PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Anton Chekhov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Haywood Badger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chekhov kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is КАТЮШA. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Chekhov
vs
Badger

169 cm
35
142 lbs
37 - 13 - 2

161 cm
34
134 lbs
17 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Hell's Balls Recovery (160)
KAISER Nutrition - Q160/$250

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 37 - 13 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Anton Chekhov!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Haywood Badger!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Sam Margolis and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chekhov lands with a thumping leg kick.
Chekhov connects with a solid leg kick.
Chekhov throws a body kick that misses
and Badger counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Chekhov thinking.
Badger moves into range and connects with a jab.
Badger's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Badger duly obliges.
Chekhov sizes up Badger with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Chekhov takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Badger fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Chekhov on the side of the head.
Badger checks the leg kick.
Chekhov throws a leg kick that is checked
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Chekhov scores with a hook.
Chekhov throws a body kick that misses.
Chekhov slips under a jab.
Badger motions for Chekhov to come forward. Badger throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Chekhov has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Beast Cartel in the buildup to the fight.
Chekhov misses with a hook.
Chekhov throws a solid leg kick but Badger takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Chekhov.
Badger bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Badger sizes up Chekhov with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Badger takes one on the button.
Anton Chekhov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Badger fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Chekhov.
Badger takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Chekhov jabs Badger right on the nose. Badger blinks but takes it well.
Chekhov misses with a body kick.
Badger changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Badger thows a leg kick but Chekhov checks it
and Chekhov counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Badger rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Chekhov counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Badger fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Chekhov to the ground. Badger is now in Chekhov's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Badger wants to control from the top but Chekhov keeps moving.
Chekhov is pulling down on Badger's head. It's preventing any offense from Badger, at least for the moment.
Chekhov is trying to control the position but Badger postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Badger trying to control the position from guard on top but Chekhov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Chekhov seems keen to control Badger's posture.
Badger pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Chekhov is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Chekhov seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Chekhov lands a front kick.

Badger scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Chekhov sneaks back into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Badger tries to pass to full mount but Chekhov defends it.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Badger connects with a nice short shot to Chekhov's temple.
Chekhov is refusing to be controlled, as Badger sits in half guard.
Chekhov works his way to full guard. Good work.
Chekhov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Badger is one step ahead there.
Chekhov is adopting a defensive guard.

That's four 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.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Badger throws a big elbow that misses.
Badger won't allow Chekhov to sweep him here.
Badger is fighting to break Chekhov's control of his arms but Chekhov is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Chekhov being controlled here, momentarily.
Chekhov managing to control the position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Chekhov keeping moving, preventing Badger from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Haywood Badger will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Chekhov uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Badger.
A low kick from Chekhov misses
enabling Badger to counter with a crisp jab.
Chekhov connects with an inside leg kick.
Chekhov throws a low kick but Badger avoids it.
Chekhov lands with a kick to the ribs.
Chekhov misses with a wild body shot.
Badger tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Chekhov was well out of range. Poor timing from Badger.
Chekhov is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Chekhov goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Chekhov lands with a shot to the body.
Anton Chekhov is winning the standup battle so far.
Badger misses with a body kick.
Good work by Badger as he checks the leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chekhov scores with a leg kick.
Chekhov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Badger moves away.
A shot to the liver by Chekhov. Beautiful body shot.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Chekhov checks a leg kick.
Chekhov misses with a wild body shot.
Badger is looking to land body kicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bone on bone clash there as Badger blocks the leg kick.
Badger was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Anton Chekhov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Chekhov displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Badger throws out the jab.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Chekhov.
Chekhov misses with an uppercut.
Chekhov's corner calls for a 1-2. Chekhov obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Chekhov thuds a left hand into Badger's body.
Chekhov misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Badger.
Badger blocks a jab.
Chekhov connects with a leg kick. Badger looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Jab, jab by Chekhov - just one landing.
Badger shoots in but Chekhov avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Chekhov has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Chekhov there as he acknowledges the shot.
Chekhov throws a leg kick but Badger sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Badger throws out a counter right but Chekhov avoids it with no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chekhov misses with a looping left.
A little jabbing left from Badger on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Badger with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Badger with a nice cross.
Badger takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Nice takedown defense from Chekhov. No joy for Badger on that attempt.
Badger tried to score with a low kick but Chekhov checks it.
Chekhov is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Chekhov thumps Badger with a low kick.
Chekhov listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
A slapping leg kick lands for Chekhov.
Badger throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Chekhov missing with a left hand there. Badger was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Chekhov lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Badger has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Badger and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
A nice inside leg kick there by Badger. That's going to slow Chekhov down.
Badger scores with a nice strike.
Chekhov throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Badger avoids the body shot from Chekhov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Badger lands a nice looking body kick.
Chekhov throws a jab when Badger was well out of range.
Badger doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Chekhov takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Chekhov motions for Badger to come forward. Chekhov throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Badger scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Chekhov throws a big shot that misses.
Badger looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Badger walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Chekhov checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Badger thumps Chekhov with a low kick.
Badger scores with a push kick.
Chekhov lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Badger scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Chekhov misses with a hook. Badger ducked under it nicely.
Chekhov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Badger was well out of range. Poor timing from Chekhov.
Chekhov cracks Badger with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Chekhov throws a leg kick but Badger sees it coming and moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chekhov jabs at Badger's body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Chekhov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Badger moves away.
Chekhov blocks the body kick.
Chekhov connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Chekhov moves away from the strike by Badger.
Nice straight punches there by Chekhov. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Chekhov.
Chekhov misses with a hook
and Badger counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Badger throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Chekhov's waist but Chekhov gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Badger off to one side.
Anton Chekhov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Haywood Badger.
Chekhov just misses with a punch to the body.
Chekhov scores with a shot to the body.
Badger has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Chekhov takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Chekhov thows a left - swing and a miss!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Chekhov misses with an attempted mid kick.
Badger replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Chekhov blocks it well.
Chekhov misses with a wild body shot.
Chekhov uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Badger has time to react.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anton Chekhov dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Chekhov scores with a nice strike.
Badger looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Chekhov takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Badger with a lazy takedown attempt
letting Chekhov counter with a right hand.
Chekhov fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Badger on the side of the head.

Badger is rocked!
Chekhov scores with a shot to the body.
Decent striking displayed by Badger there.

Chekhov closes the distance and clinches.
Chekhov has a couple of punches blocked by Badger.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Badger.
Chekhov gets through Badger's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Chekhov lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Badger is still on wobbly legs! Can Chekhov finish him?
Chekhov throws a punch but it's blocked by Badger.
Chekhov lands a hook that snaps the head of Badger backwards.
Chekhov lands a big right hand that drops Badger! The killer instinct kicks in and Chekhov finishes his opponent with a series of strikes from mount. A dominating finish by Chekhov!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Anton Chekhov!
Anton Chekhov retains his bantamweight title!
During a confident post fight interview, Anton Chekhov thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.