PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Akhmed Gasanov (ranked 2430 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dexter Varela (ranked 2403 p4p, 0 weight class). Dexter Varela will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Gasanov
vs
Varela

178 cm
25
150 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
142 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Akhmed Gasanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Dexter Varela !
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Bart Greer and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gasanov shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Varela is trying to defend but Gasanov finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Varela is trying to escape back to his feet but Gasanov uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Gasanov is looking to take a break and control but Varela is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Varela seems a little lost for a moment, as Gasanov dominates the positioning.
Varela defending against the ground and pound.

Gasanov wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Varela , who protects the arm well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gasanov tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Varela gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Varela trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Gasanov manages to pass to mount!
Varela bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Varela prevents Gasanov from getting back to his feet.

Gasanov pushes Varela off and scrambles back to his feet.
Gasanov darts in looking for a takedown but Varela gets double underhooks and turns Gasanov into the cage.
Gasanov shoots in looking for a takedown but Varela manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gasanov's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gasanov.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Akhmed Gasanov. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gasanov tries to score a power double leg takedown but Varela sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Gasanov somewhat.
Varela looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.

Varela changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Gasanov looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Gasanov throws Varela to one side and escapes!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gasanov misses with a takedown attempt
and Varela counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Varela throws a leg kick

and Gasanov counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Gasanov passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Varela !
Varela is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gasanov is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Varela can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Gasanov raining down shots from the mount!
Gasanov tries to control but Varela wriggling away.
Varela wants to control but Gasanov is having none of it.
Varela tries to reverse the position but Gasanov maintains control.
Varela is squirming around, avoiding Gasanov's attempts to control the action.
Gasanov with the ground and pound from mount.
Varela is squirming around, avoiding Gasanov's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gasanov tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Varela really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Varela in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Varela tries to lock up and control but Gasanov gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Varela is squirming around, avoiding Gasanov's attempts to control the action.
Varela holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Gasanov tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Gasanov trying to control but Varela is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akhmed Gasanov dominated that round.
That's time! Gasanov's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Varela enables Gasanov to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Varela manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Varela not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gasanov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Varela is keeping the position for now.
Varela is trying to keep Gasanov in close.

Gasanov is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gasanov is stalling in the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Varela working a defensive guard here.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Gasanov trying to control the position from guard on top but Varela is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Varela drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Gasanov explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Akhmed Gasanov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Varela lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Varela misses with a head kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Varela fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gasanov feinted with a counter takedown.
Nice jab there from Varela .
Varela stuffs the takedown attempt from Gasanov. Gasanov gets slowly back to his feet.

Gasanov gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Varela prevents Gasanov from getting back to his feet.

Gasanov pushes Varela off and gets back to his feet.

Varela gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Gasanov to score an easy takedown into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gasanov seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Gasanov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Varela can do to turn this around?
Gasanov trying to control but Varela is working from the bottom.
Gasanov engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gasanov throwing strikes from guard but Varela blocks nicely.
Varela wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Gasanov is now in half guard.
Gasanov looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Gasanov wants to pass to mount but Varela is defending the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Varela regains full guard. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akhmed Gasanov dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Varela drives through with a takedown into Gasanov's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Varela trying to control but Gasanov is working from the bottom.
Varela wants to stand but Gasanov is controlling his posture from full guard.
Gasanov is looking to stand up but Varela isn't so interested in that idea.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Gasanov manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gasanov gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Varela regains guard.
Gasanov lands a couple of digs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gasanov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gasanov passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Gasanov tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gasanov has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Varela tries to improve position but can't.
Akhmed Gasanov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Varela is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Gasanov thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Varela is trying to control Gasanov's posture but Gasanov avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Varela is trying to get back to half guard.
Gasanov content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Varela wants to control but Gasanov postures up.
Varela stops Gasanov from passing to mount.
Varela is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Gasanov's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gasanov is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Varela doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Gasanov.
Gasanov blocks the strikes from Varela .
Gasanov looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Gasanov is trying to control the action in half guard but Varela is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

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.
Gasanov doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Varela connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Varela gets caught flat footed, as Gasanov shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Varela is trying to control the position but Gasanov postures up.

Gasanov thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Varela is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Varela throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Varela looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Varela looking to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Akhmed Gasanov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gasanov, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight for Akhmed Gasanov!
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight for Akhmed Gasanov!
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight for Akhmed Gasanov!

Akhmed Gasanov wins by unanimous decision!