PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Adrian Petrov (ranked 6338 p4p, 480 weight class) and Pierre Bonin (ranked 2735 p4p, 280 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Petrov
vs
Bonin

180 cm
26
150 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

175 cm
26
153 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Threads of HARDCORE

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Adrian Petrov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Pierre Bonin!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Steve Smith and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Petrov doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Bonin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Bonin drives through and clinches with Petrov against the cage.

Bonin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Petrov with a poor takedown

and Bonin counters by clinching up.

Bonin breaks the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Petrov shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Bonin as he avoids it easily.
And Bonin tries to counter it with a takedown but Petrov pushes his down on his head and steps out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Adrian Petrov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bonin looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrov shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bonin but Bonin pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Petrov changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Bonin looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Bonin pushes Petrov away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Petrov gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Petrov working away.
Bonin tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petrov creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Bonin sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Petrov working the ground and pound but Bonin is defending the strikes.
Petrov sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Bonin is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Petrov looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Bonin is avoiding damage well.
Petrov in side control lands a decent elbow.
Petrov working the ground and pound.
Bonin is looking to reverse the position.
Petrov 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.
Petrov in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Petrov swings around for an armbar but Bonin sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Petrov's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Connects with an elbow from the bottom, proving to the judges that he's still active off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bonin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Bonin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Petrov has his foot on Bonin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bonin works his way back into a safe position though.
Bonin with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Petrov throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Bonin slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Bonin looks winded!
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.
Bonin working away.
Petrov is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at St Petersburg MMA Gym that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
Petrov tries to strike but it doesn't land.
Bonin trying to control the action but Petrov is working from the bottom.
Petrov can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrov misses with a strike from the bottom.
Petrov struggling a bit here.

Bonin decides to stand back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bonin tests Petrov's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Petrov fails with the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Petrov fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Bonin to the ground. Petrov is now in Bonin's guard.
Bonin is pulling down on Petrov's head. It's preventing any offense from Petrov, at least for the moment.
Petrov scoring with some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Petrov is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Petrov distracts Bonin with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Petrov has gone for a leg lock! Bonin slips out almost immediately though and dives into Petrov's guard.

Bonin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Petrov working for submissions but it's allowed Bonin to get to half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bonin lands a nice short elbow.
Petrov is looking for a sweep. Bonin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Petrov is trying to control but can't.
Petrov on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Petrov trying to hold on to Bonin's head to control him but Bonin postures up.
Bonin is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bonin lands a nice short elbow.
Petrov flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bonin drops an elbow to the side of Petrov's head.
Bonin wants to free his trapped foot but Petrov is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Pierre Bonin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bonin is breathing heavily.
Petrov trying to control here.
Petrov taking some punishment here, with Bonin in his half guard.
Petrov scores with a few weak punches.

Petrov looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Petrov is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Bonin is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrov wants to control but Bonin is keeping busy.
Petrov is looking for a sweep. Bonin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Bonin trying to control from half guard but Petrov is working away.
Petrov is trying to control but can't.
Bonin is trying to control the action in half guard but Petrov is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Bonin wants to free his trapped foot but Petrov is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Bonin is looking to take a break and control but Petrov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bonin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Petrov darts in looking for a takedown but Bonin gets double underhooks and turns Petrov into the cage.

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.
Petrov changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bonin tries to avoid it but Petrov manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bonin to the ground. Bonin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Petrov changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bonin tries to avoid it but Petrov manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bonin to the ground. Bonin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Adrian Petrov. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Bonin closes the distance and pushes Petrov back into the cage.
Petrov has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Bonin after a bit of a struggle.
Bonin pressing his opponent against the cage.
Petrov has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Bonin is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Bonin manages to break the clinch.
Petrov darts in looking for a takedown but Bonin gets double underhooks and turns Petrov into the cage.
Bonin let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pierre Bonin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Petrov's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Bonin lands a right hook to the body.

Bonin rushes Petrov and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Petrov is trying to drag Bonin to the mat but Bonin just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Bonin displaying some good clinch control by pressing Petrov up against the cage.

Bonin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Petrov scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Petrov working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrov connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Bonin some visible discomfort.
Bonin is trying to get back to half guard.
Petrov throwing strikes but Bonin manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Bonin taking a breather here.
Bonin working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bonin misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Petrov wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Petrov chipping away with strikes from the bottom.
Petrov struggling a bit here.
An elbow from Bonin crashes against the mat.
Petrov is trying to control Bonin's posture but Bonin avoids it.
Petrov takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Petrov is looking for a sweep.
Petrov can't do much from the bottom here.
Bonin is looking to take a break and control but Petrov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Petrov's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Bonin working the head with strikes.
Petrov gets back to half guard.

Bonin is working for a kimura but Petrov is defending it quite comfortably.
Petrov has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Bonin is working away from the top position though.

That's four 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.
Petrov is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Bonin is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Petrov trying to hold on to Bonin's head to control him but Bonin postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bonin blocks the strikes from Petrov.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Adrian Petrov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pierre Bonin is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Bonin throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pierre Bonin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Bonin has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pierre Bonin!