PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Stepan Aniskin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mirko Filipovic (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.

Aniskin
vs
Filipovic

195 cm
20
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
20
211 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Stepan Aniskin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mirko Filipovic!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aniskin blocks a head kick by Filipovic.
Filipovic misses with a jab to the body
and Aniskin counters with a nice uppercut.
Aniskin fails with the takedown
and Filipovic counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Aniskin moves to clinch but Filipovic breaks away

and Filipovic counters with a single leg into guard. Aniskin didn't expect that.
Filipovic controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Filipovic wants to pass the guard but Aniskin is keeping the position.
Filipovic forces his way into half guard.
Filipovic sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aniskin blocking the ground and pound attempt from Filipovic.
Filipovic is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Filipovic works his way into full mount!
Filipovic content just to control the position here.

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.

Filipovic looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Filipovic controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Filipovic pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Filipovic sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Filipovic's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Mirko Filipovic has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
That kick from Aniskin tenderised Filipovic's leg. Filipovic is trying to keep his angry face on.

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.

Filipovic closes the distance and clinches.
Aniskin wants a takedown but no success here.

Filipovic gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Filipovic is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Aniskin is working an open guard so Filipovic takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Filipovic tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Filipovic circles away from the clinch attempt

and Filipovic counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Aniskin!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mirko Filipovic dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Filipovic lands a nice looking body kick.
Filipovic pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Aniskin tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Filipovic counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Filipovic.
Aniskin tries to pull guard but Filipovic holds him up against the cage and eventually Aniskin drops back down to his feet.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Filipovic as Aniskin tries to tie him up.

Filipovic has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Aniskin uses from the top position.
Filipovic keeping full guard, as Aniskin tries to pass.

Filipovic has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Aniskin off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Aniskin closes the distance looking to clinch

and Filipovic decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Aniskin's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Filipovic working some strikes from top position.

Filipovic stands up from Aniskin's guard - Filipovic perhaps looking for a knockout.
Aniskin blocks a head kick by Filipovic.
Filipovic tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Filipovic jabs Aniskin to the body, keeping him at a distance.

Aniskin gets tackled into the cage by Filipovic. Filipovic maintains the clinch.

Filipovic breaks from the clinch.
Aniskin with a poor takedown

and Filipovic counters with a single leg into guard. Aniskin didn't expect that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Filipovic scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Filipovic stays in close to Aniskin's body and controls the position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Filipovic slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Filipovic remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aniskin is trying to work for a sweep but Filipovic has mounted him!
Filipovic lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Filipovic controlling the position easily from mount.

Filipovic quickly switches position and commits to an armbar! It's a big risk for Filipovic but it's paid off an Aniskin is forced to tap! Nice work by Filipovic.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:49 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Mirko Filipovic!