PBP Commentary

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

Blinovs
vs
Hu

192 cm
20
177 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

175 cm
18
180 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Artem Blinovs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alex Hu!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Illya Tyunina and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from Blinovs. No joy for Hu on that attempt.

Hu shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Blinovs's guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Hu throwing strikes but missing.
Blinovs looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hu is one step ahead there.
Blinovs will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Blinovs is trying to control the position from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hu accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Hu loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hu postures up.
Blinovs has Hu pulled in close to control his posture.
Blinovs trying to control the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hu fails with the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blinovs tries for a takedown but Hu circles away easily

and Hu counters with a single leg into guard. Blinovs didn't expect that.
Hu looks gassed!
Hu throwing strikes but missing.
Blinovs is adopting a defensive guard.
Hu throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Blinovs works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Blinovs working a defensive guard here.
Hu has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Blinovs tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hu postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Blinovs avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Blinovs has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Hu off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Hu shoots and misses

and Blinovs counters with a single leg into guard. Hu didn't expect that.
Artem Blinovs has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Hu.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Blinovs trying to control but Hu is working from the bottom.
Blinovs stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hu swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Blinovs is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hu pulls Blinovs in close to prevent any damage.
Blinovs controlling from the top position.
Hu has Blinovs pulled in close to control his posture.

That's four 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.
Blinovs tries to stand but Hu is controlling from the bottom.
Hu keeping moving, preventing Blinovs from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Alex Hu will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Blinovs has his takedown stuffed

and Hu counters with a nice double leg into side control. Blinovs won't be happy with that.
Blinovs parries the strikes from Hu easily there. Hu is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Blinovs to escape.
Hu in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Hu in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Blinovs is trying to control Hu's posture but Hu avoids it.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Hu landing a few strikes.
Hu scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Blinovs to see if he's OK.
Hu throws an elbow but Blinovs slips to the side and avoids it well.
Blinovs takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Blinovs dodges the ground and pound from Hu.
Blinovs sneaks back into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hu thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Blinovs's head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hu thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Blinovs to regain full guard.
Hu stopping the sweep attempt from Blinovs.
Hu throws and elbow that misses. Blinovs uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hu's guard. Nice move by Blinovs!
Hu is controlling Blinovs's posture.

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.
Blinovs would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Blinovs wants to control from the top but Hu keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hu shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Blinovs counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Blinovs.

Blinovs gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hu with a lazy takedown attempt
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Blinovs shoots and misses

and Hu counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Blinovs's guard now.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hu with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hu throwing strikes from guard but Blinovs blocks nicely.
Hu in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hu with a flurry of punches that miss.
Blinovs manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Hu is squirming around, avoiding Blinovs's attempts to control the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Hu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Hu shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Blinovs manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Alex Hu has got the better of the ground game so far.

Blinovs throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hu postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Blinovs is looking to stand up but Hu isn't so interested in that idea.
Hu postures up in Blinovs's guard and throws a big left but Blinovs blocks it.
Blinovs wants to sweep here but Hu controlling him for the moment.
Hu is looking to work some ground and pound but Blinovs has wrist control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hu throwing strikes from guard but Blinovs blocks nicely.
Blinovs manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hu manages to get himself to full guard.
Hu controlling Blinovs's posture.
Blinovs wants to pass the guard but Hu is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hu seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Blinovs stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hu swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hu keeping moving, preventing Blinovs from controlling successfully.
Hu trying to keep a closed guard but Blinovs is proving a slippery customer.

That's four 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.
Hu wants to sweep but no luck.

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

and Blinovs counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Artem Blinovs has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alex Hu is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Blinovs has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Hu defend it? Blinovs steps over the head and cranks it - Hu is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Blinovs!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Artem Blinovs!