PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Chester (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Miodrag Cleve (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Chester had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Chester
vs
Cleve

170 cm
20
185 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

186 cm
20
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

//buriedALIVE// Fight Gear

Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, John Chester!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Miodrag Cleve!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Ryoma Takatsuka and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Chester dives in and scores a takedown into Cleve's guard.
Cleve is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Chester trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Cleve seems keen to control Chester's posture.
We've been hearing good reports from Chester's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Chester might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Chester in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Cleve keeping moving, preventing Chester from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cleve looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cleve managing to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chester loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Chester works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Cleve keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Chester is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Cleve wants to get back to full guard.
Cleve is looking to escape.

Chester is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Cleve doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Chester.
Cleve is trying to stand up here but Chester is controlling him well.

Chester is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Cleve really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Chester. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cleve controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

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.
Cleve is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Cleve keeps trying to improve his position.

Chester is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Cleve is looking to control Chester's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Cleve avoid being mounted?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Chester sitting and controlling from the half guard.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Chester is working for a kimura but Cleve is defending it quite comfortably.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chester sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Chester is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Chester is looking to advance position but Cleve won't allow it.
Cleve has hold of Chester's hands but Chester slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Chester prevents Cleve from improving his position.

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.
Cleve trying to hold on to Chester's head to control him but Chester postures up.
Chester missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Chester wants to take a breather but Cleve is having none of it.
Cleve is trying to get back to full guard.
Chester missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Chester trying to control the action but Cleve is working from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cleve is controlling Chester's trapped leg to prevent Chester from advancing to side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Chester dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Chester closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Cleve quickly recovers to half guard.
Cleve has his hands clasped together around Chester's back. He's all about the action.
Chester is trying to control the action in half guard but Cleve is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Chester is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Cleve sees it coming and defends easily.
John Chester overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Chester wants to pass the guard but Cleve is defending well.
Cleve blocking the ground and pound attempt from Chester.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chester missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Chester missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Chester throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Chester is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chester stalling.
Chester 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.
Cleve has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Chester is working away from the top position though.
Cleve tries to roll over but Chester keeps him under control.
Chester is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cleve can do to turn this around?
Cleve is trying to stand up here but Chester is controlling him well.

Chester is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Chester missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Cleve desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Cleve is looking to control Chester's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Cleve avoid being mounted?
Chester missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Cleve wants to improve his position but Chester is controlling well.
Chester not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Chester is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Chester trying to control from half guard but Cleve is working away.
Chester wants to pass to mount but Cleve is defending the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cleve wants to improve his position but Chester is controlling well.
Cleve wants to control but Chester is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Chester will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Good leg kick by Cleve there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Chester will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Cleve thuds his shin into the meat of Chester's side.
Cleve throws a body kick that misses.
Cleve scores with a sloppy right hand. Chester should have avoided that one.
Cleve throws a wild body kick that Chester sees coming a mile off.
Good leg kick by Cleve there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chester darts in looking for a takedown but Cleve gets double underhooks and turns Chester into the cage.
Cleve stuffs the takedown attempt from Chester. Chester gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Chester. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cleve scores with a leg kick.
Chester has a takedown stuffed.
Chester backing away here, and Cleve unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Cleve, right into the meat.
Cleve throws a head kick that misses.
Chester is looking for a counter combo.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cleve tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Chester looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cleve buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Chester misses with a takedown attempt
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Cleve goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Chester has a takedown stuffed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Miodrag Cleve showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Cleve lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
A nice inside leg kick there by Cleve. That's going to slow Chester down.
Cleve lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Chester is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Cleve lands a jab to the nose.
Cleve looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

Chester looking to score a takedown here. Cleve is defending well but Chester drives through and ends up in Cleve's guard.
Cleve has his hands on Chester's head, controlling the position.
Cleve avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cleve looking for a sweep. Not yet Cleve, not yet.

Cleve is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Chester wants to break free but Cleve has control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chester goes for a takedown attempt but Cleve pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Cleve works Chester's body with a nice hook.
Cleve connects with an inside leg kick.
John Chester seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Chester shoots in but Cleve avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Cleve is looking to land body kicks.
Chester shoots in but Cleve avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Chester. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cleve cracks Chester with a right hand to the side of the head.

It looks like John Chester has been cut.

Chester closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Cleve did well to prevent Chester getting side control.

Chester is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Cleve is not content to let Chester control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chester working the head and body with strikes.
Cleve trying to hold on to Chester's head to control him but Chester postures up.
Chester slips a nice elbow through Cleve's hands, connecting with Cleve's forehead.
Cleve tries to roll over but Chester keeps him under control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cleve trying to control but Chester postures up.
Cleve is not content to let Chester control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cleve is doing well to control the position and prevent Chester from advancing to side control.
Chester is nestled in close to Cleve, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Chester tries to pass to full mount but Cleve defends it.
Cleve keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Cleve trying to control but Chester postures up.
Cleve is looking for a sweep. Chester is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Chester not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Chester is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Chester not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cleve is trying to control but Chester manages to pass to mount!
Chester tries to control but Cleve wriggling away.
Chester tries to push Cleve's head away but Cleve is holding on tight.
Cleve takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Miodrag Cleve.
I think Cleve has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Miodrag Cleve!
During a confident post fight interview, Miodrag Cleve thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.