PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ronald Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dimitri Kliment (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Dimitri Kliment was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Gracie
vs
Kliment

180 cm
23
200 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

217 cm
22
205 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ronald Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dimitri Kliment!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Fedor Mirinova and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from Gracie as Kliment shoots in.
Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Some wild striking there from Kliment.
Kliment tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dimitri Kliment seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Kliment closes the distance and pushes Gracie back into the cage.
Gracie has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Kliment avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Gracie tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Kliment has Gracie pushed against the cage.

Kliment 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.
Kliment misses with a wild combination.
Kliment throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kliment clinches.
Gracie takes an elbow to the forehead.

Kliment manages to break the clinch.
Gracie uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kliment.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Kliment.
Kliment throws a head kick but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Kliment.

Kliment fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gracie, pushing him back against the cage.

Kliment breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kliment pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kliment ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gracie moves away.
Kliment throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Gracie drives through with a takedown into guard.

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Gracie scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Kliment really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gracie. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Kliment had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gracie defends it easily.
Kliment throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Gracie got a little sloppy there for a moment and Kliment has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Gracie has managed to get both his arms back between Kliment's legs - danger averted.
Gracie trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie drops back looking for a leg! Kliment is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Kliment manages to kick Gracie off! Gracie jumps back into Kliment's guard.
Kliment keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.

Kliment working for a triangle but Gracie defends it easily.
Kliment looks gassed!

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Kliment clinches up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Kliment landing knees to the head.
Kliment slows down the pace here.
Gracie tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Kliment smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ronald Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gracie slips a jab and a cross from Kliment.

Kliment clinches with his opponent.
Gracie jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kliment walks away with a smile on his face. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dimitri Kliment dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kliment throws a head kick that misses.
Kliment gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kliment won't be happy with that.
Kliment misses with a strike from the bottom.
Kliment can't do much from the bottom here.

Gracie swings around for an armbar but Kliment sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Gracie's guard.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Kliment from controlling successfully.

Kliment drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Gracie dives on top into guard.
Kliment is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kliment escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gracie gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Gracie drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Kliment manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Gracie has Kliment in his guard.

Gracie is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kliment is aware though and is defending well.
Kliment pushing down on Gracie's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Kliment is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Gracie is holding on to half guard well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kliment is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kliment not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Gracie on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The fighters are battling for position here. Gracie manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Kliment is proving a slippery customer.
Kliment throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kliment wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.

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

Kliment shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Gracie manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Kliment looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Kliment controls Gracie momentarily but Gracie frees himself.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gracie accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kliment working for a triangle but Gracie defends it easily.
Gracie passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Gracie goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Kliment rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Gracie's guard! Nice work there by Kliment!
Gracie working a defensive guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronald Gracie dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Kliment gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Gracie jumps guard but Kliment stands there with Gracie around his waist. Gracie gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Kliment slowing the pace effectively.

Kliment breaks from the clinch.
Kliment looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kliment misses with a two punch combination.
Kliment pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Kliment has managed to clinch.

Kliment breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kliment closes the distance and clinches.
Gracie tries to pull guard but Kliment won't allow it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Kliment is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Kliment successfully pulls guard.
Gracie passes Kliment's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Gracie seems to be working for a kimura but Kliment defends the submission attempt.
Kliment wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Kliment is looking to control Gracie's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kliment avoid being mounted?

Kliment is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gracie pulls his head out easily.
Kliment regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Gracie.

Kliment is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Kliment is keeping the position.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is trying to keep Kliment in close.
Kliment throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gracie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Kliment must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Kliment sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Gracie's guard.
Ronald Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Kliment wants to work for an arm triangle but Gracie is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Gracie is staying active underneath Kliment, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Gracie gets full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Gracie utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kliment trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Kliment postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Gracie might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Kliment is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Kliment wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kliment working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Gracie has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kliment can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dimitri Kliment comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kliment 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dimitri Kliment!