PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Muhamed Ali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Viktor Mendeleev (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.

Ali
vs
Mendeleev

189 cm
22
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
21
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Muhamed Ali!
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, Viktor Mendeleev!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Ivan Kurochkin and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ali tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Mendeleev counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Mendeleev misses with a low kick.

Mendeleev shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Mendeleev landing punches.
Ali slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Ali trying to control but Mendeleev postures up.
Ali wants to get back to full guard.
Ali controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Mendeleev blocks the strikes from Ali.
Nice strikes from Mendeleev there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali wants to get back to his feet.

Mendeleev is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ali defends it well.
Ali regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Mendeleev.

Ali has his foot on Mendeleev's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Mendeleev works his way back into a safe position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ali wants to sweep but no luck.
Mendeleev trying to control the position from guard on top but Ali is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mendeleev keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Ali's head.
Ali looking to control.
Ali on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Ali tries to get out of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendeleev chips away with some ground and pound.

Ali looking for a guillotine here but Mendeleev defends easily.
Ali wants to get back to his feet but Mendeleev is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Ali working a defensive guard but Mendeleev passes into half guard.
Ali regains full guard. Nicely done.
Ali is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Mendeleev actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendeleev is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Ali's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Ali's back!
I would not like to be Ali right now.
Ali just trying to survive but Mendeleev is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Ali staying busy and making it hard for Mendeleev to control.

Mendeleev is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Ali defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Ali trying to control the hands but Mendeleev won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali holding both Mendeleev 's hands and preventing any damage.
I really don't envy Ali right now.
Ali prevents Mendeleev from getting a body triangle.
Ali looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mendeleev scores with punches from the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Viktor Mendeleev dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Mendeleev tries to clinch up but Ali circles away and keeps his distance.
Ali misses with the combination.
Ali circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mendeleev fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Ali shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Mendeleev but Mendeleev pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ali misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ali fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mendeleev is looking to clinch but Ali is avoiding it.

Mendeleev closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Ali did well to prevent Mendeleev getting side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali is trying to control but can't.
Mendeleev with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Viktor Mendeleev has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mendeleev trying to advance position but Ali counters by regaining guard.
Ali is controlling Mendeleev's posture.
Mendeleev wants to control from the top but Ali keeps moving.

Ali is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Mendeleev content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali is looking to stand up but Mendeleev isn't so interested in that idea.
Ali manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Ali pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Ali trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Mendeleev is in all sorts of trouble here.

Ali is working for a guillotine from mount but Mendeleev frees his head quite easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ali tries to control but Mendeleev wriggling away.
Ali dominating with strikes here.

Ali is working for a guillotine from mount but Mendeleev frees his head quite easily.
Ali can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Mendeleev is looking to escape.
Mendeleev is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendeleev is bucking up trying to escape but Ali cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ali is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Mendeleev has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Mendeleev!
Ali can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Mendeleev controls the pace.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Ali has his feet on Mendeleev's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Muhamed Ali dominated that second 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Mendeleev misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Mendeleev has Ali up against the cage in a clinch.
Ali trying to land knees to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Ali is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Mendeleev gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Mendeleev has Ali pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Ali manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Ali looking for a takedown.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Ali goes for a takedown in the clinch but Mendeleev prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Muhamed Ali. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ali is looking to break free of the clinch but Mendeleev has double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendeleev looking for a takedown.
Ali keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Mendeleev's efforts to push away.

Mendeleev has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Ali uses from the top position.

Mendeleev working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ali doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ali manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Mendeleev pushes Ali off and scrambles back to his feet.
Mendeleev slaps away a takedown attempt from Ali, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Mendeleev tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ali paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Mendeleev looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Ali misses with a head kick.
Mendeleev throws a sloppy head kick
and Ali counters with a leg kick.
Mendeleev slaps away a takedown attempt from Ali, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ali closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mendeleev circles away.
Ali tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mendeleev paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Mendeleev gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ali is trying to break the clinch but Mendeleev is controlling him.
Mendeleev wants a takedown but no success here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ali goes for a takedown in the clinch but Mendeleev prevents it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendeleev is trying to break the clinch but Ali has him pressed against the cage.
Ali tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Mendeleev just stands there and leans against the cage.
Mendeleev blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Ali is trying to break the clinch but Mendeleev is controlling him.
Ali misses with a punch on the inside.

Mendeleev ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Mendeleev no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Mendeleev is trying to keep Ali in close.

Mendeleev is working an open guard so Ali takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Mendeleev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ali swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mendeleev fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mendeleev misses with a kick to the body.
Mendeleev fails with the takedown.
Ali wants to clinch up but Mendeleev keeps it at a distance.
Ali shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mendeleev as he jumps to the side.
Ali tries to clinch up but Mendeleev circles away and keeps his distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mendeleev misses with a series of wild punches.
Mendeleev throws a sloppy head kick and Ali moves out of range easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Viktor Mendeleev.
Well Mendeleev has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Viktor Mendeleev!