PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Fedor Alexandrov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jesus Rios (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Alexandrov might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Pelageya & Darya Moroz-Oy, da ne vecher (russian folk music). Jesus Rios is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Alexandrov
vs
Rios

188 cm
31
220 lbs
21 - 8 - 0

182 cm
38
205 lbs
32 - 10 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Merciless Gladiators

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 21 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Fedor Alexandrov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 32 - 10 - 0, fighting out of London, Jesus Rios!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Donald Grub and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rios misses with a body kick.
Alexandrov checks a low kick from Rios.
Rios fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Alexandrov has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Alexandrov throws a leg kick
and Rios counters with a big head kick but Alexandrov shrugs it off.
Good work by Alexandrov as he checks the leg kick.
Rios lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Rios throws a leg kick but Alexandrov moved away.
Rios moves out of range of the leg kick from Alexandrov.
Rios throws a chopping leg kick but Alexandrov manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Alexandrov shoots in looking for a takedown but Rios manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Alexandrov's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Alexandrov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rios throws a low kick but it's checked well by Alexandrov.

Alexandrov closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rios is trying to get back to his feet.
Rios tries to bench press Alexandrov off him but Alexandrov keeps the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alexandrov trying to control the action but Rios is working from the bottom.
Alexandrov creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Rios sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Alexandrov throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Alexandrov trying to control the action but Rios is working from the bottom.
Alexandrov controlling from side mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alexandrov tries to score with some ground and pound. Rios controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Alexandrov 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.
Alexandrov laying and praying for a moment but Rios takes advantage and regains half guard.
Alexandrov wants to free his trapped foot but Rios is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rios is refusing to be controlled, as Alexandrov sits in half guard.
Rios felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

We're going to have a standup here because Fedor Alexandrov wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Rios slips under a jab.
Alexandrov moves out of range of the body kick from Rios.
Rios throws a nice looking combination but Alexandrov bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rios is looking to clinch but Alexandrov is avoiding it.
Jesus Rios seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rios will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Alexandrov misses with a series of wild punches.
Alexandrov gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Rios counters with a single leg into guard. Alexandrov didn't expect that.
Rios stays in close to Alexandrov's body and controls the position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Alexandrov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rios is one step ahead there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Jesus Rios.
Rios fails with an attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesus Rios dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

An inside leg kick lands from Rios.
Alexandrov misses with an uppercut.
Rios moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Rios closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Alexandrov working hard to break the clinch.
Alexandrov blocking some punches.
Rios is trying to stall.
Rios misses with some punches.
Rios doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rios throws a head punch that misses.
Rios throws a head punch that misses.
Rios lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Rios tries to work over Alexandrov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Alexandrov pulls Rios into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alexandrov pulls Rios in to control the position.
Rios stopping the sweep attempt from Alexandrov.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rios is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A slow jab from Alexandrov misses its intended target.
Jesus Rios is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rios misses with a straight right.
Rios lands with a thumping leg kick.
Rios tries to close the distance and clinch up but Alexandrov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Alexandrov tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Rios misses with a body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rios tries to land a leg kick but Alexandrov saw it coming and moves away.
Rios tries to land a front kick but Alexandrov steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
A slapping leg kick lands for Rios.
Rios throws a head kick that misses.
Rios tries to land a leg kick but Alexandrov saw it coming and moves away.
Rios wants to land a leg kick but Alexandrov is out of range.
Rios throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Alexandrov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rios swivels and escapes.
Rios jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Alexandrov misses with a combination
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Rios throws a nice inside leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A bone on bone clash there as Alexandrov blocks the leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alexandrov looks to land a left hand but Rios moved out of range nicely.
Rios tries to clinch there but Alexandrov circles away.
Rios scores with a three punch combo!
Alexandrov changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Alexandrov scores with a one two! Rios had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Rios fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rios uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Alexandrov.
Alexandrov misses with a hook.
Alexandrov checks the leg kick nicely there.
Rios misses with a low kick.

Rios has closed the distance and engaged Alexandrov in a clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Alexandrov.
Alexandrov blocking some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rios lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Alexandrov or not.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rios is looking to control Alexandrov's arms but Alexandrov gets an underhook and turns him. Now Rios has his back to the cage.
A short body shot lands from Rios as the two fighters clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Alexandrov tries to circle away but Rios has him pinned against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rios.
Rios lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Alexandrov tries for a takedown but Rios manages to get underhooks.
Rios working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Alexandrov taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Rios misses with a body punch.
Rios softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Alexandrov goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rios prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fedor Alexandrov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rios misses with a body punch.
Rios can't find room to land a body shot as Alexandrov controls the action.
A right handed body shot lands from Rios.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesus Rios showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. 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.

Rios moves into the clinch.
Rios fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Alexandrov blocks a body shot from Rios.
Rios tries to throw a body punch but Alexandrov avoids it by throwing Rios back against the cage.
Nice body punch from Rios - that landed with a thud.
Rios misses with some punches.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Alexandrov tries to break free but Rios pushes him back against the cage.
Alexandrov stalling in the clinch but Rios improves position.
Rios throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Alexandrovs head.
Alexandrov blocks a body shot from Rios.
Rios swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rios tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A short right from Rios.
Rios goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Rios throws a punch but it's blocked by Alexandrov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rios lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Rios misses with a punch to the body.
Rios swings wildly with an uppercut but Alexandrov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rios fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Alexandrov lands with a short shot to the head.
A frustrated look appears on Alexandrov's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Alexandrov is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Alexandrov wants a takedown but no success here.
Rios is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Rios working aggressively here.
Rios misses with a punch on the inside.
Alexandrov is trying to maintain a safe position but Rios gets an underhook and turns Alexandrov into the cage.
Rios lands a left hand that snaps the head of Alexandrov backwards.
Alexandrov is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alexandrov trying to stall but Rios improves his position.
Alexandrov blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rios swings wildly with an uppercut but Alexandrov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rios working aggressively here.
Jesus Rios seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Rios tries to work over Alexandrov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rios avoiding damage as Alexandrov throws knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stalling in the clinch from Alexandrov.
Rios misses with the head strike.
Rios has a couple of punches blocked by Alexandrov.
Rios lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rios pushes Alexandrov back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Alexandrov.
Rios can't find room to land a body shot as Alexandrov controls the action.
Rios working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Alexandrov drags the fight down to the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alexandrov is controlling Rios's posture.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rios tries to land a leg kick but Alexandrov saw it coming and moves away.
Fedor Alexandrov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rios connects with an inside leg kick.
Fedor Alexandrov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Alexandrov throws a nice looking combination but Rios bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Alexandrov tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Alexandrov throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Alexandrov throws a low kick, looking for Rios's leg but Rios calmly moves out of range.
Rios throws a combination. Alexandrov tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Rios is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Alexandrov throws a leg kick
and Rios counters with a leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Alexandrov tries to land a leg kick but Rios saw it coming and moves away.
Jesus Rios is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Rios does no damage.
Rios will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Alexandrov misses with a head kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rios tries to close the distance and clinch up but Alexandrov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A head kick misses from Rios.
Rios lands a leg kick that knocks Alexandrov off balance momentarily.
Rios wants to clinch up but Alexandrov keeps it at a distance.
Rios fails with an attempt to clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Alexandrov takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Rios fakes the leg kick and cracks Alexandrov in the body.
Alexandrov circles away from the clinch attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jesus Rios comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rios 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 William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jesus Rios!
Jesus Rios seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.