PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sascha Golobew (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Haile Selassie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Selassie has chosen ... as his entrance music. Sascha Golobew has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Golobew
vs
Selassie

178 cm
23
151 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

172 cm
22
155 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Powerful

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 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sascha Golobew!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Haile Selassie!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Vladimir Khabensky and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Golobew gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Selassie decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Golobew's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Golobew trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Golobew is trying to control the position but Selassie postures up.
Golobew has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Selassie slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Golobew wants to sweep here but Selassie controlling him for the moment.
Selassie slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Golobew.
Selassie prevents Golobew from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Golobew has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Selassie is working away from the top position though.
Golobew tries to roll over but Selassie keeps him under control.
Golobew is working hard here to advance position.
Selassie sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Golobew defending well though.
Selassie trying to control from half guard but Golobew is working away.
Golobew is looking to improve his position.
Well, if Selassie is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Selassie prevents Golobew from improving his position.

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.
Selassie seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Selassie seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Selassie slows the pace down in half guard.
Selassie wants to pass the guard but Golobew is defending well.
Golobew wants to improve his position but Selassie is controlling well.
Selassie wants to take a breather but Golobew is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Selassie perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Haile Selassie has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Selassie scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
You can see the frustration on Golobew's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The strikes coming from Selassie are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Selassie is looking to take a break and control but Golobew is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Golobew tries to bench press Selassie off him but Selassie keeps the position.
Selassie throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Golobew is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Golobew is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Golobew is trying to maintain the position but Selassie is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Golobew moves into full guard.
Selassie sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Golobew wants to sweep here but Selassie controlling him for the moment.
Selassie postures up.
Golobew keeping moving, preventing Selassie from controlling successfully.
Golobew looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Haile Selassie dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Golobew with a lazy takedown attempt

and Selassie counters with a nice double leg into side control. Golobew won't be happy with that.
Selassie controls the position.
Golobew sneaks back into half guard.

Golobew looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Selassie looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Golobew wants to improve his position but Selassie is controlling well.
Selassie wants to control but Golobew is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Selassie wants to pass the guard but Golobew is defending well.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Golobew on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Golobew wants to improve his position but Selassie is controlling well.
Selassie takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Golobew is on the bottom, trying to hold on to half guard. He's throwing a few small shots here, to keep his opponent honest.
Golobew is trying to control but can't.
Selassie looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Selassie not doing much here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Golobew wants to get back to full guard.
Selassie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Golobew keeps working.
Golobew keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Selassie prevents Golobew from improving his position.
Selassie seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Golobew does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Selassie controlling the action here.
Selassie prevents Golobew from improving his position.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Haile Selassie.
Selassie looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A left and a right from Golobew both land. Nice combination.

Golobew decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Selassie tries to get to full guard but Golobew has control of the leg.
Golobew sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Selassie defending well though.
Selassie is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Golobew working Selassie over with strikes.

Golobew seems to be looking for submissions.
Selassie is looking for a sweep. Golobew is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Selassie taking some punishment here, with Golobew in his half guard.
Selassie is trying to stand up here but Golobew is controlling him well.
Golobew not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Golobew throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Golobew working Selassie over with strikes.
Selassie tries to roll over but Golobew keeps him under control.
Golobew sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Selassie defending well though.
Selassie tries to roll over but Golobew keeps him under control.

Golobew is looking for a kimura here.
Golobew tries to pass the half guard into mount. Selassie knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Selassie keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Haile Selassie will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Golobew gets caught napping as Selassie dives in and scores a takedown. Golobew manages to retain guard.
Golobew throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Golobew not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Golobew looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Selassie puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Golobew makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Golobew.
Selassie won't allow Golobew to sweep him here.
Golobew throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Golobew has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Selassie passes into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Selassie in particular looking to stall.
Selassie thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Golobew's head.
Haile Selassie has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Golobew is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Selassie looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Golobew trying to control but Selassie postures up.
Golobew moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Golobew is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Golobew striking off his back but it's not causing Selassie any problems.
Golobew looking to hit a scissor sweep but Selassie is one step ahead there.
Haile Selassie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Selassie works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Golobew wants to control but Selassie is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Selassie wants to pass the guard but Golobew is defending well.
Golobew manages to get to full guard.
Golobew looking to control.
Golobew is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Golobew keeping moving, preventing Selassie from controlling successfully.
Selassie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Golobew is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Golobew is controlling Selassie's posture.
Golobew working a defensive guard here.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

We're going to have a standup here because Sascha Golobew wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Golobew takes a swing at Selassie's ribcage but misses.
Golobew misses with a takedown attempt

and Selassie counters with a shoot takedown. Golobew fights it but they end up in guard.
Selassie won't allow Golobew to sweep him here.

Golobew looking for a guillotine here but Selassie defends easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Golobew not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Selassie is pushing down on Golobew's leg trying to pass to half guard. Golobew is fighting to maintain full guard but Selassie has managed to sneak the leg through.
Golobew slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Selassie trying to control the position from guard on top but Golobew is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Golobew thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Golobew manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Selassie manages to get himself to full guard.
Golobew stopping the sweep attempt from Selassie.
Golobew postures up in Selassie's guard and throws a big left but Selassie blocks it.
Selassie manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Sascha Golobew has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Golobew wants to hold on but Selassie pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Haile Selassie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Selassie 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Haile Selassie!