PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mikheil Berishvili (ranked 1248 p4p, 1664 weight class) and Daniel Dux (ranked 113 p4p, 146 weight class). Berishvili's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Acharuli Gandagana. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Berishvili
vs
Dux

159 cm
23
135
11 - 5 - 0

180 cm
21
150
4 - 0 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mikheil Berishvili!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Daniel Dux!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, James Atkins and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Berishvili blocks a jab.

Berishvili gets in close and instigates a clinch.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Dux has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.

Berishvili pulls guard effortlessly.

Berishvili is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Dux is aware though and is defending well.

Berishvili has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Dux can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Dux looking to sit in guard and control but Berishvili gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Berishvili definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Berishvili tries to free his leg and advance position but Dux is retaining full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Berishvili's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Dux working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dux wants to sweep here but Berishvili controlling him for the moment.
Berishvili not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Dux isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Berishvili stacks Dux on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Berishvili!
Berishvili wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dux keeps working.

That's two 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.
Dux manages to get back to half guard.
Dux wants to get back to full guard.
Well, if Berishvili is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Dux is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Berishvili passes to side control.

Berishvili tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Berishvili has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Dux is trying to get back to half guard.

Berishvili is trying to get an arm triangle but Dux is defending well.
Dux manages to work his way to half guard, despite Berishvili's best efforts.

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.
Berishvili stalling away here and it's allowed Dux to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Dux bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Berishvili's guard.

Dux advances to half guard.
Berishvili wants to control but Dux is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Berishvili actively working from the bottom here.
Dux tries to pass to full mount but Berishvili defends it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mikheil Berishvili dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Berishvili moves out of range of the strikes.

Berishvili moves into range and clinches up with Dux.

Berishvili pulls Dux into guard.

Berishvili looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Berishvili has his foot on Dux's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Dux works his way back into a safe position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dux trying to control but Berishvili is working from the bottom.
Berishvili is trying to control the position but Dux postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Berishvili looking for a guillotine here but Dux defends easily.
Dux pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Berishvili is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dux passes Berishvili's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Berishvili tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Dux has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Dux is looking to work his way around to Berishvili's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Dux can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Berishvili is looking to escape.
Dux is trying to take his opponent's back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dux tries to control but Berishvili wriggling away.
Berishvili bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Berishvili passes into half guard.
Dux makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Dux.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dux has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Berishvili has passed into side control.
Dux is trying to improve his position.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Berishvili here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Dux can't do much from the bottom here.
Dux is looking for a sweep.
Mikheil Berishvili overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

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.
Berishvili wants to control but Dux is keeping him busy.
Dux is looking for a sweep.
Berishvili is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Dux can do to turn this around?
Dux is not content to let Berishvili control the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dux manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mikheil Berishvili dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Berishvili tries to clinch up.
Berishvili tries to clinch but Dux moves out of range.
Dux smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Dux's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Dux duly obliges.

Dux gets tackled into the cage by Berishvili. Berishvili maintains the clinch.
Dux tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Berishvili is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Dux to keep the fight standing.
Berishvili tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Dux smiles and moves away.

Berishvili closes the distance and pushes Dux back into the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Dux jumps into guard, dragging Berishvili to the mat.

Dux looking for a guillotine here but Berishvili defends easily.
Berishvili tries to free his leg and advance position but Dux is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dux wants to sweep here but Berishvili controlling him for the moment.
Dux looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Berishvili puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Berishvili trying to control the action but Dux is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Berishvili is looking for a kimura here.
Dux keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Dux trying to hold on to Berishvili's head to control him but Berishvili postures up.
Berishvili keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab lands there for Dux.

Berishvili closes the distance and clinches.
Berishvili is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Dux to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikheil Berishvili. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Berishvili tries to pull guard but Dux won't allow it.

Dux turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Dux manages to end up in side control.
Dux trying to control the position but Berishvili is working away.
Dux misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

Dux tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Dux has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Dux advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dux punching from mount but Berishvili doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Dux wants to control the pace but Berishvili is squirming around nicely.
Berishvili tries to hold on but Dux postures up.
Dux with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Daniel Dux has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dux throwing strikes but Berishvili recovers to half guard. A much better position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daniel Dux comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Berishvili has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mikheil Berishvili!
A victorious Mikheil Berishvili thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.