PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between mazaman man (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kolya Morozov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

man
vs
Morozov

176 cm
22
162 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

165 cm
22
161 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite 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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, mazaman man!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kolya Morozov!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Arvi Lind and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

man closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
man perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Morozov tries to roll over but man keeps him under control.
Morozov wants to control but man passes into side.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
man is staying tight to Morozov's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Morozov struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morozov is looking for a sweep.
A control attempt from Morozov but he's now mounted!
Morozov is wriggling around trying to escape.
Morozov wants to hold on but man pushes him away.
man controlling from the full mount.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Morozov can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two 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.
Morozov is wriggling around trying to escape.
man content just to control the position here.
man misses with a head shot.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morozov is looking to improve his position but man isn't that keen on the idea.
Morozov tries to hold on but man postures up.
man will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
man can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Morozov is looking to escape.
man controlling from mount.
Morozov is trying desperately to improve position.
man tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

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.
Morozov is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Morozov is looking to improve his position but man isn't that keen on the idea.
Morozov wants to control but man is having none of it.
Morozov keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Morozov regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

mazaman man dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

man wants to clinch.

man gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from man.
man tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Morozov avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
man stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by mazaman man.
Morozov keeps the fight on the outside.

Morozov looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Morozov must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Morozov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Morozov preventing the sweep.
Morozov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Morozov is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
man keeping full guard, as Morozov tries to pass.
Morozov content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Morozov wants to control from the top but man keeps moving.
Morozov works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morozov misses with a head shot. man uses the momentum to regain guard.
Morozov postures up in man's guard and throws a big left but man blocks it.
man wants to sweep but no luck.
man has control of Morozov's left arm, preventing Morozov from doing any damage.
man wants to sweep but no luck.
Morozov looking to sit in guard and control but man gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morozov trying to control the position.
man trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

man closes the distance and pushes Morozov back into the cage.
man stalling.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with man for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Morozov managing to block the knees to the body from man.
The referee is keeping an eye on man - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

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.
man is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Morozov is defending well for now.
Morozov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
man stalls.
man misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Morozov.
man stalling against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by mazaman man.
Morozov fails with an attempt to clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
man wants to clinch.
man tries to clinch but Morozov moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kolya Morozov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

man moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
man fails with an attempt to clinch.
man wants to clinch.
man tries to clinch up.
man tries to clinch up.
Kolya Morozov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fight stays on the outside here - Morozov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Morozov ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

man instigates a clinch.
Morozov blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
man gets underhooks to prevent Morozov's takedown attempt.
Morozov goes for a takedown attempt but man pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

man closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
man stalling in the clinch.
man tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
man tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Morozov avoids it.
man stops a takedown attempt from Morozov.
mazaman man has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kolya Morozov.
Morozov blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as man takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Morozov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
man stalling in the clinch.
man seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by mazaman man.
man goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
man misses with a takedown attempt

and Morozov counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in man's guard now.
man is trying to keep Morozov in close.
man pulls Morozov in close to his closed guard and prevents Morozov from doing any damage or advancing position.
Morozov throwing strikes from guard but man blocks nicely.
man utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Morozov drops back, looking for a kneebar! man looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. man looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from man!
man taking a breather here.
Morozov tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but man wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Morozov is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
You can see the frustration on Morozov's face as man controls the position.

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.
Morozov prevents man from improving position.
man is looking to take a break and control but Morozov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Morozov is looking for a sweep.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
man pulls out of a head kick attempt.

man has closed the distance and engaged Morozov in a clinch.
Morozov blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

And that's the end of the fight!
mazaman man showed his dominance in that final round.
I think man 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... mazaman man!