PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Syd Cutter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dmitry Saadiev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dmitry Saadiev has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cutter
vs
Saadiev

192 cm
20
215 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

190 cm
21
218 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Syd Cutter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dmitry Saadiev!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Roosa Järviläinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cutter clinches up against the cage.
Saadiev is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Cutter is pushing Saadiev up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Cutter tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Saadiev avoids it.
Cutter throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Cutter tries to land knees in the clinch but Saadiev avoids the damage to the body.
Cutter holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Saadiev dodges an elbow strike from Cutter.
Cutter tries a body shot but Saadiev blocks it.
Cutter unloads a knee to the mid-section. Saadiev lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Saadiev on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Cutter tries to land knees in the clinch but Saadiev avoids the damage to the body.
Cutter throws an elbow but it misses.
Saadiev drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Cutter gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saadiev managing to block the knees to the body from Cutter.
Cutter creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Saadiev's defenses.

It looks like Dmitry Saadiev has been cut.
Cutter landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Cutter misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Saadiev.
A frustrated look appears on Saadiev's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Cutter misses with an elbow over the top.
Saadiev takes an elbow to the temple.
Cutter misses with an elbow over the top.
Cutter lands a nice knee to the body.
Saadiev looks winded!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Saadiev blocks an elbow strike from Cutter.
Cutter misses with an elbow strike.
Cutter tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cutter tries to land knees in the clinch but Saadiev avoids the damage to the body.
Saadiev on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Saadiev gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Cutter throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Cutter manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Saadiev manages to get himself to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cutter accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cutter throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Saadiev works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cutter accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Saadiev can do anything to dispel that myth.

Saadiev working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Cutter doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Cutter manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Cutter is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cutter throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Cutter 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.
Cutter working some strikes from top position.
Saadiev keeping full guard, as Cutter tries to pass.
Cutter throws an elbow that misses. Saadiev uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Cutter's guard. Nice move by Saadiev!
Saadiev is looking to stand up but Cutter won't let him.
Cutter wants to sweep here but Saadiev controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saadiev wants to stand and escape but instead Cutter has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Cutter wants to pass the guard but Saadiev is keeping the position.
Cutter in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cutter in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Cutter throws a big right hand that misses.
Saadiev can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Cutter controls the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Syd Cutter dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dmitry Saadiev's cut.
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.

Saadiev has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Cutter.
Cutter dodges the punch combination from Saadiev.
Cutter tries to clinch
and Saadiev counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Cutter throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cutter gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Saadiev connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cutter tries to clinch but Saadiev is having none of it.
Cutter scores with the left hand. Saadiev knows he should have avoided that one.
Cutter plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Saadiev moves out of range as Cutter throws a body kick.

Cutter rushes Saadiev and presses him up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saadiev dodges an elbow strike from Cutter.
Cutter stalling the fight.
Saadiev tries to break the clinch but Cutter is controlling the position.
Cutter throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Cutter goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Cutter throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Saadiev is trying to break the clinch but Cutter has him pressed against the cage.
Cutter misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Saadiev.
Saadiev has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Cutter missing with knees to the body.
Cutter working aggressively here.
Cutter can't find room to land a body shot as Saadiev controls the action.
Cutter landing knees to the body.
Cutter unloads a knee to the mid-section.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cutter is trying to stall.
Saadiev wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Saadiev tries to circle away but Cutter has him pinned against the cage.
Saadiev takes a knee right on the jaw!
Cutter throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Cutter tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Saadiev's elbow.
A short right from Cutter.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cutter stalling in the clinch but Saadiev improves position.
Saadiev is trying to break the clinch but Cutter is controlling him.
Nice elbow from Cutter.
Saadiev blocks an elbow strike from Cutter.
Cutter keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Saadiev's efforts to push away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saadiev is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Cutter to keep the fight standing.
Cutter tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Saadiev avoids it.
Saadiev managing to block the knees to the body from Cutter.
Saadiev avoids the elbow strike from Cutter, against the cage.
Syd Cutter has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Cutter effectively controlling the action here.
Cutter landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Cutter.
Saadiev takes an elbow to the forehead.
Cutter tries to land knees in the clinch but Saadiev avoids the damage to the body.

Saadiev manages to break the clinch.
Saadiev attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Cutter misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saadiev scores with a nice head shot.
Cutter closes the distance but Saadiev moves to the side
and Saadiev cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Cutter tries to score with a low kick but Saadiev moves his leg out of the way.
Cutter tries to clinch but Saadiev moves out of range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cutter misses with a body kick.
Saadiev tries a head kick but it misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Cutter clinches.
Cutter misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Saadiev.
Cutter tries to land knees in the clinch but Saadiev avoids the damage to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Syd Cutter dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dmitry Saadiev's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Saadiev throws a hook to the side of Cutter's head but Cutter sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cutter throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cutter throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Cutter tries to clinch up.
Cutter moves out of range as Saadiev strikes.

Cutter closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Cutter is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Saadiev can do to turn this around?
Cutter tries to land a knee to the head but Saadiev blocks with his arms.
Cutter is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Cutter is struggling to control the position.
Cutter looking to throw knees to the head but Saadiev is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cutter missing with knees to the body.
Cutter comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
A frustrated look appears on Saadiev's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Saadiev wants to get back to striking at distance but Cutter won't allow it.
Saadiev blocks an elbow strike from Cutter.
Saadiev working hard to break the clinch.
Saadiev wants a takedown but no success here.
Cutter tries a knee to the head but Saadiev blocks it.
Saadiev wants to get back to striking at distance but Cutter won't allow it.
Cutter unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Saadiev takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cutter tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Cutter throws an elbow but it misses.
Cutter pushes off an throws an elbow but Saadiev leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cutter prevents a takedown attempt there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cutter lands an elbow inside that Saadiev shrugs off.
Saadiev is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Cutter with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Cutter lands a nice knee to the body.
Cutter leaning against his opponent.
Saadiev wants to get back to striking at distance but Cutter won't allow it.
Cutter lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Cutter is struggling to control the position.
Saadiev takes an elbow to the forehead.
Saadiev takes an elbow to the forehead.
Cutter is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cutter lands a good knee to the midsection. Saadiev won't want to take too many of those.
Cutter utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Cutter using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Cutter lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Saadiev backwards.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Saadiev blocks an elbow strike from Cutter.
Syd Cutter is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Knees to the body from Cutter.
Cutter misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Cutter landing knees to the head.

That has opened up Dmitry Saadiev's cut even more.
Saadiev blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Saadiev avoiding damage as Cutter throws knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saadiev wants to get back to striking at distance but Cutter won't allow it.
Cutter stalling the fight.
Saadiev wants to break free but Cutter has control.
Saadiev blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Cutter tries to land knees in the clinch but Saadiev avoids the damage to the body.
Cutter landing knees to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cutter lands a damaging elbow.
Cutter tries to land knees in the clinch but Saadiev avoids the damage to the body.
Dmitry Saadiev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Saadiev looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Syd Cutter showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cutter has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Syd Cutter!