PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Andrei Bitar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brandon Buchanan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Buchanan's choice of entrance music: Shinedown - Sound of Madness. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Bitar
vs
Buchanan

179 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

191 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andrei Bitar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Brandon Buchanan!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Igor Prikhodko and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Buchanan scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Bitar is defending against the submission attempts here by Buchanan.
Bitar is trying to stand back up but Buchanan is controlling him
Buchanan is pressing down on Bitar's thigh, looking to free his foot. Bitar is holding on for now.
Buchanan is thwarting Bitar's attempts to control the position.
Buchanan sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Buchanan wants to take a breather but Bitar is having none of it.
Bitar on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Buchanan lands strikes from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buchanan is taking a breather. Bitar says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Bitar is trying to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Buchanan sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Bitar defending well though.
Buchanan lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Bitar knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Buchanan on the ground.
Buchanan looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Buchanan lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Buchanan is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Buchanan looks winded!
Bitar trying to control here.
Bitar moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Buchanan postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buchanan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bitar swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bitar is trying to keep Buchanan in close.
Bitar throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Buchanan with a flurry of punches that miss.
Buchanan controlling from the top position.
Bitar keeping moving, preventing Buchanan from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Buchanan shoots in looking for a takedown but Bitar manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Buchanan's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bitar tries to land a front kick but Buchanan steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Buchanan is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bitar sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Buchanan looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Buchanan thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Bitar is looking to control Buchanan's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Bitar avoid being mounted?
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bitar wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Buchanan 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.

Buchanan tries to clinch up but Bitar circles away and keeps his distance.
Bitar shoots in for a double leg but Buchanan sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Buchanan throws a head kick but Bitar moves out of range.
Bitar keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Buchanan doesn't manage to clinch there - Bitar circles away.
No luck for Bitar with that takedown attempt.

Bitar shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Buchanan's guard.
Buchanan controls Bitar momentarily but Bitar frees himself.
Bitar postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Buchanan is breathing heavily.

Bitar got a little sloppy there for a moment and Buchanan has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Bitar has managed to get both his arms back between Buchanan's legs - danger averted.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buchanan wants to sweep here but Bitar controlling him for the moment.
Bitar postures up in Buchanan's guard and throws a big left but Buchanan blocks it.
Bitar trying to control the position from guard on top but Buchanan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bitar is looking to stand up but Buchanan won't let him.

Buchanan looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Buchanan keeping moving, preventing Bitar from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Buchanan looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Bitar has picked Buchanan up and slammed him! Buchanan can't keep hold of the triangle and Bitar manages to pass to side control!
Bitar is looking to take a break and control but Buchanan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Bitar stands up.
Bitar is looking to clinch but Buchanan is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bitar wants to clinch.

Buchanan darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Bitar is looking for a sweep. Buchanan is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Bitar is defending against the submission attempts here by Buchanan.
Bitar is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bitar has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Buchanan is working away from the top position though.
Bitar is trying to stand up here but Buchanan is controlling him well.
Bitar might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Bitar is not content to let Buchanan control the position.
Ground and pound from Buchanan.
Buchanan wants to free his trapped foot but Bitar is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bitar is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Buchanan's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Buchanan's back!
Bitar is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrei Bitar dominated that second round.
That's time! Bitar's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. 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.

Bitar checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Buchanan stuffs the takedown attempt from Bitar. Bitar gets slowly back to his feet.
Buchanan looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Bitar scores with a takedown into Buchanan's guard.
Bitar trying to control the position from guard on top but Buchanan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bitar loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Bitar has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Buchanan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Bitar avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bitar trying to control but Buchanan is working from the bottom.

Buchanan had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Bitar defends it easily.
Bitar wants to stand but Buchanan has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Buchanan is trying to hold Bitar in close to prevent damage but Bitar has managed to pass into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Buchanan is refusing to be controlled, as Bitar sits in half guard.

Bitar escapes and gets back to his feet.

Bitar moves into the clinch.
Bitar connects with a nasty looking knee right to Buchanan's face.
Bitar tries to stall but Buchanan uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Buchanan is trying to trip Bitar. He has hold of a leg but Bitar is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Buchanan persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Bitar trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buchanan wants to control from the top but Bitar keeps moving.

Buchanan drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Bitar manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Buchanan has Bitar in his guard.
Bitar postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Bitar with a nice head shot there.
Bitar postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bitar trying to control but Buchanan is working from the bottom.
Buchanan looking for a sweep. Not yet Buchanan, not yet.
Bitar wants to stand but Buchanan has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Bitar pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Buchanan is keeping the position for now.
Bitar passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Buchanan is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andrei Bitar showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bitar has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andrei Bitar!