PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mikhail Kalashnikov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joseph Venables (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Kalashnikov
vs
Venables

187 cm
23
200 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

188 cm
22
200 lbs
7 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mikhail Kalashnikov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joseph Venables!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Arvi Lind and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Venables swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Venables throws an off balance right hand

and Kalashnikov counters with a single leg into guard. Venables didn't expect that.
Kalashnikov passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Kalashnikov is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Venables is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Kalashnikov cracks Venables with a big right hand but Venables just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Kalashnikov trying to control the position but Venables is working away.
Kalashnikov 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.
Kalashnikov misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kalashnikov tries for a kimura but Venables is defending well.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kalashnikov lands an elbow.
Kalashnikov throws an elbow but Venables slips to the side and avoids it well.
Kalashnikov wants to control but Venables is keeping him busy.
Venables struggling a bit here.
Venables dodges the ground and pound from Kalashnikov.
Kalashnikov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Venables keeps working.
Kalashnikov lands an elbow.
Kalashnikov scoring with punches and elbows.
Venables is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
We've been hearing that Kalashnikov has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kalashnikov working over Venables with some ground and pound. Venables looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Kalashnikov sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Venables defending well though.
Well, if Kalashnikov is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Kalashnikov is looking for a kimura here.
Kalashnikov throwing shots but Venables is blocking nicely.
Kalashnikov landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Kalashnikov scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Kalashnikov not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Venables is defending against the submission attempts here by Kalashnikov.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Kalashnikov working over Venables with some ground and pound. Venables looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Venables trying to control but Kalashnikov postures up.
Kalashnikov missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Kalashnikov controlling the pace.
Kalashnikov looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Venables with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Kalashnikov working Venables over with strikes.
Venables holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kalashnikov is actively looking for submissions here but good counter grappling here from Venables as he works his way to full guard.
Kalashnikov is in close to Venables's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Venables keeping moving, preventing Kalashnikov from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kalashnikov lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Kalashnikov lands a couple of digs.
Venables trying to control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kalashnikov working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Kalashnikov working some strikes from top position.
Kalashnikov is looking to work some ground and pound but Venables has wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikhail Kalashnikov dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Kalashnikov checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Venables stuffs the takedown.
Venables lands a front kick.
Venables turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Venables.

Kalashnikov closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Venables is looking for a sweep.
Kalashnikov has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Kalashnikov scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Kalashnikov cracks Venables with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kalashnikov dominating with strikes here.
The referee warns Venables that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Kalashnikov scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kalashnikov is landing with some decent strikes but Venables is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

Kalashnikov is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Venables is surviving well by controlling Kalashnikov's body position as best he can.
Venables is desperately trying to improve his position but Kalashnikov has a good base and remains in mount.
Kalashnikov dominating with strikes here.
Venables wants to control but Kalashnikov is having none of it.
The referee warns Venables that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Kalashnikov lands with some strikes.
Kalashnikov sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Kalashnikov lands a heavy elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kalashnikov takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Venables in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Venables is squirming around, avoiding Kalashnikov's attempts to control the action.
Kalashnikov working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Kalashnikov postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Venables looks a forlorn figure.
Kalashnikov fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

It looks like Joseph Venables has been cut.
Kalashnikov can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Venables is looking to escape.
Kalashnikov cracks Venables with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

Venables is rocked!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kalashnikov tries to control but Venables wriggling away.
Kalashnikov with good strikes from the mount here!
Kalashnikov breaks from Venables's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Kalashnikov is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Kalashnikov tries to control but Venables wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Venables is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Kalashnikov is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Venables is surviving well by controlling Kalashnikov's body position as best he can.
Kalashnikov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Venables can do to turn this around?
Kalashnikov punishing his opponent with strikes.
Venables takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Kalashnikov is landing with some decent strikes but Venables is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Kalashnikov looking to control but Venables is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikhail Kalashnikov dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Joseph Venables's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Venables throws a quick inside leg kick.
Venables throws a low kick but Kalashnikov moves out of range easily.

Venables gets caught napping as Kalashnikov dives in and scores a takedown. Venables manages to retain guard.
Venables working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kalashnikov.
Kalashnikov trying to control the position from guard on top but Venables is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kalashnikov connects with a couple of short punches.
Kalashnikov in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kalashnikov is looking to work some ground and pound but Venables has wrist control.
Kalashnikov makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Venables looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Kalashnikov landing with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Venables looking for a guillotine here but Kalashnikov defends easily.
Mikhail Kalashnikov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Venables wants to hit a switch here but Kalashnikov passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Venables there!

Kalashnikov is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Venables has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Venables!

Kalashnikov has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Venables doesn't defend quickly enough and Kalashnikov has managed to lock this one up! Can Venables escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Kalashnikov on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Mikhail Kalashnikov!
Mikhail Kalashnikov thanked the fans post fight for their support.