PBP Commentary

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

Khabilov
vs
Holmes

191 cm
26
212 lbs
6 - 2 - 1

190 cm
19
205 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 6 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Ruslan Khabilov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Casey Holmes!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, William Peck and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Khabilov connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Khabilov tries a head kick but it misses.
Khabilov is trying hard to land a takedown here. Holmes sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Khabilov shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Holmes defends it nicely.
Holmes is looking to clinch but Khabilov is avoiding it.
Holmes doesn't manage to clinch there - Khabilov circles away.
Holmes fails in his attempt to clinch.
Holmes wants to clinch.

Holmes clinches up with Khabilov and pushes him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khabilov blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Holmes blocks the elbow strike.
Holmes working Khabilov over with knees to the body.
Holmes misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Holmes trying to land knees to the body.
Holmes is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ruslan Khabilov. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
A body shot lands from Khabilov.
Holmes lands an elbow inside that Khabilov shrugs off.

It looks like Ruslan Khabilov has been cut.
Holmes tries a knee to the head but Khabilov blocks it.
Holmes avoids the elbow strike from Khabilov, against the cage.
Holmes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Khabilov blocks it with crossed arms.
Holmes throws an elbow but it misses.
Holmes pushes off an throws an elbow but Khabilov leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Holmes misses with a body punch.
Khabilov can't break the clinch.
Holmes fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Holmes is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Khabilov is defending well for now.
Holmes tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Khabilov tries to break free but Holmes pushes him back against the cage.
Khabilov jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Holmes walks away with a smile on his face. Khabilov gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Holmes wants to clinch up but Khabilov keeps it at a distance.

Holmes rushes Khabilov and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Khabilov blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Khabilov breaks from the clinch.

Holmes moves into the clinch.
Khabilov tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Holmes smiles and moves away.
Khabilov swats away the attempt to clinch by Holmes.
Khabilov tries to counter by clinching up but Holmes breaks away and moves out of range.

Khabilov shoots in and bounces Holmes off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Khabilov prevents Holmes from getting back to his feet.
Khabilov looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Khabilov's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holmes wants to get back to his feet but Khabilov is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Khabilov controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Holmes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Khabilov tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Holmes manages to circle out of the way.
Holmes is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Khabilov half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Khabilov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Holmes tries to clinch but Khabilov moves out of range.
Khabilov circles away from the clinch attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Holmes looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Holmes looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Holmes wants to clinch but Khabilov slips to the side
and Khabilov counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Khabilov throws a wild body kick that Holmes sees coming a mile off.
Holmes wants to clinch up but Khabilov keeps it at a distance.
Holmes fails with an attempt to clinch.
Holmes is looking to clinch.
Holmes tries to close the distance and clinch but Khabilov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Holmes tries to clinch

and Khabilov counters with a single leg into guard. Holmes didn't expect that.
Holmes wants to get back to his feet but Khabilov is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Khabilov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Holmes is keeping the position for now.
Khabilov showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ruslan Khabilov will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ruslan Khabilov's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Holmes fails with an attempt to clinch.
Holmes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Khabilov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Casey Holmes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Khabilov shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Holmes as he jumps to the side.
Holmes is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
The fight stays on the outside here - Holmes looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Holmes tries to clinch up but Khabilov circles away and keeps his distance.
Holmes showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Khabilov.
An inside leg kick from Khabilov misses.
Holmes tries to close the distance and clinch up but Khabilov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Holmes moves in looking to clinch but Khabilov pushes him off.
Khabilov circles away from the clinch attempt
and Khabilov counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holmes tries to clinch but Khabilov is having none of it.

Holmes has closed the distance and engaged Khabilov in a clinch.
Holmes tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Holmes tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes has a couple of punches blocked by Khabilov.
Holmes prevents a takedown attempt there.

Khabilov manages to pull guard.
Khabilov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Holmes.
Khabilov controlling the position.

Holmes avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Holmes throwing strikes from guard but Khabilov blocks nicely.
Holmes trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Khabilov is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Holmes rolls with it to try and escape but Khabilov cranks on the arm and Holmes is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Ruslan Khabilov!