PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Yuri Petrov (ranked 4277 p4p, 2491 weight class) and Michael Tavares (ranked 405 p4p, 262 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Tavares's choice of entrance music: Sandstorm. Michael Tavares acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Petrov
vs
Tavares

175 cm
22
160
2 - 3 - 0

175 cm
21
168
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Yuri Petrov !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Michael Tavares!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, William Gold and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Petrov misses the jab.

Tavares gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Tavares lands a body shot in the clinch.
Tavares has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Petrov avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Petrov lands with a left to the head.
Petrov misses with a hook from the clinch.
Tavares tries to land knees in the clinch but Petrov avoids the damage to the body.
Petrov lands an uppercut.
Tavares blocks an uppercut.
Tavares working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Tavares has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Petrov after a bit of a struggle.
Petrov throws a head punch that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head punch on the inside from Petrov fails to land.
Tavares tries to throw a body punch but Petrov avoids it by throwing Tavares back against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Tavares.
Petrov tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tavares trying to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavares working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Petrov swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Tavares can't find room to land a body shot as Petrov controls the action.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Tavares.
Petrov working aggressively here.
A nice right hand lands inside from Tavares.
Tavares controlling the action here for a moment.
A nice left hand lands by Tavares.
Petrov misses with the head strike.
Tavares lands with a short shot to the head.
Petrov blocks a body shot from Tavares.

Tavares pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Petrov bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A little feinted left hand from Petrov on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Petrov throws a right and a left that both miss.
Tavares throws out a powerful jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
A looping hook to the body misses from Petrov . Tavares does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tavares scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Petrov doesn't seem bothered though.
Petrov ducks under a wild hook from Tavares.
Petrov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Petrov takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Petrov connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

Tavares moves into range and clinches up with Petrov .
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Petrov .
Nice body punch from Tavares.

Tavares pulls guard.
Petrov has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Petrov passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Tavares is trying to improve his position.
Petrov is looking to take a break and control but Tavares is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavares is looking to reverse the position.

Petrov wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Tavares, who protects the arm well.
Tavares tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Petrov wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Petrov is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Tavares has escaped the position, nice work there.
Tavares gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's four 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.
Tavares is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Petrov looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Tavares with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Tavares is looking to improve his position.
Petrov is pressing down on Tavares's thigh, looking to free his foot. Tavares is holding on for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Petrov is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Tavares moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Petrov has gone for a leg lock! Tavares slips out almost immediately though and dives into Petrov 's guard.

And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Tavares dominated that round.
That's time! Petrov 's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Tavares jabs Petrov to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Petrov looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Tavares swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Petrov keeps the fight on the outside.
A telegraphed right hand from Tavares misses the target.
Nice defenses there by Tavares.
Tavares fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Petrov appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tavares looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tavares is looking to clinch.
Tavares slips a jab from Petrov .
A lazy left from Petrov finds it's target.
Petrov looks to land a right hand but Tavares moved out of range.
Tavares has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrov throws out a loose jab but Tavares uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tavares comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Petrov misses with a right hand
and Tavares counters with a nice uppercut.
Tavares ducks under a wild hook from Petrov .
Tavares drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Petrov defends it well.
Good shot there by Tavares.
Tavares throws a right and a left that Petrov avoids nicely.
Petrov is looking to counter punch.
Tavares takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Tavares tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Petrov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A little feinted left hand from Petrov on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

Tavares darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Petrov looking for submissions off his back.
Tavares landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Tavares looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Petrov on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Tavares is looking for a kimura but Petrov is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Tavares to get the leverage.

Petrov is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Tavares pulls his head out easily.
Tavares looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Tavares seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Petrov does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Tavares is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Petrov has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavares slows the pace down in half guard.

Petrov looking for submissions off his back.

Tavares is working for a submission of some sort.

Petrov looking for submissions off his back.
Tavares working Petrov over with strikes.

That's four 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.
Tavares passes the guard and advances to mount!
Petrov is trying desperately to improve position.
Tavares working the ground and pound effectively.
Tavares fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Petrov keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Tavares wants to take Petrov 's back but he can't do it this time.
Petrov tries to reverse the position but Tavares maintains control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Tavares showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Petrov 's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Petrov misses with an uppercut. Tavares saw that one coming.
Petrov throws an off balance right hand
and Tavares counters with a nice uppercut.
Tavares lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Petrov backs up against the cage.

Petrov is rocked!
Tavares lands with a big left! Petrov is wobbled badly! Tavares comes in with a flurry of punches and drops Petrov to the floor. The ref jumps in to save him from unneccessary punishment.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:18 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Michael Tavares!
A very excited looking Michael Tavares made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.