PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Toktogulovich Bakiyev (ranked 1090 p4p, 133 weight class) and Evgeni Elkemenchi (ranked 1130 p4p, 139 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bakiyev
vs
Elkemenchi

171 cm
38
163 lbs
26 - 26 - 0

172 cm
30
168 lbs
13 - 10 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
Sin City Allstars

Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 26 - 26 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Toktogulovich Bakiyev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 10 - 1, fighting out of New York, Evgeni Elkemenchi!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Robert Douchet and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Good standup being displayed there by Bakiyev as he connects with a hook.
A shot to the body from Elkemenchi misses
and Bakiyev connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Elkemenchi blocks a jab.
Elkemenchi swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Bakiyev counters with a left to the body.
Bakiyev throws the left hand but Elkemenchi avoids the punch easily.
Elkemenchi let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Elkemenchi with a hook.
Elkemenchi misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Bakiyev counters with a nice uppercut.
Elkemenchi scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
We've been told by Bakiyev's head coaches at Xtreme Fighting Systems that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Elkemenchi lands a nice shot that snaps Bakiyev's head back.
Elkemenchi fails with the takedown
and Bakiyev counters with a nice uppercut.
Elkemenchi has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Elkemenchi feints and as Bakiyev raises his hands in defense, Elkemenchi changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Elkemenchi throws a big right hand that misses.
Elkemenchi prevents Bakiyev from getting back to his feet.
Elkemenchi wants to pass the guard but Bakiyev is keeping the position.
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.

Bakiyev pushes Elkemenchi off and gets back to his feet.
Elkemenchi takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Bakiyev lands with a shot to the body.
Bakiyev throws a body shot but no joy.
Elkemenchi tries a quick counter leg kick but Bakiyev is wise to it.
Bakiyev slips a jab from Elkemenchi.
Bakiyev throwing a counter right hand but Elkemenchi manages to avoid it.
Toktogulovich Bakiyev is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Elkemenchi looks to land a left hand but Bakiyev moved out of range nicely.
Bakiyev is looking to counter punch.
Bakiyev fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Elkemenchi looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Bakiyev connects with a crisp jab.
Elkemenchi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Bakiyev ducks under a wild hook from Elkemenchi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bakiyev stuns Elkemenchi with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Bakiyev pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Elkemenchi connects with a body shot that sends Bakiyev's belly button to the back.
Elkemenchi misses with a straight left.
A quick step to the side and Bakiyev tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nice shot by Bakiyev.
A left lands for Elkemenchi.
Elkemenchi misses with a looping right.
Bakiyev takes a swing at Elkemenchi's ribcage but misses.
Elkemenchi throws a nice outside leg kick.
Bakiyev on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Elkemenchi lands a really nice looking cross but Bakiyev seems unphased.
Nice shot lands for Elkemenchi.
Evgeni Elkemenchi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Elkemenchi walks into a left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Elkemenchi doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Elkemenchi misses with a left hand
and Bakiyev counters with a right hand to the body.
Elkemenchi looks to land a right hand but Bakiyev moved out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Elkemenchi misses the target.
Bakiyev is looking to counter punch.

Elkemenchi shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Bakiyev manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Elkemenchi stops Bakiyev from standing up.
Elkemenchi wants to stand and escape but instead Bakiyev has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Bakiyev wants to stand but Elkemenchi is controlling his posture from full guard.
Elkemenchi has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Elkemenchi has his foot on Bakiyev's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bakiyev works his way back into a safe position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Elkemenchi is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Bakiyev gets to his feet. Elkemenchi looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Elkemenchi smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Nice uppercut there from Elkemenchi.
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!
Bakiyev misses with a wild body shot.
Bakiyev scores with a body shot.
Bakiyev slips under a jab from Elkemenchi.
Elkemenchi lands a nice shot to the body.
Elkemenchi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bakiyev.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Toktogulovich Bakiyev will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Elkemenchi cracks Bakiyev with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Elkemenchi throws a jab when Bakiyev was well out of range.
Bakiyev lands with a right hand.
Elkemenchi tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bakiyev swivels and escapes.
Bakiyev was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Bakiyev takes a swing at Elkemenchi's ribcage but misses.
Toktogulovich Bakiyev is winning the standup battle so far.
Elkemenchi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Elkemenchi throws a lazy uppercut
and Bakiyev counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Elkemenchi throws an off balance right hand
and Bakiyev counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Bakiyev walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bakiyev avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Elkemenchi throws a shot from downtown. Bakiyev moves away and avoids it.
Elkemenchi throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Bakiyev misses the shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bakiyev. Elkemenchi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Elkemenchi scores with a one two! Bakiyev had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Bakiyev is rocked!
Bakiyev punishes Elkemenchi's body with a nice straight punch.
Oh Bakiyev is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Elkemenchi thows a left - swing and a miss!
A big right from Elkemenchi misses.
Bakiyev is looking to counter punch.
Bakiyev swings for the body but Elkemenchi moves out of range.
Bakiyev seems to have got his legs back now.
Elkemenchi scores with a nice strike.
Elkemenchi throws a leg kick
and Bakiyev counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A head kick by Elkemenchi misses
enabling Bakiyev to counter with a crisp jab.
Elkemenchi misses with an uppercut
enabling Bakiyev to counter with a crisp jab.
Bakiyev tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Elkemenchi was well out of range. Poor timing from Bakiyev.
Elkemenchi looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Elkemenchi swings widly with a right hand
and Bakiyev counters with a nice body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Elkemenchi takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
A punch lands to the side of Elkemenchi 's head but he takes it in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Elkemenchi scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Bakiyev takes a swing at Elkemenchi's ribcage but misses.
Bakiyev moves out of range of the strikes.
Elkemenchi misses with an uppercut
and Bakiyev counters with a right hand to the body.
A jab from Elkemenchi misses.
An attempted straight right counter from Bakiyev misses the target.
Bakiyev lands with a shot to the body.
An inside leg kick lands from Elkemenchi.
Elkemenchi throws a hook to the side of Bakiyev's head but Bakiyev sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Elkemenchi misses with a lunging right hand
and Bakiyev counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Elkemenchi takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Bakiyev tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Bakiyev avoids the body shot from Elkemenchi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bakiyev lands an overhand right.
Elkemenchi feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Bakiyevs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Bakiyev slips under a jab.
Bakiyev throws an off balance right hand
and Elkemenchi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Bakiyev gets caught by a big overhand right and goes down! Elkemenchi gets on top of him and starts throwing some serious punches until the ref intervenes and stops the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:25 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Evgeni Elkemenchi!
Evgeni Elkemenchi really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200) logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.