PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mikheil Berishvili (ranked 1115 p4p, 1642 weight class) and Dharya Bhate (ranked 124 p4p, 176 weight class). Berishvili comes into the arena with Acharuli Gandagana blaring out of the sound system. Bhate has chosen Diwali Madness as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Berishvili
vs
Bhate

159 cm
24
135
13 - 6 - 0

178 cm
24
145
7 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Shadow Realm Apparel

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 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mikheil Berishvili!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dharya Bhate!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Lou da Vinci and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Berishvili avoids the body shot from Bhate.
Berishvili scores with a crisp jab that stopped Bhate in his tracks.
Bhate swings for the body but Berishvili moves out of range.
Berishvili wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Berishvili with a nice cross.
Berishvili misses with a hook
and Bhate counters with a straight right hand.
Bhate throws a body punch but Berishvili moves out of range.

Berishvili moves into the clinch successfully.
Bhate tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Berishvili definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Berishvili blocks a body shot from Bhate.
Berishvili is trying to pull guard but Bhate has him pressed against the cage.
Berishvili has Bhate pressed against the cage.
Berishvili is trying to break the clinch but Bhate is controlling him.

Berishvili breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bhate misses with a wild body shot.
Berishvili lands a nice shot that snaps Bhate's head back.

Berishvili clinches up against the cage.
Bhate misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Berishvili has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Bhate uses from the top position.
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 real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Berishvili holds on and takes a little breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bhate trying to move into half guard but instead Berishvili has managed to sweep!

Bhate has an active guard here but Berishvili has managed to pass into half guard.
Berishvili keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Berishvili prevents Bhate from improving his position.
Berishvili wants to control but Bhate is keeping him busy.

Bhate actively working from the bottom here.

Bhate is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Berishvili pulls his head out easily.
Berishvili tries to pass the half guard into mount. Bhate knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Berishvili prevents Bhate from improving his position.
Berishvili is pressing down on Bhate's thigh, looking to free his foot. Bhate is holding on for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berishvili frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Bhate is squirming around, avoiding Berishvili's attempts to control the action.
Berishvili wants to take Bhate's back but he can't do it this time.
Bhate tries to reverse the position but Berishvili maintains control.
Berishvili trying to control but Bhate is having none of it.
Bhate working to try and regain half guard.

Berishvili is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Bhate is surviving well by controlling Berishvili's body position as best he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Berishvili takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Bhate is trying desperately to improve position.
Bhate keeps trying to improve his position.
Bhate stops Berishvili from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Berishvili trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Bhate slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Bhate is not content to let Berishvili control the position.

Bhate looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bhate trying to get back to full guard but Berishvili takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bhate keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Berishvili controlling his opponent.
Bhate sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Bhate looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Berishvili pushes past his half guard into mount!
Berishvili content just to control the position here.
Bhate is in all sorts of trouble here.
Bhate is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mikheil Berishvili dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Berishvili wants to clinch up but Bhate keeps it at a distance.
Berishvili rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Bhate counters with a stiff right hand.
Bhate throws a jab but it's blocked by Berishvili.
Berishvili misses with a hook.
Bhate looks to land a left hand but Berishvili moved out of range nicely.
Berishvili looks to land a left hand but Bhate moved out of range nicely.

Berishvili moves into the clinch successfully.
Berishvili stalling in the clinch.
Berishvili tries a body shot but Bhate blocks it.
Bhate swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Bhate tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Berishvili's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bhate misses the shot to the body.
Berishvili has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bhate circles away from the clinch attempt
and Bhate connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Bhate fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Berishvili manages to avoid it.
Bhate lands a jab.
Berishvili slips under a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Berishvili tries to clinch but Bhate moves away
and Bhate counters with a nice uppercut.
Mikheil Berishvili seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Berishvili tries to close the distance and clinch but Bhate swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bhate throws out a powerful jab.
Berishvili throws a poor cross that misses
and Berishvili takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Berishvili ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Berishvili has taken the fight to the clinch.
Bhate doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A head punch on the inside from Bhate fails to land.
Berishvili blocks a body shot from Bhate.

Berishvili escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Berishvili wants to clinch
and Bhate counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Berishvili clinches up against the cage.
Berishvili lands a right hand that snaps the head of Bhate backwards.
Bhate misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Berishvili content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Berishvili blocks an uppercut.
Berishvili jumps guard but Bhate turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

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!
Berishvili blocks a body shot from Bhate.
Bhate can't find room to land a body shot as Berishvili controls the action.
Bhate goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Berishvili ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Berishvili no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

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

Bhate looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Berishvili might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Bhate looking for a sweep. Not yet Bhate, not yet.

Bhate throws his legs up looking for a submission but Berishvili uses it to pass to side control.
Berishvili controlling the position.
Bhate is trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bhate manages to get back to half guard.
Berishvili passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Bhate!
Bhate tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Berishvili controlling from the full mount.

Bhate tries to improve his position but Berishvili has taken his back! Berishvili has a choke - it's sunk in pretty tight... Will Bhate tap? No... maybe... yes! He's tapped! Berishvili pushes Bhate away and gets up to celebrate with his corner!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:53 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Mikheil Berishvili!
After winning the bout, Mikheil Berishvili thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.