PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Artem Graf (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shin Kujaku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Artem Graf has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Graf
vs
Kujaku

178 cm
19
155 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

166 cm
18
159 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple 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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Artem Graf!
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, Shin Kujaku!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Dmitry Maklakov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kujaku swats away the attempt to clinch by Graf.
Nice shot lands for Graf.
Graf throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Kujaku avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Kujaku closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Kujaku lands in his opponent's guard.
Kujaku looking to pass the guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Graf holds on and takes a little breather.
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.
Kujaku preventing the sweep.
Graf wants to get back to his feet but Kujaku is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Kujaku stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Graf swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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.

Kujaku avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Kujaku trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Graf throws a right hand that Kujaku ducks under and follows up with a left that Kujaku also avoids with ease.
Kujaku showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Graf.
Graf displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graf throws a series of punches but Kujaku avoids them all with ease.
A right-left combo lands from Graf.
Graf tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kujaku paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Graf lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Graf misses with a series of wild punches.
Graf looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Kujaku closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Graf to the mat! Graf manages to get full guard.
Kujaku sitting in guard, not really doing much.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Graf is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kujaku wants to control the position but Graf says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Graf passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Kujaku!

Graf has control of Kujaku's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Kujaku regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Graf will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
A nice elbow there by Graf.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Artem Graf dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kujaku changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Graf tries to avoid it but Kujaku manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Graf to the ground. Graf escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Graf works over Kujaku's head and body with a nice combination.
Artem Graf is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Graf is looking to clinch.
Graf is looking to clinch.
Graf tries to close the distance and clinch but Kujaku swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kujaku keeps the fight on the outside.
Graf stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Graf wants it to stay on the feet.
Graf shoots in looking for a takedown. Kujaku tries to sprawl out of it but Graf keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kujaku manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Graf throws a nice looking combination but Kujaku bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Graf tries to clinch there but Kujaku circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graf throws a nice looking combination but Kujaku bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Graf tries to bum rush Kujaku with a series of wild strikes but Kujaku uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Kujaku shoots and misses

and Graf counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Graf.
Artem Graf has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shin Kujaku.

Graf stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Graf is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kujaku circles away from the clinch attempt.
Graf misses with a wild combination.
No joy there for Graf, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Graf tries to close the distance and clinch but Kujaku swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graf misses with the combination.
Graf jabs Kujaku right on the nose. Kujaku blinks but takes it well.
Graf tries to clinch up but Kujaku circles away and keeps his distance.
Kujaku should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
A combination from Graf does no damage.
Artem Graf seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Graf doesn't manage to clinch there - Kujaku circles away.
Kujaku gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Graf doesn't manage to clinch there - Kujaku circles away.
Graf is looking to clinch.
Graf tries for a takedown but Kujaku circles away easily

and Kujaku decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Graf's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graf is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Kujaku seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Kujaku postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Graf is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Kujaku, into his guard.

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.
Graf lands a couple of elbows.
Graf passes Kujaku's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Graf slows the pace down in half guard.
Kujaku trying to control from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Kujaku looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

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

Artem Graf dominated that second 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Graf.
Graf gets to mount! Kujaku was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Kujaku is in all sorts of trouble here.
Kujaku takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Graf sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Kujaku is desperately trying to improve his position but Graf has a good base and remains in mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graf landing punches.
Artem Graf overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kujaku is wriggling around trying to escape.
Graf punishing his opponent with strikes.
Kujaku keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Kujaku takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kujaku taking shots to the head.
Graf controlling the position easily from mount.
Kujaku is trying desperately to improve position.
Graf landing strikes from the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graf tries to control but Kujaku wriggling away.
BOOM! Graf connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Graf controlling from mount.
Graf lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Graf controlling from mount.
Graf landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kujaku tries to hold on but Graf pushes him away.
Graf in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Graf content just to control the position here.
Graf trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Kujaku bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Kujaku trying to control but Graf is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Graf scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Graf misses with a takedown

and Kujaku counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Graf's guard now.
Kujaku preventing the sweep.
Kujaku trying to control the position from guard on top but Graf is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shin Kujaku has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Artem Graf is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Graf looking to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Artem Graf showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Graf 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Artem Graf!