PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Cedric Herman (ranked 8467 p4p, 712 weight class) and Jury Sobolev (ranked 8469 p4p, 713 weight class). Cedric Herman has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Herman
vs
Sobolev

195 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

186 cm
20
170 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Cedric Herman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jury Sobolev!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Wesley Smith and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Herman is looking to land body kicks.
Sobolev tries to clinch there but Herman circles away.

Sobolev clinches up with Herman and pushes him back against the cage.
Herman just leaning against Sobolev, taking a breather.
The referee calls for Herman to work.
Herman avoids a wild elbow strike from Sobolev.
Herman working aggressively here.
Herman swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Herman definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Sobolev blocks an uppercut.
Herman's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Herman is looking to control Sobolev's arms but Sobolev gets an underhook and turns him. Now Herman has his back to the cage.

Sobolev manages to break the clinch.
Herman misses with a wild body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sobolev is looking to clinch.
Herman is looking for a counter combo.
Herman scores with a leg kick.
Herman throws a nice outside leg kick.
Herman misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sobolev.
A looping hook to the body misses from Herman. Sobolev does a little dance to reset his feet.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herman working aggressively here.
Sobolev lands an elbow that stopped Herman in his tracks for a moment.
Sobolev taking a breather.
Herman tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Sobolev putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Herman in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Sobolev looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Sobolev looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Herman working aggressively here.
Herman doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Sobolev drags the fight down to the ground.
Sobolev is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Sobolev looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Herman postures up in Sobolev's guard and throws a big left but Sobolev blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sobolev looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Herman passes into half guard.

Sobolev looking for submissions off his back.
Herman really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Herman with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Sobolev is looking to improve his position.

Sobolev is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Herman pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sobolev tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Herman is controlling the pace.
Sobolev wants to get back to his feet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Sobolev tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Herman manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Herman throws a lazy right hand but Sobolev sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Sobolev wants to counter the offense by Herman and move into the clinch position.
Sobolev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Herman swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sobolev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Herman swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A looping hook to the body misses from Herman. Sobolev does a little dance to reset his feet.
Jury Sobolev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sobolev fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Herman.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Herman throws a body shot but no joy.
Sobolev fails with a takedown attempt.
Herman scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Sobolev takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Sobolev looks winded!
Herman misses with a straight right.
Herman throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Herman throws a hook but Sobolev avoids it easily.
Sobolev wants to counter the offense by Herman and move into the clinch position.
Sobolev fails in his attempt to clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sobolev ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sobolev slips under a jab.
Nice sprawl there from Herman as Sobolev shoots in.
Sobolev tries to clinch but Herman moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cedric Herman dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Herman lands with a slapping head kick.
Sobolev tries to clinch there but Herman circles away.
Herman lands a front kick.
Jury Sobolev is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Herman dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Sobolev. That did some damage!
Cedric Herman is winning the standup battle so far.
Herman moves out of range of the body kick from Sobolev.
Sobolev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sobolev is looking to clinch.

