PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Alla Pugacheva (ranked 2905 p4p, 1524 weight class) and Zaid Al Balushi (ranked 369 p4p, 206 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Pugacheva
vs
Al Balushi

179 cm
29
168
7 - 8 - 0

180 cm
29
155
7 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter
Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alla Pugacheva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Zaid Al Balushi!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Taro Takaoka and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Al Balushi fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Pugacheva.
Pugacheva tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Al Balushi stuffs the takedown.
Al Balushi lands a nice leg kick that just misses Pugacheva's sensitive parts.
Pugacheva takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Al Balushi throws a nice looking combination but Pugacheva bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Al Balushi connects with a leg kick.

Pugacheva closes the distance and pushes Al Balushi back into the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Al Balushi as Pugacheva tries to tie him up.
Pugacheva avoiding damage as Al Balushi throws knees to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Al Balushi.
Al Balushi prevents a body shot from Pugacheva.
Pugacheva avoids the elbow strike from Al Balushi, against the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Al Balushi is pushing Pugacheva up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Pugacheva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Pugacheva has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Al Balushi.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Pugacheva has managed to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Al Balushi lands a right hand that snaps the head of Pugacheva backwards.
Al Balushi taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Al Balushi throws an elbow but it misses.
Pugacheva blocks an elbow strike from Al Balushi.
Pugacheva gets through Al Balushi's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Pugacheva breaks the clinch.
Al Balushi lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Pugacheva has managed to clinch.
Al Balushi blocks a body shot from Pugacheva.
Al Balushi pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Al Balushi misses with an elbow over the top.
Pugacheva connects with a nasty looking knee right to Al Balushi's face.

It looks like Zaid Al Balushi has been cut.
Al Balushi lands a knee to the body.
Pugacheva looking to throw knees to the head but Al Balushi is blocking nicely.
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!
Pugacheva slows down the pace here.
Pugacheva blocks a body shot from Al Balushi.
Pugacheva lands a shot to the body.
Pugacheva blocks a body shot from Al Balushi.

Pugacheva successfully pulls guard.
Pugacheva seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Al Balushi is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pugacheva looking to hit a scissor sweep but Al Balushi is one step ahead there.
Al Balushi controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pugacheva is trying to keep Al Balushi in close.
Pugacheva looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Pugacheva lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

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.
Pugacheva is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Al Balushi managing to control the position.
Pugacheva trying to control the position from guard on top but Al Balushi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Al Balushi looking to control.
Pugacheva controlling from the top position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Al Balushi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Al Balushi wants to clinch up but Pugacheva keeps it at a distance.
Al Balushi scores with a kick to the midsection.
Al Balushi connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zaid Al Balushi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Zaid Al Balushi's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Al Balushi takes the fight into the clinch.
Al Balushi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Al Balushi looking to throw knees to the head but Pugacheva is blocking nicely.
Al Balushi tries to land knees in the clinch but Pugacheva avoids the damage to the body.
Pugacheva blocks an elbow strike.
Pugacheva blocks the elbow strike.
Pugacheva blocks an elbow strike.
Al Balushi throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Pugacheva blocks it with crossed arms.
Al Balushi tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Pugacheva avoids it.
Al Balushi misses with a knee strike.
Pugacheva gets through Al Balushi's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Al Balushi misses with a knee strike.
Al Balushi is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Pugacheva lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Al Balushi backwards.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pugacheva pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Pugacheva moves into the clinch.
Pugacheva is trying to pull guard but Al Balushi has him pressed against the cage.
Pugacheva fails to pull guard.
Pugacheva jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Al Balushi walks away with a smile on his face. Pugacheva gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alla Pugacheva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pugacheva tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Al Balushi looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pugacheva takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Pugacheva is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

Pugacheva clinches with his opponent.
Al Balushi tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Al Balushi creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Pugacheva landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Al Balushi has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Pugacheva seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Al Balushi can turn it around.
Pugacheva on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Al Balushi misses with a hook to the ribs.
Al Balushi working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Al Balushi looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Pugacheva's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A jab from Al Balushi finds it's way through Pugacheva's defenses.
Pugacheva tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Al Balushi darts in and clinches Pugacheva up against the cage.
Al Balushi creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Pugacheva lands with a left to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Al Balushi misses with a knee to the head.

Pugacheva jumps into guard, dragging Al Balushi to the mat.
Pugacheva bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Al Balushi's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pugacheva tries to stand but Al Balushi is controlling from the bottom.
Al Balushi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Pugacheva throws a big right hand that misses.
Al Balushi bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Pugacheva's guard.

Pugacheva bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Al Balushi's guard.

Al Balushi trying to keep a closed guard but Pugacheva is proving a slippery customer.
Pugacheva trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Pugacheva throws an elbow that misses. Al Balushi uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Pugacheva's guard. Nice move by Al Balushi!

Al Balushi preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pugacheva keeping moving, preventing Al Balushi from controlling successfully.
Pugacheva seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Al Balushi content to stall in guard here.
Al Balushi being controlled here momentarily.
Pugacheva bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Al Balushi's guard.

We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

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.
Pugacheva loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Pugacheva accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pugacheva throws a big elbow that misses.
Pugacheva throws a strike but Al Balushi rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Pugacheva looking to hit a scissor sweep but Al Balushi is one step ahead there.
Pugacheva is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Zaid Al Balushi will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Zaid Al Balushi's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Al Balushi ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Al Balushi lands with a right hand.
Al Balushi connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Pugacheva changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Al Balushi looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Al Balushi tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Pugacheva tries for a kimura but Al Balushi is defending well.
Alla Pugacheva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sloppy strikes there by Pugacheva.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pugacheva wants to control but Al Balushi is keeping him busy.
Al Balushi is trying to get back to half guard.
Sloppy strikes there by Pugacheva.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pugacheva throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Pugacheva landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Pugacheva tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Pugacheva in side control, throwing shots but Al Balushi defends.
Pugacheva looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Al Balushi is avoiding damage well.
Al Balushi regains half guard there - taking advantage of Pugacheva's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Pugacheva throwing shots but Al Balushi is blocking nicely.
Well, if Pugacheva 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.
Al Balushi is trying to maintain the position but Pugacheva is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Al Balushi blocking the ground and pound attempt from Pugacheva.

Pugacheva is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Al Balushi doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Pugacheva.
Pugacheva wants to pass the guard but Al Balushi is defending well.

Pugacheva is looking for a kimura but Al Balushi is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Pugacheva to get the leverage.
Pugacheva throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pugacheva tries to stand and escape but Al Balushi actually recovers to full guard.
Pugacheva throws a big elbow that misses.
Pugacheva throws a big elbow that misses.
Al Balushi avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Al Balushi has Pugacheva pulled in close to control his posture.
Al Balushi preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Pugacheva looking to sit in guard and control but Al Balushi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Al Balushi controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pugacheva looking to control but Al Balushi passes into half guard.
Pugacheva won't allow Al Balushi to pass to mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pugacheva keeps control of the position for the meantime.

Pugacheva has one foot on Al Balushi's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alla Pugacheva showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Al Balushi 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Zaid Al Balushi!
Zaid Al Balushi seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.