PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eric Talbert (ranked 5079 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrey Arlovsky (ranked 4601 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Talbert
vs
Arlovsky

179 cm
21
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Eric Talbert!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Andrey Arlovsky!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shigeki Sano and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Talbert walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Arlovsky forces Talbert back against the cage and clinches.

Talbert breaks the clinch.
Arlovsky dips to his left and cracks Talbert with an uppercut!
A leg kick checked by Talbert.
Talbert fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Arlovsky avoids it really well and circles away.
Arlovsky pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Arlovsky as Talbert shoots in.

Arlovsky has Talbert up against the cage in a clinch.

Talbert manages to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Arlovsky throws a body kick that misses
and Talbert counters with a right hand to the body.
Talbert fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eric Talbert. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Arlovsky throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Arlovsky looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Talbert drops down looking for a counter takedown but Arlovsky sprawls and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arlovsky tries to bum rush Talbert with a series of wild strikes but Talbert uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Talbert looks for a takedown but Arlovsky sprawls well.

Arlovsky rushes Talbert and presses him up against the cage.

Talbert pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Talbert darts in looking for a takedown but Arlovsky gets double underhooks and turns Talbert into the cage.
Arlovsky throws out a counter right but Talbert avoids it with no problem.
Arlovsky misses with a series of wild punches.
Arlovsky misses with a combination

and Talbert counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Talbert.
Arlovsky is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Talbert gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Talbert breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Talbert shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Arlovsky but Arlovsky pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Talbert closes the distance and pushes Arlovsky back into the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Arlovsky.
Arlovsky trying to land knees to the body.
Arlovsky drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Talbert gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Arlovsky tries to pull guard but Talbert holds him up against the cage and eventually Arlovsky drops back down to his feet.
Arlovsky is trying to pull guard but Talbert turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Talbert decides to pull guard.
Arlovsky postures up.
Talbert is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arlovsky tries to stand but Talbert is controlling from the bottom.

Arlovsky avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Arlovsky pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Talbert is keeping the position for now.
Arlovsky really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Talbert. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Talbert wants to get back to his feet but Arlovsky is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Arlovsky wants to stand but Talbert has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Arlovsky postures up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Talbert throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Arlovsky's waist but Arlovsky gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Talbert off to one side.
Arlovsky misses with a leg kick.
Arlovsky throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Arlovsky looks for a takedown but Talbert sprawls well.
Talbert half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Talbert looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Arlovsky shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Talbert as he avoids it easily.
Arlovsky throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
It looked like Talbert was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Talbert takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Arlovsky stuns Talbert with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Arlovsky lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Arlovsky.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrey Arlovsky dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Arlovsky looks for the body kick but Talbert saw that one coming.
Arlovsky is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.

Arlovsky takes the fight into the clinch.
Talbert prevents a takedown attempt there.
Talbert working Arlovsky over with knees to the body.
Arlovsky prevents a takedown attempt there.

Arlovsky breaks the clinch.
Andrey Arlovsky seems to be getting the better of the standup.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Arlovsky tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Arlovsky clinches up against the cage.

Talbert breaks from the clinch.
Sloppy strikes from Arlovsky. Those never looked like landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arlovsky throws a series of punches but Talbert avoids them all with ease.
A left and a right from Arlovsky both land. Nice combination.

Arlovsky closes the distance and clinches.
Arlovsky trying to control the position but instead, Talbert has worked for underhooks and has pushed Arlovsky into the cage.
Talbert wants to take the fight to the mat but Arlovsky manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Arlovsky's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Arlovsky takes the fight into the clinch.
Talbert content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Talbert drags the fight down to the ground.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Talbert trying to keep a closed guard but Arlovsky is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arlovsky would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Arlovsky wants to control from the top but Talbert keeps moving.
Talbert throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Talbert has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Arlovsky is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Arlovsky is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Arlovsky misses with an elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Arlovsky breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Talbert looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Arlovsky defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Talbert.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eric Talbert. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Talbert drives through and clinches with Arlovsky against the cage.
Arlovsky can't find room to land a body shot as Talbert controls the action.
Talbert jumps guard but Arlovsky stands there with Talbert around his waist. Talbert gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Arlovsky wants to take the fight to the mat but Talbert manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Arlovsky tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Arlovsky manages to break the clinch.
Arlovsky throws a push kick but Talbert slaps the foot to one side.

Talbert gets tackled into the cage by Arlovsky. Arlovsky maintains the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Arlovsky breaks from the clinch.
Arlovsky has a takedown stuffed.
Some bone on bone action there as Talbert checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Talbert quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
The fighters circle momentarily. Arlovsky darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Arlovsky lands a nice shot that snaps Talbert's head back.
Arlovsky throws out a powerful jab.
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!
Arlovsky lands a two punch combo.

It looks like Eric Talbert has been cut.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Arlovsky is defended easily by Talbert.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrey Arlovsky showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Eric Talbert's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Arlovsky moves into the clinch.

Talbert manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Talbert might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Talbert is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Arlovsky wants to stand but Talbert is controlling his posture from full guard.
Arlovsky has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Talbert keeping moving, preventing Arlovsky from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Arlovsky throws a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Talbert has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Arlovsky can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Arlovsky would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Talbert looking to control.
Talbert wants to stand but Arlovsky is controlling the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Talbert dodges the punch combination from Arlovsky.
Arlovsky scores with a one two! Talbert had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Talbert has managed to clinch.
Arlovsky tries for a takedown. No joy.
Arlovsky wants a takedown but no success here.
Arlovsky takes a knee right on the jaw!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Arlovsky looking to stall.
Talbert is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Arlovsky is defending well.
Arlovsky is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Talbert pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Eric Talbert has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andrey Arlovsky.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Arlovsky breaks the clinch.
Arlovsky scores with a jab. Talbert acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Talbert pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Arlovsky throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Arlovsky has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Talbert misses with the body kick
letting Arlovsky counter with a right hand.
Talbert shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Arlovsky sprawls well. Arlovsky wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Talbert gets slowly back to his feet.
Arlovsky looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Andrey Arlovsky seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A combination from Talbert does no damage.
Arlovsky darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Arlovsky throws a front kick aimed at Talbert's knee but Talbert avoids it well.
Talbert appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.

Talbert gets tackled into the cage by Arlovsky. Arlovsky maintains the clinch.
Arlovsky is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Talbert is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Arlovsky breaks from the clinch.
Talbert moves out of range of the body kick from Arlovsky.
Arlovsky throws the kick towards the body but Talbert avoids it.
Talbert tries to score a power double leg takedown but Arlovsky sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Talbert somewhat.
Arlovsky fails to land the takedown.
Eric Talbert has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Arlovsky's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Arlovsky duly obliges.
Eric Talbert is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Arlovsky uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Talbert.
Talbert moves forwards but Arlovsky connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Arlovsky fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Talbert on the side of the head.

Talbert is rocked!

And that's the end of the fight!
Andrey Arlovsky comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Arlovsky winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight for Andrey Arlovsky!
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight for Andrey Arlovsky!
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight for Andrey Arlovsky!

Andrey Arlovsky wins by unanimous decision!