Sobolev gets a clinch.
Herman misses with a punch on the inside.
Sobolev misses with a short punch on the inside.
Herman misses with some punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee calls for Sobolev to work.
Herman swings wildly with an uppercut but Sobolev uses good head movement to avoid it.
Herman blocks an elbow strike.
Herman is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sobolev can do to turn this around?
Sobolev is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Herman to keep the fight standing.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herman throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Sobolev tries to clinch but Herman is having none of it.
Herman swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Herman just misses with a punch to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sobolev looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sobolev dives in and grabs Herman's left leg, looking for a takedown. Herman pushes down on Sobolev's head and hops out.
A slapping leg kick lands for Herman.
Herman misses with a head kick.
Herman is looking to wear down Sobolev with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Sobolev misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Cedric Herman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jury Sobolev.
Sobolev is breathing heavily.
Herman thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sobolev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Herman appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Nice defenses there by Sobolev.
Sobolev avoids the body shot from Herman.
As Herman backs off Sobolev throws a huge counter combo but Herman manages to avoid it all.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sobolev closes this distance looking for a takedown but Herman circles away.
Sobolev wants to clinch up but Herman keeps it at a distance.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Herman.
Herman throws a body shot but no joy.
Herman dips to his left and cracks Sobolev with an uppercut!
Herman avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Herman misses with an uppercut.
A looping hook to the body misses from Herman. Sobolev does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sobolev is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Sobolev tries to clinch but Herman is having none of it.
Sobolev tries to clinch up.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Herman avoids a kick to the body.
Cedric Herman is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Herman throws a jab but it's blocked by Sobolev.
Sobolev tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Herman manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Herman misses with the combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sobolev has a takedown stuffed.
Sobolev swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Herman throws a quick inside leg kick.
Herman swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Herman misses with a hook. Sobolev ducked under it nicely.
Sobolev shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Herman as he jumps to the side.
Herman thinks about countering with a body kick.
Sobolev misses with a wild body shot.
Herman lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Sobolev is looking to clinch but Herman is avoiding it.
Herman is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Sobolev fails with an attempt to clinch.
Herman thows a left - swing and a miss!
Herman misses with a straight right.
Sobolev throws a counter combo.

Sobolev rushes Herman and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Herman misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sobolev with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Herman swings wildly with an uppercut but Sobolev uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sobolev tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Herman throws a head punch that misses.
Herman throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Sobolevs head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Herman.
Jury Sobolev seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sobolev blocking some punches.
Sobolev tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Herman.
Herman misses with a hook from the clinch.
Sobolev throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Herman working aggressively here.
Herman misses with a hook from the clinch.
Herman working aggressively here.
Sobolev is looking to take this one to the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cedric Herman dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Herman dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Sobolev. That did some damage!
Sobolev darts in looking for a takedown but Herman gets double underhooks and turns Sobolev into the cage.
Sobolev on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Herman. Herman obviously looking to wear him down.
Sobolev moves to clinch but Herman breaks away
and Herman counters with a nice low kick that buckles Sobolev's knee momentarily.
Herman throws a quick inside leg kick.
Sobolev tries to clinch up but Herman circles away and keeps his distance.
Herman throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sobolev swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Herman throws a hook to the side of Sobolev's head but Sobolev sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Sobolev ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Herman stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Herman wants it to stay on the feet.
Sobolev takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sobolev ducks under a wild hook from Herman.
Sobolev staying out of range there.
Sobolev is looking to clinch but Herman is avoiding it.
Herman throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herman thows a body kick. Sobolev tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Sobolev tries to clinch up but Herman circles away and keeps his distance.
Herman misses with a straight right.
Sobolev throws a head kick that misses
and Herman counters with an inside leg kick.
Herman throws a big shot that misses.
Herman throws a jab when Sobolev was well out of range.
Sobolev slips under a jab.
Sobolev ducks under a wild hook from Herman.
Sobolev's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Sobolev on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Sobolev uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Herman.
Herman fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Herman takes a swing at Sobolev's ribcage but misses.
Sobolev tries to close the distance and clinch but Herman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sobolev tries to clinch but Herman is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herman misses with a straight left.
Sobolev tries to clinch there but Herman circles away.
Sobolev takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Herman sizes up Sobolev with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Sobolev tries to close the distance and clinch but Herman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sobolev is defended easily by Herman.
Cedric Herman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jury Sobolev.
Herman misses with a straight left.
Sobolev looks to clinch
and Herman counters with an inside leg kick.
Sobolev chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Herman can pounce on him.
Sobolev wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Herman lands a big head kick that sends Sobolev tumbling to the mat! Herman takes a step backwards and waves Sobolev back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Sobolev is rocked!
An inside leg kick lands from Herman.
Sobolev is still on wobbly legs! Can Herman finish him?
Herman closes the distance and lands a brutal uppercut that knocks Sobolev out! We're looking at the replay now - he was out before he hit the floor!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:21 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Cedric Herman!