin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sklemin sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Sklemin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Sklemin gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sklemin misses with a hook

and Winston counters with a takedown into side control.
Sklemin manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
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.

Sklemin looking for submissions off his back.
Winston stops Sklemin from getting back to his feet.
Sklemin is trying to control but can't.
Winston missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Winston sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sklemin defending well though.
Sklemin looks like he's trying to stand up.
Winston is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Sklemin is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Winston scores with a couple of nice shots.
Winston is stalling here. Sklemin is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Winston seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Sklemin has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Winston tries to improve position but can't.
Winston is trying to work for a sweep but Sklemin has mounted him!
Winston regains half guard.

Sklemin stands up out of the half guard.
Winston pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sklemin clinches up with Winston and pushes him back against the cage.
Winston is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Sklemin to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Harry Winston. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Winston fails to pull guard.
Winston fails to pull guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Winston is trying to pull guard but Sklemin turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Winston's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Winston takes an elbow to the forehead.
Sklemin lands an uppercut.
Sergey Sklemin seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Winston pulls Sklemin into guard.
Sklemin is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Winston is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sergey Sklemin is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Sklemin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Winston has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sklemin has managed to get both his arms back between Winston's legs - danger averted.
Sklemin passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sklemin looks up at the clock and then as Winston takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Sklemin smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Sklemin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Winston is trying to control Sklemin's posture but Sklemin avoids it.
Winston tries to bench press Sklemin off him but Sklemin keeps the position.

Sklemin decides to stand back up.

Sklemin moves into the clinch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Winston fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Sklemin lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Winston backwards.
Sklemin lands a right hand.
A short uppercut from Sklemin.
Winston fails to pull guard.
Sklemin gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Harry Winston has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sklemin landing some nice looking knees to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sergey Sklemin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sklemin has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sergey Sklemin!
After the fight, Sergey Sklemin was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.