PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kobayashi Masato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aleksandr Lebedev (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.

Masato
vs
Lebedev

174 cm
25
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
23
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight 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, Kobayashi Masato!
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, Aleksandr Lebedev!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Konstantin Menshow and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lebedev gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A frustrated look appears on Masato's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Masato blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Masato working hard to break the clinch.
Lebedev has Masato pressed against the cage.
Masato tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Lebedev just stands there and leans against the cage.

Lebedev breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lebedev looks for a takedown but Masato sprawls well.
Masato tries to clinch but Lebedev is having none of it.

Lebedev has taken the fight to the clinch.
Lebedev jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Masato walks away with a smile on his face. Lebedev gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Lebedev on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Masato looks to land a combination but Lebedev avoids it well.

Lebedev moves into the clinch.
Lebedev keeps control of Masato as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Lebedev decides to pull guard.

Lebedev working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Masato doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Masato manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Masato wants to stand but Lebedev has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Lebedev pulls Masato in close to his closed guard and prevents Masato from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lebedev tries to strike from the bottom.
Masato working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lebedev is adopting a defensive guard.

Lebedev is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Masato is aware though and is defending well.
Masato wants to stand but Lebedev is controlling his posture from full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lebedev controlling Masato's posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lebedev pushes Masato off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Masato misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masato fails with an attempt to clinch.

Lebedev closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Masato wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Lebedev has him pressed against the cage.

Lebedev escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice body kick from Masato.
Kobayashi Masato seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Lebedev moves into the clinch.

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

Lebedev darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Lebedev trying to control the pace.
Lebedev passes to full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lebedev tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Lebedev thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Lebedev controlling from the full mount.
Masato is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Masato prevents Lebedev from taking his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksandr Lebedev dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Lebedev fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Masato, pushing him back against the cage.
Masato can't break the clinch.
Masato wants to break free but Lebedev has control.
Lebedev stalls.

Lebedev pulls guard successfully.
Masato has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Lebedev is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lebedev wants to sweep but no luck.
Lebedev manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Lebedev controlling from the full mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lebedev is landing with some decent strikes but Masato is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Lebedev controlling his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Lebedev working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Lebedev breaks from Masato's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lebedev content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lebedev lands a big elbow.
Lebedev scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Masato is bucking up trying to escape but Lebedev cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Lebedev tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aleksandr Lebedev has got the better of the ground game so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksandr Lebedev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Masato wants to break free but Lebedev has control.
Lebedev displaying some good clinch control by pressing Masato up against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Lebedev throws an elbow but misses.

Lebedev drags the fight down to the ground.
Lebedev throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Lebedev scrambles and gets back to his feet.
A clash of legs there as Lebedev blocks the low kick.
Lebedev shoots in for a double leg but Masato sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Lebedev throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Masato's waist but Masato gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Lebedev off to one side.
Masato moves out of range of the body kick from Lebedev.
Lebedev circles away from the clinch attempt

and Lebedev counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Masato can't break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masato is pressed up against the cage. Lebedev has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Masato down to the mat. Masato avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Kobayashi Masato has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aleksandr Lebedev.
Lebedev has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Masato tries to clinch but Lebedev is having none of it.
No joy there for Masato, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Masato misses with a double jab.

Masato tries to keep at a distance but Lebedev has taken the fight into the clinch.
Masato stops a takedown attempt from Lebedev.

Lebedev manages to pull guard.
Lebedev looking to control.
Lebedev is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Lebedev bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Masato's guard.
Lebedev controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Lebedev stands up and waves to Masato to follow him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lebedev rushes Masato and presses him up against the cage.

Lebedev pulls guard.
Masato postures up in Lebedev's guard and throws a big left but Lebedev blocks it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Lebedev is on top in guard.
Lebedev sitting in guard here, content to control.
Lebedev with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lebedev sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Lebedev gets to his feet. Masato looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Lebedev shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Masato but Masato pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Masato throws a right hand that Lebedev ducks under and follows up with a left that Lebedev also avoids with ease.

Lebedev forces Masato back against the cage and clinches.

Lebedev escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Lebedev instigates a clinch.
Lebedev digs a right hand underneath Masato's ribcage. Masato let out a lung full of air as it connected.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lebedev ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Lebedev no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Lebedev manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Masato manages to get himself to full guard.
Lebedev controls from within his opponent's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aleksandr Lebedev comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Lebedev winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 26:30
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 26:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aleksandr Lebedev!