PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Danila Bagrov (ranked 1693 p4p, 1733 weight class) and Dean Gaines (ranked 199 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.

Bagrov
vs
Gaines

186 cm
23
199
4 - 3 - 0

182 cm
22
194
6 - 2 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
World class boxer
Granite chin

Savage Fightwear

Honest Apparel ($30 SPECIAL ALL Shorts!)

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Danila Bagrov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dean Gaines!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Ian Loll and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gaines is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Bagrov.

Bagrov fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Gaines to the ground. Bagrov is now in Gaines's guard.
Bagrov stands up over Gaines, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Gaines keeping moving, preventing Bagrov from controlling successfully.
Gaines avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gaines preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Gaines keeping moving, preventing Bagrov from controlling successfully.
Gaines trying to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bagrov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Gaines really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bagrov. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Bagrov cracks Gaines with a solid left hand.
Bagrov postures up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bagrov accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bagrov is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Gaines is looking to stand up but Bagrov isn't so interested in that idea.
Gaines keeping moving, preventing Bagrov from controlling successfully.
Gaines wants to stand and escape but Bagrov is having none of it.
Bagrov lands a couple of elbows.
Bagrov with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bagrov is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Bagrov controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Bagrov makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Bagrov prevents Gaines from getting back to his feet.
Bagrov controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Bagrov lands a couple of elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bagrov throwing strikes from guard but Gaines blocks nicely.
Bagrov 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.
Bagrov postures up.
Bagrov not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Bagrov with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Bagrov trying to control the position from guard on top but Gaines is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bagrov controlling from the top position.
Bagrov postures up.
Gaines working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bagrov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bagrov stays in close to Gaines's body and controls the position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bagrov is looking to work some ground and pound but Gaines has wrist control.
Bagrov throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gaines works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Bagrov slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Bagrov throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Gaines on the side of the head.
Bagrov just misses with a punch to the body.
Gaines cracks Bagrov with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Bagrov takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Bagrov on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Gaines throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Bagrov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Dean Gaines is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice takedown defense from Gaines. No joy for Bagrov on that attempt.
Gaines unleashes a big counter combination but Bagrov bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Gaines throws a right hand that Bagrov ducks under and follows up with a left that Bagrov also avoids with ease.
Bagrov tries to counter with a takedown but Gaines is quick to defend against it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaines misses with a looping left.

Bagrov has closed the distance and engaged Gaines in a clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Bagrov misses with a body punch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bagrov swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gaines working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Bagrov working aggressively here.
Gaines is defending well against a takedown attempt.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bagrov.
Bagrov tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Gaines's elbow.
Gaines looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Gaines cracks Bagrov with a nice body shot.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Bagrov.
Gaines tries to throw a body punch but Bagrov avoids it by throwing Gaines back against the cage.
Bagrov is working Gaines over against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Bagrov.
I was talking to Bagrov's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Gaines lands an uppercut.
Gaines stops a takedown attempt from Bagrov.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Danila Bagrov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Bagrov.
A hook to the body from Bagrov.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Bagrov creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A short body shot lands from Bagrov as the two fighters clinch.
Gaines looks winded!
Bagrov cracks Gaines with a nice body shot.
Bagrov lands a shoulder strike.
Bagrov lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Bagrov effectively controlling the action here.
Bagrov lands a shoulder strike.
Nice body punch from Bagrov - that landed with a thud.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bagrov.
Bagrov is working Gaines over against the cage.
A short right from Gaines on the inside.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bagrov pushes Gaines back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Bagrov working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Bagrov scores with a shoulder strike.
Gaines blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Bagrov misses with a body punch.
Gaines misses with a punch to the body.

Gaines's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Bagrov shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Bagrov was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Bagrov working the body and head with strikes.
Bagrov taking a breather here.
Gaines is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Bagrov is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Gaines tries to lock up and control but Bagrov gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Bagrov fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Bagrov pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Bagrov content just to control the position here.
Gaines tries to lock up and control but Bagrov gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Gaines is squirming around, avoiding Bagrov's attempts to control the action.
Gaines is wriggling around trying to escape.
Bagrov landing strikes from the mount and Gaines is in trouble!
A nice elbow there by Bagrov.
Bagrov working the ground and pound effectively.
Bagrov controlling his opponent.
Bagrov landing shots from mount.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gaines is in a horrible position here. Bagrov smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Gaines wants to hold on but Bagrov pushes him away.
Bagrov scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Gaines?
Gaines tries to hold on but Bagrov postures up.
Bagrov lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

Gaines is rocked!
Bagrov unloads with some vicious shots from mount and Gaines wants out - he looks towards the referee who steps in to save him! Bagrov celebrates on the cage and the crowd goes wild!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 8:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Danila Bagrov!
An out of breath Danila Bagrov thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.