PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Pete Norfolk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and mirko filipovic (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.

Norfolk
vs
filipovic

175 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
21
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight 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, Pete Norfolk!
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, mirko filipovic!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

filipovic moves into the clinch successfully.
filipovic is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Norfolk tries to break the clinch but filipovic is controlling the position.

Norfolk manages to pull guard.
filipovic wants to control from the top but Norfolk keeps moving.
filipovic tries to stand but Norfolk is controlling from the bottom.
filipovic pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Norfolk is keeping the position for now.
filipovic controls from within his opponent's guard.
Norfolk manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
filipovic is trying to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
filipovic tries to reverse the position but Norfolk maintains control.
filipovic is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Norfolk lands a heavy elbow.
Norfolk lands a heavy elbow.
filipovic really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
filipovic is bucking up trying to escape but Norfolk cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
filipovic is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

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.
filipovic tries to get back to half guard but can't.
filipovic tries to hold on but Norfolk postures up.
BOOM! Norfolk connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Norfolk wants to control the pace but filipovic is squirming around nicely.
filipovic keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
filipovic looks gassed!
Norfolk lands a big shot there that rocks filipovic but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Norfolk lands with some vicious ground and pound - can filipovic hang on?
filipovic is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Norfolk goes for an armbar but filipovic turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from filipovic.
Norfolk is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
filipovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Norfolk is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
filipovic missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
filipovic won't allow Norfolk to get back to his feet.

Norfolk wriggles free and stands up.
filipovic tries to clinch but Norfolk moves out of range.
Norfolk shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. filipovic defends it nicely.
Norfolk plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

filipovic drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
filipovic advances to full mount.
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 Pete Norfolk will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

filipovic throws out a leg kick but Norfolk moves out of range and filipovic only half commits.
Norfolk has his takedown stuffed

and filipovic counters with a nice double leg into side control. Norfolk won't be happy with that.
Norfolk tries to get back to half guard but can't.
filipovic wants to lay and pray for a moment but Norfolk keeps working.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

filipovic decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Norfolk clinches but filipovic breaks the clinch

and filipovic counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Norfolk!

filipovic swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Norfolk is now in filipovic's guard. A big mistake from filipovic there, giving up the dominant position!
filipovic wants to get back to his feet but Norfolk is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Norfolk stands and throws filipovic's legs to the side, diving into side control.
filipovic wants to control but Norfolk postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
filipovic tries to buck Norfolk off but Norfolk is having none of it.

Norfolk is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, filipovic has escaped the position, nice work there.
Norfolk working the head with strikes.
filipovic tries to get back to half guard but can't.
filipovic tries to escape but Norfolk is in control.

Norfolk decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Norfolk looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Norfolk shoots and misses
and filipovic counters with a big head kick but Norfolk shrugs it off.
Norfolk misses with a looping right.
Pete Norfolk is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Norfolk looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? filipovic is fending him off so far but Norfolk persists. Nope, filipovic circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pete Norfolk. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Norfolk shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts filipovic as he jumps to the side.
filipovic closes this distance looking for a takedown but Norfolk circles away.

Norfolk gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Norfolk just leaning against filipovic, taking a breather.

filipovic pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
filipovic fails to land the takedown.
Nice body kick from Norfolk.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jab from Norfolk.

filipovic throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Norfolk was covering up waiting for the punch and filipovic finishes the takedown easily into guard.
filipovic throws a strike but Norfolk rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Norfolk works over filipovic with some ground and pound from guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now filipovic is on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

mirko filipovic showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

filipovic fails with an attempt to clinch.
Norfolk circles away from the clinch attempt.

filipovic shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Norfolk is trying to defend but filipovic finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
filipovic slips a nice elbow through Norfolk's hands, connecting with Norfolk's forehead.
Norfolk is not content to let filipovic control the position.

filipovic escapes and gets back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

filipovic looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Norfolk!

That's one minute gone in the round.
filipovic manages to capitalize on a mistake by Norfolk to take his back!

Norfolk fending off the submission attempt from filipovic.
Norfolk trying to control the hands but filipovic won't let him.
Norfolk breaks filipovic's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Norfolk stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. filipovic swivels though and keeps the full guard.
filipovic looking to control.
Norfolk lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Norfolk trying to control the position from guard on top but filipovic is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Norfolk sitting in guard here, content to control.
filipovic wants to stand and escape but Norfolk is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
filipovic is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

filipovic gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Norfolk to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Norfolk is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Norfolk avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Norfolk stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. filipovic swivels though and keeps the full guard.
mirko filipovic has got the better of the ground game so far.
Norfolk slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Norfolk stands up from filipovic's guard - Norfolk perhaps looking for a knockout.
filipovic fails with a takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to mirko filipovic.
I think filipovic has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... mirko filipovic!