PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Landry Stephenson (ranked 4458 p4p, 3803 weight class) and Arseniy Tikhachev (ranked 457 p4p, 405 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Arseniy Tikhachev enters the cage!

Stephenson
vs
Tikhachev

178 cm
23
154
5 - 1 - 1

181 cm
25
162
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

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 5 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Landry Stephenson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Arseniy Tikhachev!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, William Gold and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stephenson defending well as Tikhachev loads up on a big left hand.
Stephenson moves out of range of the strikes.
Stephenson slips under a jab.

Stephenson manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Tikhachev on his heels. He'll look to pass Tikhachev's guard now, I'm sure.
Tikhachev keeping moving, preventing Stephenson from controlling successfully.
Stephenson stops Tikhachev from standing up.
Tikhachev has momentary wrist control but Stephenson slips an elbow through the middle.
Stephenson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tikhachev swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Stephenson sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Tikhachev's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tikhachev is not content to let Stephenson control the position.
Stephenson looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Stephenson is thwarting Tikhachev's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephenson controlling the action here.
Stephenson wants to control but Tikhachev is keeping him busy.

Stephenson is trying to work for a kimura but Tikhachev is defending well.
Tikhachev is looking to control Stephenson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Tikhachev avoid being mounted?
Stephenson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Tikhachev does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

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.

Stephenson is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Stephenson trying to control the pace.
Stephenson is trying to control the action in half guard but Tikhachev is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Stephenson scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Stephenson wants to control but Tikhachev is keeping him busy.
Tikhachev wants to control but Stephenson is keeping busy.
Tikhachev keeping control of the position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Stephenson landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephenson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Tikhachev's head.
Stephenson trying to control the action but Tikhachev is working from the bottom.
Stephenson wants to free his trapped foot but Tikhachev is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Tikhachev tries to roll over but Stephenson keeps him under control.
Stephenson trying to pass the guard but Tikhachev defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Tikhachev is refusing to be controlled, as Stephenson sits in half guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Tikhachev gets tackled into the cage by Stephenson. Stephenson maintains the clinch.

Tikhachev manages to break the clinch.
Stephenson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Tikhachev scores with a jab to the head.
Stephenson closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Stephenson fails with the takedown.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Stephenson slips a jab from Tikhachev.
Stephenson looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Stephenson shoots in but no luck this time.
Tikhachev let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Landry Stephenson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Tikhachev enables Stephenson to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Tikhachev manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Stephenson trying to control but Tikhachev is working from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Landry Stephenson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Tikhachev tries a head kick but it misses.
Tikhachev scores with a jab to the jaw.
Tikhachev lands a head shot.
Tikhachev lands a really nice looking cross but Stephenson seems unphased.
Stephenson shoots in for a takedown but Tikhachev shows good takedown defense.
Stephenson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Tikhachev throws out the jab.
Stephenson takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Tikhachev lands a head shot.
Tikhachev drops Stephenson with a big left hand! Stephenson is injured, injured bad! Tikhachev jumps in and finished him with strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:33 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Arseniy Tikhachev!
Arseniy Tikhachev decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.