PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Belyakov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jerkku Kataja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Belyakov
vs
Kataja

190 cm
22
218 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

180 cm
18
209 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Alexander Belyakov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jerkku Kataja!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Skip Squint and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kataja is looking to clinch.

Kataja scores a takedown into full mount!
Belyakov is looking to improve his position but Kataja isn't that keen on the idea.

Kataja is working for a guillotine from mount but Belyakov frees his head quite easily.
Belyakov is trying to escape the mount.
Belyakov tries to hold on but Kataja pushes him away.
Kataja tries to control but Belyakov wriggling away.
Belyakov wants to hold on but Kataja pushes him away.
Belyakov is in all sorts of trouble here.
Kataja working away from the top, dropping strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Belyakov is looking to get to half guard.
Belyakov is working hard here to advance position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kataja scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Belyakov?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belyakov is trying desperately to improve position.
Belyakov tries to lock up and control but Kataja gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Kataja prevents Belyakov from getting the reversal.

Kataja looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Belyakov sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Belyakov tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Belyakov manages to get to full guard.

Belyakov escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kataja gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Kataja trying to control the position from guard on top but Belyakov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Belyakov looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Kataja passes into half guard.
Belyakov is breathing heavily.
Kataja looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kataja throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kataja seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Belyakov does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Belyakov is looking to improve his position.
Belyakov is looking to control Kataja's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Belyakov avoid being mounted?

Kataja is looking for a kimura here.
Kataja should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Belyakov trying to control here.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Kataja in particular looking to stall.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Belyakov has his takedown stuffed

and Kataja counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Belyakov working for a triangle but Kataja defends it easily.

Belyakov had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Kataja is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Belyakov Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Kataja's back instead.
Belyakov trying to control momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kataja is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.

Belyakov looking to break Kataja's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Kataja remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Belyakov will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Kataja is covering up but some of the strikes from Belyakov are getting through and doing damage.
Belyakov trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

Belyakov is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

Belyakov looking to break Kataja's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Kataja remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Belyakov will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Belyakov lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.

Belyakov looking for the choke from the back.
Kataja trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

Belyakov looking to break Kataja's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Kataja remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Belyakov will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Belyakov missing with strikes.
You can see the frustration on Kataja's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Kataja breaks Belyakov's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belyakov wants to sweep here but Kataja controlling him for the moment.
Belyakov looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Kataja trying to control but Belyakov is working from the bottom.

Belyakov looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
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!

Belyakov is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Kataja 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.
Kataja would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kataja tries to free his leg and advance position but Belyakov is retaining full guard.
Kataja trying to control but Belyakov is working from the bottom.
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 Alexander Belyakov will probably get the nod.
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.

Kataja scores with a takedown into Belyakov's guard.
Kataja keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Belyakov's head.
Belyakov is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kataja trying to control but Belyakov is working from the bottom.
Belyakov utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Belyakov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kataja trying to control but Belyakov is working from the bottom.
Belyakov wants to sweep but no luck.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kataja looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Belyakov tries to clinch but Kataja moves away

and Kataja counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Belyakov!
Kataja lands a heavy elbow.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Belyakov is squirming around, avoiding Kataja's attempts to control the action.
Kataja in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Kataja landing punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belyakov is trying desperately to improve position.
Belyakov is in a horrible position here. Kataja smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Belyakov can't escape the position.
Belyakov wants to control but Kataja is having none of it.
Belyakov is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Kataja is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Belyakov is in all sorts of trouble here.
Belyakov is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Belyakov is in all sorts of trouble here.
Kataja trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Kataja scores with a couple of good head shots there.

Kataja is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Belyakov has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Kataja prevents Belyakov from getting the reversal.

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.
Kataja in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Kataja trying to control but Belyakov is having none of it.
BOOM! Kataja connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Belyakov is rocked!
Kataja controlling the position easily from mount.
Kataja lands a heavy elbow.
Oh Belyakov is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Kataja wants to control the pace but Belyakov is squirming around nicely.
Belyakov seems to have got his legs back now.
Belyakov is desperately trying to improve his position but Kataja has a good base and remains in mount.
Kataja with good strikes from the mount here!
A nice elbow there by Kataja.
Kataja landing punches.
Kataja wants to control the pace but Belyakov is squirming around nicely.
Belyakov is looking to improve his position but Kataja isn't that keen on the idea.
Kataja blocks Belyakov's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kataja sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Jerkku Kataja has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kataja tries to control but Belyakov wriggling away.
Belyakov is in all sorts of trouble here.
Kataja lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Kataja prevents Belyakov from getting the reversal.
Kataja scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Kataja trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Belyakov defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Kataja.
Kataja prevents Belyakov from getting the reversal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Kataja throws some wild stikes that Belyakov manages to avoid easily.
Kataja dominating with strikes here.
Kataja landing punches.
Belyakov working to try and regain half guard.
Kataja trying to control but Belyakov is having none of it.
Belyakov gets back to half guard.
Kataja thows a huge punch but Belyakov dodges it nicely.
Belyakov is trying to get back to full guard.
Kataja looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Belyakov with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Belyakov regains full guard. Nicely done.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Belyakov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kataja is one step ahead there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jerkku Kataja 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Belyakov gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Belyakov drops down looking for an ankle pick but Kataja pulls his leg out and moves away.

Belyakov fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kataja, pushing him back against the cage.
Kataja on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Belyakov tries to land knees in the clinch but Kataja avoids the damage to the body.
Belyakov tries for a takedown. No joy.
Belyakov wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexander Belyakov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kataja stops a takedown attempt from Belyakov.
Belyakov drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kataja gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Belyakov drags the fight down to the ground.
Belyakov is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Belyakov escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kataja gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Belyakov is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Kataja works over Belyakov with some ground and pound from guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Belyakov has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kataja can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Belyakov is trying to keep Kataja in close.

Belyakov working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kataja doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kataja manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Belyakov is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kataja wanted to stand there but Belyakov had control of the position.
Belyakov is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Belyakov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kataja is one step ahead there.

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.
Kataja trying to control the position from guard on top but Belyakov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Belyakov lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Kataja!
Belyakov wants to take his opponent's back but instead Kataja manages to regain half guard.
Kataja has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Belyakov is working away from the top position though.

Belyakov is looking for a kimura but Kataja is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Belyakov to get the leverage.
Kataja is looking to improve his position.
Kataja is looking to escape.
Belyakov looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Belyakov seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Kataja is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:01 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Alexander Belyakov!