PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alexey Andreev (ranked 74 p4p, 13 weight class) and Ebeneezer Darkk (ranked 310 p4p, 42 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Andreev
vs
Darkk

175 cm
29
188 lbs
20 - 3 - 0

182 cm
33
193 lbs
25 - 9 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Heavy handed

KOMBAT KLOTHING

Groove Gear

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 20 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexey Andreev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ebeneezer Darkk!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yukihiro Shimada and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Andreev dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Andreev closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Darkk's guard.
Andreev with a flurry of punches that miss.
Darkk is pulling down on Andreev's head to control his posture.
Andreev with a nice head shot there.
Andreev postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Darkk utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Andreev preventing the sweep.
Andreev slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Andreev lands a couple of decent looking shots.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Darkk trying to keep a closed guard but Andreev is proving a slippery customer.
Andreev postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Andreev lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darkk pulls Andreev in close to his closed guard and prevents Andreev from doing any damage or advancing position.
Darkk's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Andreev sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Darkk's guard.
Darkk wants to improve his position but Andreev is controlling well.
Andreev seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
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. Andreev connects with a nice short shot to Darkk's temple.
Darkk trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Andreev trying to control from Darkk's half guard. Darkk has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Darkk bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Andreev's guard.

Andreev is looking for a triangle but Darkk pushes his legs off easily.
Darkk with a nice head shot there.
Darkk wants to pass the guard but Andreev is keeping the position.
Andreev is looking to sweep but instead, Darkk has passed into half guard.

Andreev actively working from the bottom here.
Andreev trying to control from the bottom.
We've been hearing good reports from Andreev'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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Andreev is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Andreev looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Darkk controlling the pace.
Andreev trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Andreev wants to hold on but Darkk pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Darkk raining down hammerfists from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Andreev tries to lock up and control but Darkk gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Andreev 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.
Andreev really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Darkk is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Andreev wants to control but Darkk is having none of it.
Andreev is wriggling around trying to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Darkk takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Andreev is trying to escape the mount.
Andreev in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
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 Alexey Andreev 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.

Darkk takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Ebeneezer Darkk has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Darkk displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Andreev throws out the jab.

Andreev closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Darkk to the mat! Darkk manages to get full guard.
Andreev working some strikes from top position.
Darkk is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Darkk tries to pass the half guard into mount. Andreev knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Andreev trying to control from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Still in half guard, Darkk seems content to control.
Darkk is trying to control. Andreev wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Andreev tries to get to full guard but Darkk has control of the leg.
Andreev tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Andreev manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Andreev wants to sweep here but Darkk controlling him for the moment.
Andreev is working hard here to advance position.
Andreev working a defensive guard here.

Andreev throws his legs up looking for a submission but Darkk uses it to pass to side control.
Darkk lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Andreev down.
Andreev wants to control but Darkk postures up.
Andreev sneaks back into half guard.
Andreev slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darkk is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Andreev has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Andreev being controlled here, momentarily.
Andreev working a defensive guard here.
Darkk tries to free his leg and advance position but Andreev is retaining full guard.
Darkk wants to control from the top but Andreev keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Andreev is looking for a triangle but Darkk pushes his legs off easily.
Darkk tries to free his leg and advance position but Andreev is retaining full guard.
Darkk is stalling in the full guard.

Andreev is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Darkk trying to control but Andreev is working from the bottom.

Andreev has his foot on Darkk's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Darkk works his way back into a safe position though.

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.

Andreev had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Darkk defends it easily.
Darkk not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Alexey Andreev overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Andreev is trying to control the position but Darkk postures up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Andreev misses with a wild body shot.
Darkk throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Andreev misses with a right hand
and Darkk counters with a straight right hand.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Darkk slips under a jab.
Darkk takes one on the chin but seems OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexey Andreev dominated that second round.
That's time! Andreev's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Darkk scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Andreev is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Darkk.
Darkk throws a counter combo.
Andreev misses with an uppercut. Darkk saw that one coming.
Andreev lands with a straight right. Darkk didn't see that one coming.
Andreev connects with a body shot that sends Darkk's belly button to the back.

Andreev closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Andreev is looking to stall here but Darkk recovers full guard.
Andreev works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Andreev is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Darkk has managed to free his arm - good work.
Darkk is looking for a sweep. Andreev is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Andreev not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Andreev throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Darkk trying to control but Andreev postures up.
Andreev wants to control but Darkk is keeping him busy.

Andreev is trying to work for a kimura but Darkk is defending well.
Darkk is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Andreev sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Darkk defending well though.
Darkk keeping hold of Andreev's head, controlling as best he can.
Darkk trying to control here.
Darkk is looking for a sweep. Andreev is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Andreev not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Darkk moves into full guard.
Andreev wants to control from the top but Darkk keeps moving.
Andreev is really struggling to control Darkk but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Andreev uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Darkk.
Andreev connects with a single shot there.

Darkk fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Andreev, pushing him back against the cage.
Andreev is working Darkk over against the cage.
Darkk tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A head punch on the inside from Darkk fails to land.
Darkk misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Darkk tries a body shot but Andreev blocks it.

Andreev pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Andreev works over Darkk's head and body with a nice combination.
Alexey Andreev is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Andreev misses.
Andreev connects with a jab.
Alexey Andreev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Andreev digs a good body shot into Darkk's ribs.
Andreev connects with a good right hand that stumbles Darkk. Darkk circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Andreev tries for a takedown but Darkk sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Darkk defending well as Andreev loads up on a big left hand.
Darkk steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Andreev.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Andreev misses with an uppercut.
It seemed like Darkk was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Darkk blocks a jab.
Darkk throws out a counter right but Andreev avoids it with no problem.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexey Andreev showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Andreev, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:28
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexey Andreev!
In his post fight interview, Alexey Andreev started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.