PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between john howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Artem Blinovs (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.

howard
vs
Blinovs

175 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
20
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight 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, john howard!
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, Artem Blinovs!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Igor Prikhodko and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
howard stuffs the takedown attempt from Blinovs. Blinovs gets slowly back to his feet.
howard throws a series of punches but Blinovs moves out of range.
Blinovs shoots for a takedown but howard saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
howard misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
No joy there for howard, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
howard scores with a body shot.
Blinovs tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but howard was well out of range. Poor timing from Blinovs.
howard showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Blinovs.
Blinovs shoots for a takedown but howard saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
john howard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Artem Blinovs.
Blinovs closes this distance looking for a takedown but howard circles away.
howard will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Blinovs is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
howard swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Blinovs counters with a low kick, right behind howard 's knee.
Blinovs fails with an attempt to clinch.

Blinovs drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
howard is looking to stand up but Blinovs isn't so interested in that idea.
Blinovs looks gassed!
howard utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Blinovs cracks howard with a solid left hand.
howard controls Blinovs momentarily but Blinovs frees himself.
howard looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Blinovs puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Blinovs trying to control from half guard but howard is working away.
howard pushes Blinovs off looking to stand but Blinovs dives back in and keeps control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Blinovs staying out of range there.
howard throws a combination that misses

and Blinovs counters with a single leg into guard. howard didn't expect that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blinovs trying to control the position from guard on top but howard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
howard is looking to stand up but Blinovs isn't so interested in that idea.
Blinovs is standing up over howard. howard looks to escape but Blinovs dives into side control.
howard wants to get back to his feet.
howard tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
howard trying to control but not successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Blinovs has the hooks in and he's looking for a rear naked choke here. howard is defending well but eventually Blinovs manages to get an arm under the chin and he's locked on the RNC! howard has no choice but to tap now! He does! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:32 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Artem Blinovs!