PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kyril Mostakaev (ranked 1178 p4p, 1676 weight class) and Mad Panda (ranked 98 p4p, 141 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Mad Panda was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Mostakaev
vs
Panda

165 cm
28
153
14 - 9 - 0

150 cm
22
135
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

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 14 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kyril Mostakaev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mad Panda!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Alec Ball and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Panda shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Mostakaev napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Panda controls the position.

Panda looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Mostakaev is being controlled here.
Mostakaev has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Panda is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Mostakaev is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mostakaev is trying to improve his position.
Mostakaev wants to control but Panda postures up.

Panda is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Mostakaev is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Panda tries for a kimura but Mostakaev is defending well.
Panda controls the position.

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.
Mostakaev is trying to control Panda's posture but Panda avoids it.
Panda controls the position.

Panda goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Mostakaev has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Panda but great work by Mostakaev.
Mostakaev just content to control the position.
Panda is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mostakaev remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Mostakaev advances to mount.
Panda tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Mostakaev controlling from the full mount.
Mostakaev looking to control but Panda is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Panda wants to hold on but Mostakaev pushes him away.
Panda is in all sorts of trouble here.
Panda is squirming around, avoiding Mostakaev's attempts to control the action.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Panda is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mad Panda will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Mostakaev stuffs the takedown.
Mostakaev is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Panda.
Mostakaev wants to clinch up but Panda keeps it at a distance.
Panda dives in for a single leg takedown but Mostakaev sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Mostakaev darts in and clinches Panda up against the cage.
Panda jumps guard but Mostakaev stands there with Panda around his waist. Panda gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Kyril Mostakaev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mad Panda.
Mostakaev fails to pull guard.
Panda tries to pull guard but Mostakaev forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Mostakaev fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Panda tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Mostakaev jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Panda walks away with a smile on his face. Mostakaev gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Panda fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Mostakaev to the ground. Panda is now in Mostakaev's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mostakaev keeping full guard, as Panda tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mostakaev is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mostakaev keeping moving, preventing Panda from controlling successfully.
Mostakaev working a defensive guard here.
Mostakaev keeping moving, preventing Panda from controlling successfully.
Panda controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Panda trying to control the position from guard on top but Mostakaev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Mostakaev escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Panda gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Mostakaev working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Panda doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Panda manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Mostakaev wants to control but Panda passes easily into half guard.

Panda wants to work for an arm triangle but Mostakaev is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Panda has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Mostakaev trying to hold on to Panda's head to control him but Panda postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Panda controlling the pace.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Panda misses with a takedown attempt - Mostakaev sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Panda drives through and clinches with Mostakaev against the cage.
Panda tries to pull guard but Mostakaev holds him up against the cage and eventually Panda drops back down to his feet.

Mostakaev pulls Panda into guard.
Panda is stalling in the full guard.
Mostakaev pulls Panda in close to his closed guard and prevents Panda from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mostakaev controls Panda momentarily but Panda frees himself.
Mostakaev working a defensive guard but Panda passes into half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Panda trying to control the action but Mostakaev is working from the bottom.

Panda is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mad Panda showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Panda clinches up against the cage.
Panda tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Mostakaev jumps guard but Panda stands there with Mostakaev around his waist. Mostakaev gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Panda jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mostakaev walks away with a smile on his face. Panda gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Panda misses with a takedown attempt - Mostakaev sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Kyril Mostakaev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mad Panda.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mostakaev clinches up against the cage.

Mostakaev jumps guard and drags Panda to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Mostakaev not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Panda wants to control from the top but Mostakaev keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mostakaev wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Mostakaev is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Panda sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

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.
Mostakaev wants to clinch.
Panda drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Mostakaev defends it well.
Mostakaev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mad Panda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Panda tries to score a power double leg takedown but Mostakaev sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Panda somewhat.
Panda shoots in for a double leg but Mostakaev sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mostakaev is looking to counter the offense by Panda and move into the clinch.

Panda rushes Mostakaev and presses him up against the cage.
Panda fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Mostakaev pulls guard effortlessly.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mostakaev holds on and takes a little breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mostakaev is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Mostakaev throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Mostakaev pulls Panda in close to prevent any damage.
Kyril Mostakaev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mad Panda has got the better of the ground game so far.
Panda trying to control but Mostakaev is working from the bottom.
Mostakaev working a defensive guard but Panda manages to pass into side control anyway.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Mostakaev can't do much from the bottom here.
Panda staying calm.
Mostakaev tries to control but Panda manages to take his back.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mostakaev trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

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 Kyril Mostakaev.
I think Panda 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mad Panda!