PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mike Anal (ranked 4698 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jacob Graham (ranked 6097 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Anal
vs
Graham

179 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
19
155 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mike Anal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jacob Graham!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Valeri Chadov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Graham tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Anal manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Graham clinches up against the cage.
Anal keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Graham's efforts to push away.
Anal blocking some punches.
Graham is stalling here.

Graham manages to break the clinch.
Graham fails with an attempt to clinch.
Anal is looking for a counter combo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Anal keeps the fight on the outside.
Anal is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Graham.
Anal ducks right into an uppercut from Graham.
Graham tries to close the distance and clinch but Anal swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graham wants to clinch.
Graham tries to clinch there but Anal circles away.
An attempted straight right counter from Anal misses the target.

Graham clinches.

Anal breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Graham throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Anal's waist but Anal gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Graham off to one side.
Anal swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Graham wants to clinch up but Anal keeps it at a distance.
Graham wants to clinch up but Anal keeps it at a distance.
As Graham looks to move away, Anal throws a big counter combo but Graham just gets out of the way.
Graham doesn't manage to clinch there - Anal circles away.
Anal was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Graham has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Anal is landing a low percentage of strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anal avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Anal wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Graham ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Anal moves away.
Graham tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Anal appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Graham is looking to clinch.
Anal tries to counter by clinching up but Graham breaks away and moves out of range.
Graham tries to score a power double leg takedown but Anal sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Graham somewhat.
Anal moves out of range of the body kick from Graham.
Graham pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Anal keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graham fails to land with a series of punches.
Graham is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Graham wants to clinch.
Graham tries to close the distance and clinch but Anal swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Anal half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Graham shoots in and drives through. Anal sprawls well.
Mike Anal has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jacob Graham.
Graham tries to clinch up but Anal circles away and keeps his distance.
Graham attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graham tries to clinch but Anal is having none of it.
Graham tries to clinch up.
Anal attempts a counter takedown but Graham avoids it well and moves away.
Graham tries to close the distance and clinch up but Anal swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Anal seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

Graham gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Graham tries to circle away but Anal has him pinned against the cage.
Anal misses with a knee to the head.
Graham manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Anal breaks the clinch.
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 Mike Anal will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Graham has closed the distance and engaged Anal in a clinch.

Anal breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Graham fails in his attempt to clinch.
Anal throws a quick counter head kick but Graham was just out of range.
Anal chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Graham can pounce on him.
Graham pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Anal throws a big counter combination but Graham scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Graham tries to close the distance and clinch but Anal swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Graham tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Anal manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Graham tries to clinch there but Anal circles away.
Graham tries to clinch but Anal is having none of it.
Anal throws a big counter combination but Graham scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Graham clinches with his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Anal escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Graham throws a solid leg kick but Anal takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Graham.
Anal went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Graham wants to clinch but Anal slips to the side
letting Anal counter with a right hand.
Mike Anal is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Graham tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Anal wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.

Graham fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Anal, pushing him back against the cage.

Anal pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mike Anal is winning the standup battle so far.
Graham tries to close the distance and clinch up but Anal swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Anal throws a big counter combination but Graham scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Graham tries to score a power double leg takedown but Anal sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Graham somewhat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graham tries to clinch there but Anal circles away.
Graham is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And Anal counters with a quick kick to the body but Graham blocks it.
Graham changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Anal tries to avoid it but Graham manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Anal to the ground. Anal escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Graham.
Graham throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Anal is looking for a counter combo.
Graham throws the left hand but Anal avoids the punch easily.

Graham drives through and clinches with Anal against the cage.
Graham misses with a knee strike.
Graham is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graham is trying to force a seperation but Anal has the dominant position.
The referee calls for Anal to work.
Graham is struggling to control the position.

Anal's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Graham tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Graham clinches up with Anal and pushes him back against the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
A short uppercut from Anal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anal lands a hook that snaps the head of Graham backwards.
Anal blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Graham wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Graham is trying to break the clinch but Anal is controlling him.
Anal working Graham over with knees to the body.
Anal softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Graham's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Graham is looking to clinch.
Anal feinted with a counter takedown.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Graham is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Anal is looking to counter the offense by Graham and move into the clinch.
Jacob Graham seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Graham clinches up with Anal and pushes him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mike Anal will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Graham moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
A head kick from Graham lands but Anal takes it in his stride.
Graham tries to clinch but Anal moves out of range.
A good leg kick by Graham.
Graham throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Graham swings for the body but Anal moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Anal swats away the attempt to clinch by Graham.
It looked like Anal wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

Graham rushes Anal and presses him up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graham is trying to stall.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Anal creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Graham wants to stall.
Anal lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Graham breaks from the clinch.
Graham tries to clinch there but Anal circles away.
As Graham looks to move away, Anal throws a big counter combo but Graham just gets out of the way.
Graham wants to clinch but Anal slips to the side
and Anal connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Graham throws a series of punches but Anal moves out of range.
Anal seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graham moves to clinch but Anal breaks away
and Anal counters with a left and a right that stings Graham.
The fight stays on the outside here - Graham looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Graham fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Anal is out of range.
Anal swats away the attempt to clinch by Graham.
A little feinted left hand from Anal on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Graham doesn't manage to clinch there - Anal circles away.
Graham fails with an attempt to clinch.
Jacob Graham has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graham tries to close the distance and clinch but Anal swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Graham tries to clinch but Anal is having none of it.
Graham wants to clinch.
Anal tries to counter by clinching up but Graham breaks away and moves out of range.
Anal keeps the fight on the outside.
Graham tries to clinch but Anal moves out of range.
Anal drops down looking for a counter takedown but Graham sprawls and moves away.
Graham wants to clinch up but Anal keeps it at a distance.
It looked like Anal wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Anal swats away the attempt to clinch by Graham.
Anal seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

That's four 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.
Graham moves in looking to clinch but Anal pushes him off.
Graham tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Graham moves in looking to clinch but Anal pushes him off.
The fight stays on the outside here - Graham looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Anal feinted with a counter takedown.
Graham looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Anal throws a big counter combination but Graham scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Graham rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Anal moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Anal went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Graham takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Graham throws the kick towards the body but Anal avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mike Anal.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Anal, 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mike Anal!