PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nicolas Valery (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pjotr Petrushenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Valery
vs
Petrushenko

175 cm
20
156 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nicolas Valery!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Pjotr Petrushenko!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Igor Prikhodko and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Valery scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Valery tries to clinch there but Petrushenko circles away.

Valery closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Valery looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Petrushenko is trying to maintain the position but Valery is very close to passing his half guard.
Valery wants to pass the guard but Petrushenko is defending well.
Valery wants to get back to his feet.
Valery performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Petrushenko wants to control but Valery is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valery is tying to control. Petrushenko wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Valery wants to free his trapped foot but Petrushenko is holding on for dear life with his legs.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Valery shoots in for a takedown but Petrushenko shows good takedown defense.
Petrushenko buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Valery tries for a takedown but Petrushenko sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Petrushenko fails in his attempt to clinch.
Petrushenko throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
A head kick by Valery misses

so Petrushenko counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Petrushenko stands up over Valery, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Petrushenko postures up in Valery's guard and throws a big left but Valery blocks it.
Petrushenko stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Valery swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Valery throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Petrushenko trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petrushenko trying to control but Valery is working from the bottom.
Petrushenko throwing strikes but missing.
Petrushenko wants to control from the top but Valery keeps moving.

Valery manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Valery is breathing heavily.
Petrushenko shoots and misses
and Valery counters with a series of strikes. Petrushenko will be more careful next time no doubt.
Valery is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Valery tries for a takedown but Petrushenko circles away easily

and Petrushenko counters with a nice double leg into side control. Valery won't be happy with that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nicolas Valery. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Petrushenko landing a few strikes.
Petrushenko lands a nice forearm strike.
Petrushenko in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valery is trying to control Petrushenko's posture but Petrushenko avoids it.
Valery takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Valery wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Petrushenko lands an elbow.
Valery on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Valery tries to get out of the position.
Valery is trying to control Petrushenko's posture but Petrushenko avoids it.
Valery is looking for a sweep.
Petrushenko working away.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Valery rushes Petrushenko and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Valery throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Petrushenko blocks it with crossed arms.

Valery lands a takedown into guard.
Valery has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valery preventing the sweep.
Petrushenko is trying to hold Valery in close to prevent damage but Valery has managed to pass into half guard.
Valery knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Petrushenko on the ground.
Valery with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Valery looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Valery slows the pace down in half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Valery scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Valery stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Nicolas Valery 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.

Valery bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Valery working the ground and pound.
Petrushenko is looking for a sweep.
Petrushenko is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Petrushenko has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Valery decides to stand back up.
Petrushenko has his takedown stuffed

and Valery counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Valery pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Petrushenko is keeping the position for now.

Valery stands up and waves to Petrushenko to follow him.
Valery tries to clinch but Petrushenko moves away
and Petrushenko counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Valery is lucky that one didn't land flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Valery shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Valery showed some decent athleticism there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Valery seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Petrushenko tries to get to full guard but Valery has control of the leg.
Valery content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Valery works his way into full mount!
Valery sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petrushenko is looking to improve his position but Valery isn't that keen on the idea.
Valery content just to control the position here.
Petrushenko is in all sorts of trouble here.
Valery controlling the pace for now.
Petrushenko is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Petrushenko regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valery with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Valery wants to stand up but Petrushenko has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Petrushenko is trying to control but can't.

Petrushenko has one foot on Valery's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Valery scores a takedown into full mount!
Petrushenko tries to lock up and control but Valery gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Valery is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Valery misses with a takedown attempt - Petrushenko sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valery closes the distance and clinches up with Petrushenko, looking for a takedown. Valery pushes Petrushenko against the cage but Petrushenko circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Valery darts in and clinches Petrushenko up against the cage.
Valery controlling the action here for a moment.
Valery prevents the takedown attempt.
Petrushenko can't get the takedown.
Nicolas Valery has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pjotr Petrushenko.
Valery fails to pull guard.
Petrushenko is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Valery gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Valery is trying to break free.
Petrushenko can't get the takedown.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Valery tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Petrushenko tries for a takedown. No joy.

Valery gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Petrushenko regains guard.
Valery trying to control the position from guard on top but Petrushenko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Valery controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicolas Valery dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Valery with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Valery looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
It looks like Valery is going to stand back up.
Petrushenko has hold of Valery's hands but Valery slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Petrushenko landing rabbit punches to the side of Valery's head. Not doing much damage but still scoring a few points.
Petrushenko has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Valery is working away from the top position though.
Valery wants to lay and pray for a moment but Petrushenko keeps working.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Valery in particular looking to stall.
Valery is looking to take a break and control but Petrushenko is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Valery in particular looking to stall.
Valery is looking to take a break and control but Petrushenko is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Petrushenko wants to improve his position but Valery is controlling well.
Valery seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Petrushenko does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Valery is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Nicolas Valery just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Valery shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Petrushenko counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Petrushenko.
Petrushenko will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Valery up against the cage.

Valery pulls guard.
Nicolas Valery overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valery wants to get back to his feet but Petrushenko is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Valery is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Petrushenko would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Valery manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Valery lands a big shot there that rocks Petrushenko but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valery controlling his opponent.
Valery landing shots from mount.
Petrushenko is in a horrible position here. Valery smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Valery content just to control the position here.
Valery's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Valery is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

Valery shoots in and bounces Petrushenko off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Valery tries to stand but Petrushenko is controlling from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pjotr Petrushenko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Valery trying to control but Petrushenko is working from the bottom.
Petrushenko looking for a sweep. Not yet Petrushenko, not yet.

Valery stands up from Petrushenko's guard - Valery perhaps looking for a knockout.

Valery scores with a takedown into Petrushenko's guard.

Petrushenko had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Valery is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Petrushenko Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Valery's back instead.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nicolas Valery showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Valery has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:28
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nicolas Valery!