PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rhaj Taibol (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Timo I Eat Iron (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taibol comes into the arena with Made of Scars blaring out of the sound system. The crowd seem to be enjoying I Eat Iron's choice of entrance music: Black Sabbath - Ironman. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Taibol
vs
I Eat Iron

182 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

188 cm
22
189 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid 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, Rhaj Taibol!
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, Timo I Eat Iron!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Igor Prikhodko and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
I Eat Iron fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

I Eat Iron has taken the fight to the clinch.
Taibol fails to pull the fight into his guard.

I Eat Iron drags the fight down to the ground.
Taibol is fighting to break I Eat Iron's control of his arms but I Eat Iron is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

I Eat Iron throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taibol has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of I Eat Iron is proving hard to escape from.
I Eat Iron keeping moving, preventing Taibol from controlling successfully.
I Eat Iron trying to control the position here.
Taibol is standing up over I Eat Iron. I Eat Iron looks to escape but Taibol dives into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taibol wants to lay and pray for a moment but I Eat Iron keeps working.
Taibol tries to stand but I Eat Iron is controlling his head.
Taibol is breathing heavily.
I Eat Iron gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
I Eat Iron missing with punches from the bottom.
Taibol is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
I Eat Iron wants to improve his position but Taibol is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
I Eat Iron holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
I Eat Iron slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taibol stopping the sweep attempt from I Eat Iron.
Taibol trying to control but I Eat Iron is working from the bottom.
I Eat Iron controlling Taibol's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taibol wants to control from the top but I Eat Iron keeps moving.
I Eat Iron seems keen to control Taibol's posture.
Taibol thows a big elbow that misses.
Taibol has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Taibol is in close to I Eat Iron's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Taibol trying to control but I Eat Iron is working from the bottom.
Taibol is fighting to break I Eat Iron's control of his arms but I Eat Iron is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Taibol trying to control the position from guard on top but I Eat Iron is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
I Eat Iron wants to control but Taibol passes easily into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
I Eat Iron wants to control but Taibol is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Taibol is looking for a kimura here.
Taibol lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Taibol wants to stand up but I Eat Iron is controlling the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Taibol prevents I Eat Iron from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Timo I Eat Iron dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

I Eat Iron darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

I Eat Iron is working for a kimura but Taibol is defending it quite comfortably.
Taibol avoiding damage under a succession of punches from I Eat Iron.
Taibol is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of I Eat Iron's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take I Eat Iron's back!
Taibol somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.

Taibol has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, I Eat Iron has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
I Eat Iron rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
I Eat Iron is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taibol is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Taibol is figuring out what he wants to do next.
I Eat Iron is looking to get back to is feet but Taibol passes into side control.
Taibol wants to lay and pray for a moment but I Eat Iron keeps working.
Taibol tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
I Eat Iron manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

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.
I Eat Iron manages to get to full guard.
I Eat Iron is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
I Eat Iron seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Taibol does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Taibol keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Still in half guard, I Eat Iron seems content to control.
I Eat Iron stops Taibol from getting back to his feet.
I Eat Iron is looking to advance position but Taibol won't allow it.
Still in half guard, I Eat Iron seems content to control.
Taibol is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taibol trying to control here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

I Eat Iron scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

I Eat Iron is working for a kimura but Taibol is defending it quite comfortably.
I Eat Iron tries to pass the half guard into mount. Taibol knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Taibol tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Taibol wants to control but I Eat Iron is keeping busy.
I Eat Iron is controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taibol has hold of I Eat Iron's hands but I Eat Iron slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Taibol looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and I Eat Iron pushes past his half guard into mount!
Taibol is looking to get to half guard.
I Eat Iron avoids the attempt from Taibol to control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Taibol is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Timo I Eat Iron showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Taibol's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

No joy there for Taibol, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Taibol shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Taibol slips nicely into half guard.
Taibol stalling away here and it's allowed I Eat Iron to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
I Eat Iron trying to control the position.
I Eat Iron manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Taibol taking shots to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
I Eat Iron pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taibol tries to hold on but I Eat Iron postures up.
I Eat Iron controlling the position easily from mount.
Taibol is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
I Eat Iron in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Taibol is looking to improve his position but I Eat Iron isn't that keen on the idea.
Taibol tries to hold on but I Eat Iron pushes him away.
Taibol tries to reverse the position but I Eat Iron maintains control.

I Eat Iron goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Taibol turns into him and now he's in I Eat Iron's guard.
I Eat Iron is trying to control the position but Taibol postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Taibol drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and I Eat Iron dives on top into guard.
I Eat Iron slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Taibol working a defensive guard but I Eat Iron passes into half guard.
I Eat Iron slows the pace down in half guard.
I Eat Iron landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
I Eat Iron is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
I Eat Iron passes to full mount!
I Eat Iron landing strikes from the mount and Taibol is in trouble!
I Eat Iron sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
I Eat Iron looking to control but Taibol is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Timo I Eat Iron has got the better of the ground game so far.

I Eat Iron goes for an armbar but Taibol turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Taibol.
Taibol trying to control the position from guard on top but I Eat Iron is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taibol preventing the sweep.
I Eat Iron avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Taibol sitting in guard, not really doing much.

I Eat Iron throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
I Eat Iron is trying to control the position but Taibol postures up.
Taibol trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but I Eat Iron manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Rhaj Taibol has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Taibol keeping moving, preventing I Eat Iron from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Timo I Eat Iron comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got I Eat Iron 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Timo I Eat Iron!