PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Salaiman Firouzadeh (ranked 3606 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jerede Baya (ranked 3469 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Firouzadeh
vs
Baya

178 cm
26
156 lbs
6 - 1 - 1

179 cm
26
156 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Heavy handed

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 6 - 1 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Salaiman Firouzadeh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jerede Baya!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Ivan Kurochkin and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baya closes the distance and clinches up with Firouzadeh, looking for a takedown. Baya pushes Firouzadeh against the cage but Firouzadeh circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Baya dives in for a single leg takedown but Firouzadeh sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Firouzadeh closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Baya to the mat! Baya manages to get full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Firouzadeh is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Firouzadeh wants to get up but he can't break Baya's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Firouzadeh slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Firouzadeh knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Baya on the ground.
Baya looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baya wants to stand up but Firouzadeh is controlling him.

Firouzadeh 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.
Baya preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
No luck for Firouzadeh with that takedown attempt.
Baya is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Firouzadeh with a body shot.
Baya throws a nice head kick!

It looks like Salaiman Firouzadeh has been cut.
Baya ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
No luck for Baya with that takedown attempt.
Salaiman Firouzadeh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jerede Baya.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baya tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Firouzadeh defends well and Baya ends up having to push Firouzadeh into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Firouzadeh takes the fight into the clinch.
Firouzadeh keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Baya's efforts to push away.

Baya jumps guard and drags Firouzadeh to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Firouzadeh looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Baya wants to stand and escape but Firouzadeh is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Firouzadeh controls from within his opponent's guard.
Baya wants to stand but Firouzadeh is controlling the position.
Firouzadeh is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Baya had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Firouzadeh defends it easily.
Firouzadeh works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Firouzadeh drops an elbow to the side of Baya's head.
Baya manages to get to full guard.
Firouzadeh stops Baya from standing up.
Firouzadeh stays in close to Baya's body and controls the position.
Firouzadeh has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Firouzadeh wanted to stand there but Baya had control of the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salaiman Firouzadeh dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Salaiman Firouzadeh's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Firouzadeh gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Baya is working for takedown but Firouzadeh is calmly controlling the position for now.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Baya has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Firouzadeh avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Firouzadeh tries to break the clinch but Baya is controlling the position.

Firouzadeh has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Baya uses from the top position.

Firouzadeh working for a triangle but Baya defends it easily.
Baya postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baya trying to control the position from guard on top but Firouzadeh is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Firouzadeh manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Baya manages to get himself to full guard.

Baya preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Baya trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Firouzadeh sitting in guard here, content to control.

Baya is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Firouzadeh preventing the sweep.
Firouzadeh is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Firouzadeh postures up.
Baya keeping full guard, as Firouzadeh tries to pass.
Firouzadeh passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Firouzadeh working the body and head with strikes.
Baya is looking to regain half guard here but Firouzadeh keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baya on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Firouzadeh is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Baya can do to turn this around?
Firouzadeh tries to move to mount but Baya blocks the move with his legs.
Baya is trying to escape the position but Firouzadeh is controlling the position.
Baya tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Baya can't do much from the bottom here.
The referee asks Firouzadeh politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Firouzadeh prefers to stall for the moment though.

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.

Firouzadeh tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Firouzadeh has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Baya is looking for a sweep.
Baya is trying to buck Firouzadeh off.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Baya tries to close the distance and clinch but Firouzadeh swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Firouzadeh shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Firouzadeh showed some decent athleticism there.
Baya has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Firouzadeh is working away from the top position though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The fighters are battling for position here. Baya manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salaiman Firouzadeh dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Salaiman Firouzadeh's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Firouzadeh fails to land with a series of punches.

Firouzadeh throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Baya tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Firouzadeh is in Baya's guard.

Firouzadeh avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Firouzadeh showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Firouzadeh won't allow Baya to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baya is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Firouzadeh postures up and lands a big shot to Baya's brow.
Firouzadeh controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Baya wants to sweep but no luck.
Firouzadeh controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Baya closes the distance looking to clinch

and Firouzadeh counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Firouzadeh is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Firouzadeh landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Baya missing with punches from the bottom.
Firouzadeh sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Firouzadeh is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Baya pushes Firouzadeh off looking to stand but Firouzadeh dives back in and keeps control.
Baya trying to control but Firouzadeh postures up.
Firouzadeh trying to control the pace.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Firouzadeh tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Firouzadeh tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Firouzadeh slaps away a takedown attempt from Baya, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Firouzadeh closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Firouzadeh lands in his opponent's guard.
Firouzadeh postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Firouzadeh stays in close to Baya's body and controls the position.
Firouzadeh pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Baya is keeping the position for now.
Firouzadeh has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Baya is proving hard to escape from.
Baya can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Firouzadeh controls the pace.
Salaiman Firouzadeh overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Baya has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Firouzadeh doesn't defend quickly enough and Baya has managed to lock this one up! Can Firouzadeh escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Baya on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Jerede Baya!