PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jabbar Omarov (ranked 1492 p4p, 208 weight class) and Troy Anselmo (ranked 1047 p4p, 156 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Omarov
vs
Anselmo

184 cm
27
200 lbs
13 - 7 - 1

182 cm
31
188 lbs
12 - 4 - 1

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Urban Fighter

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 13 - 7 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jabbar Omarov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Troy Anselmo!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Paulsen Ambrosius and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Anselmo takes a swing at Omarov's ribcage but misses.
Anselmo has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Omarov is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Anselmo throws a big shot that misses.
Anselmo loads up on a big right hand but Omarov slips the punch.
Omarov swings for the body but Anselmo moves out of range.
Jabbar Omarov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Anselmo throws a leg kick but Omarov checks it.
Anselmo swings for the body but Omarov moves out of range.
Omarov lands a nice hook to Anselmo's body. Anselmo takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Omarov just misses with a punch to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Omarov misses the target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Anselmo throws a head kick that misses.
Omarov misses with a body punch
and Anselmo counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Anselmo dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Omarov fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Omarov fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Troy Anselmo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big left from Anselmo misses.
The fighters circling - Omarov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Anselmo looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Omarov connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Anselmo looks to score with a jab to the body but Omarov is just out of range.
Omarov doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Anselmo counters with a stiff right hand.

It looks like Jabbar Omarov has been cut.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jabbar Omarov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Anselmo lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Omarov at a distance.
Anselmo wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Anselmo is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Omarov rather than just go for the knockout.
Omarov shoots in looking for a takedown. Anselmo tries to sprawl out of it but Omarov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Anselmo manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Anselmo throws a body shot but no joy.
Omarov attempts a counter takedown but Anselmo avoids it well and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Omarov uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Anselmo.
Omarov shoots for a double leg takedown but Anselmo sprawls well. He's pushed Omarov's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A big left from Omarov misses.
Anselmo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Omarov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Anselmo throws a hook but Omarov avoids it easily.
Anselmo keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Omarov ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Anselmo ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Anselmo throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Anselmo throws a looping overhand right but Omarov ducks down to avoid it.
Anselmo pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anselmo walks into a stiff left hand from Omarov.
Omarov fails to land the takedown.
Omarov takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Omarov getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Anselmo misses the shot to the body.
Omarov will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A nice side step and Anselmo releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Omarov lands with a shot to the body.
Omarov tries for a takedown but Anselmo circles away easily
and Anselmo counters with a stiff right hand.
Anselmo throws a jab but it's blocked by Omarov.
Omarov misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Anselmo.
A little jabbing left from Anselmo on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anselmo throws the left hand but Omarov avoids the punch easily.
Omarov shoots in for a takedown but Anselmo shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Anselmo looks for the body kick but Omarov saw that one coming.
Omarov appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Omarov takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
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!
Omarov misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Omarov shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Anselmo as he avoids it easily.
Omarov misses with a takedown attempt
and Anselmo counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Omarov throws a lazy uppercut
and Anselmo counters with a low kick, right behind Omarov 's knee.
Omarov on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Anselmo thuds a left hand into Omarov's body.
A nice inside leg kick there by Anselmo. That's going to slow Omarov down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Troy Anselmo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jabbar Omarov's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Anselmo lands a nice shot to the body.
A jab from Anselmo misses.
Omarov half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Anselmo scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Omarov doesn't seem bothered though.
Omarov throws a looping overhand right but Anselmo ducks down to avoid it.

Omarov gets a takedown into half guard.
Anselmo desperately trying to maintain half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Omarov thows a huge punch but Anselmo dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Omarov throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Omarov is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Anselmo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Anselmo trying to hold on to Omarov's head to control him but Omarov postures up.
Omarov prevents Anselmo from improving his position.
Omarov trying to control from half guard but Anselmo is working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Anselmo trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Omarov is keen to just control but Anselmo is a slippery customer.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Anselmo misses with a hook.
Anselmo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Omarov avoids the body shot from Anselmo.
Omarov feinted with a counter takedown.
Omarov cracks Anselmo with an open hand slap.
Anselmo lands a really nice looking cross but Omarov seems unphased.

Omarov shoots in and bounces Anselmo off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Anselmo pushes Omarov off and gets back to his feet.
Good shot there by Omarov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anselmo on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Omarov moves out of range as Anselmo strikes.
Omarov swings for the body but Anselmo moves out of range.
Anselmo is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Anselmo misses with a lunging right hand

and Omarov counters with a takedown into side control.
Omarov working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Omarov sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Anselmo is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Omarov in side control lands a decent elbow.
We've been hearing that Omarov has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Anselmo can't do much from the bottom here.
Omarov sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Anselmo is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Omarov scores with punches from side control.
Omarov slows the pace down.
Omarov with the ground and pound but Anselmo regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Omarov drops an elbow to the side of Anselmo's head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Anselmo tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Omarov has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Omarov prevents Anselmo from getting the reversal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jabbar Omarov dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jabbar Omarov's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Anselmo missing with a left hand there. Omarov was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Anselmo gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Omarov.
Omarov waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Anselmo.
Anselmo appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Omarov slips under a jab from Anselmo.
Omarov throws an off balance right hand
and Anselmo counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Omarov displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Anselmo throws out the jab.
Anselmo scores with a jab to the body.
Anselmo scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Anselmo connects with a good right hand that stumbles Omarov. Omarov circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

Jabbar Omarov's cut is getting worse.
Omarov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Anselmo swivels and escapes.
Omarov slips under a jab.

Omarov fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Anselmo sprawls well initially but Omarov persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Omarov is just content to waste time from the top position. Anselmo takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Anselmo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Omarov sitting in guard here, content to control.
Omarov throwing strikes from guard but Anselmo blocks nicely.
Anselmo trying to control the position here.
Anselmo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Anselmo wants to sweep here but Omarov controlling him for the moment.
Jabbar Omarov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Omarov trying to control but Anselmo is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Omarov misses with a double jab.
It seemed like Anselmo was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Omarov takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Omarov throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Anselmo's waist but Anselmo gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Omarov off to one side.
Anselmo fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Omarov looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Omarov misses with an uppercut
and Anselmo counters with a solid body kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The fighters circling - Anselmo throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Anselmo moves out of range of the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anselmo scores with a body shot.
Omarov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Omarov feinted with a counter takedown.
Omarov avoids the body shot from Anselmo.
Omarov closes the distance and clinches up with Anselmo, looking for a takedown. Omarov pushes Anselmo against the cage but Anselmo circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jabbar Omarov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Anselmo looks to score with a jab to the body but Omarov is just out of range.
Omarov half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Anselmo throws a series of punches but Omarov avoids them all with ease.
Omarov misses with a straight right.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Anselmo! But no joy.
Anselmo defending well as Omarov loads up on a big left hand.
Omarov thows a left - swing and a miss!
Anselmo goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Omarov fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Anselmo looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Omarov swings widly with a right hand
and Anselmo counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Omarov thinking.
Anselmo scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Anselmo defending well as Omarov loads up on a big left hand.
Omarov throws a good cross that connects.
Omarov getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
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!
Omarov uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Anselmo.
Omarov scores with a nice strike.
Anselmo scores with a jab.
Omarov looks for a takedown but Anselmo sprawls well.
Anselmo lands a slapping body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Troy Anselmo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Anselmo has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Troy Anselmo!
In his post fight interview, Troy Anselmo started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.