PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Artur Salihov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Bobrov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Artur Salihov has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Salihov
vs
Bobrov

165 cm
18
132 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

163 cm
18
135 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Beast Body

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Artur Salihov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Bobrov!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Igor Prikhodko and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Salihov has closed the distance and engaged Bobrov in a clinch.
Bobrov looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Salihov wants the takedown. Bobrov is fighting it off but Salihov persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Bobrov's guard against the cage.
Salihov forces his way into half guard.
Salihov missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Salihov scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Salihov wants to free his trapped foot but Bobrov is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Salihov prevents Bobrov from standing back up.
Salihov looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Bobrov with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Bobrov wants to get back to his feet.
Salihov drops an elbow to the side of Bobrov's head.
Salihov is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Salihov controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salihov landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Salihov knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bobrov on the ground.
Salihov slows the pace down in half guard.

Salihov is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Salihov tries to pass to full mount but Bobrov defends it.
Salihov drops an elbow to the side of Bobrov's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
Salihov takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Bobrov is defending against the submission attempts here by Salihov.
Ground and pound from Salihov.
Bobrov taking some punishment here, with Salihov in his half guard.
Salihov wants to pass to mount but Bobrov is defending the position.
Salihov scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Bobrov has hold of Salihov's hands but Salihov slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bobrov trying to control but Salihov postures up.
Nice strikes from Salihov there.
Salihov prevents Bobrov from standing back up.
Salihov winds up and cracks Bobrov with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Salihov looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Salihov looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Salihov tries to pass the half guard into mount. Bobrov knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Salihov seems to be working for a kimura but Bobrov defends the submission attempt.

That's four 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.
Salihov misses with a head shot. Bobrov uses the momentum to regain guard.
Salihov lands a couple of digs.
Bobrov wants to sweep here but Salihov controlling him for the moment.

Salihov stands up and waves to Bobrov to follow him.
Bobrov lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Artur Salihov dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Salihov lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bobrov circles away quickly and effectively.
Bobrov keeps the fight on the outside.
Nice sprawl there from Salihov as Bobrov shoots in.
Salihov throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Salihov moves into the clinch.
Salihov lands a nice elbow.

Salihov breaks the clinch.
Salihov throws a head kick that misses

and Bobrov counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Salihov trying to control here.
Salihov is trying to stand back up but Bobrov is controlling him
Salihov moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Bobrov content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salihov is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bobrov is controlling him.
Bobrov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Salihov wants to stand and escape but Bobrov is having none of it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Salihov moves in looking to clinch but Bobrov pushes him off.

Salihov shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Bobrov manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Bobrov keeping moving, preventing Salihov from controlling successfully.
Salihov has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Bobrov kicks Salihov off and gets to his feet.
Bobrov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Salihov swivels and escapes.
Artur Salihov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salihov misses with a takedown

and Bobrov counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Bobrov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Salihov keeps working.
Salihov is trying to stand up here but Bobrov is controlling him well.
Bobrov seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Bobrov tries to pass the half guard into mount. Salihov knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Salihov looks like he's trying to stand up.

Bobrov is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Bobrov sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Salihov defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salihov wants to get back to his feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Salihov is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Salihov tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Bobrov counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Bobrov trying to control the position from guard on top but Salihov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Salihov kicks Bobrov off and gets to his feet.
Salihov misses with a leg kick

and Bobrov counters with a shoot takedown. Salihov fights it but they end up in guard.
Bobrov wants to pass the guard but Salihov is keeping the position.
Salihov wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Bobrov manages to pass to side control.
Bobrov prevents Salihov from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bobrov is trying to control. Salihov wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Bobrov stops Salihov from getting back to his feet.
Bobrov lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Bobrov fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Salihov avoids it really well and circles away.
Artur Salihov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Bobrov.
Bobrov misses with a takedown attempt

and Salihov counters with a shoot takedown. Bobrov fights it but they end up in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bobrov is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Artur Salihov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Salihov drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Bobrov manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Salihov has Bobrov in his guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Salihov uses the cage to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Bobrov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Salihov has managed to clinch.
Salihov controlling the action here for a moment.
Salihov wants a takedown but no success here.
Bobrov is trying to drag Salihov to the mat but Salihov just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Salihov is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Bobrov can't fight it off and eventually Salihov manages to take the fight to the floor. Bobrov looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Bobrov is looking to stand up but Salihov isn't so interested in that idea.
Salihov postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bobrov keeping moving, preventing Salihov from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Salihov postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Salihov scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Salihov postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Salihov's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Bobrov trying to control the position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Salihov's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Bobrov is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Salihov landing some decent shots from guard.

That's two 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.
Salihov trying to control but Bobrov is working from the bottom.
Salihov tries to free his leg and advance position but Bobrov is retaining full guard.
Salihov lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Bobrov is trying to control the position but Salihov postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Salihov moves into the clinch.
Salihov digs a right hand underneath Bobrov's ribcage. Bobrov let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Salihov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Salihov doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Bobrov counters with a nice double leg into side control. Salihov won't be happy with that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bobrov working away.
Salihov wants to get back to his feet.
Salihov tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Salihov is trying to stand but he's just given Bobrov his back.

Bobrov is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Salihov has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Salihov covers up after that shot from Bobrov.
Salihov has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Salihov is really stuck here.
Bobrov landing with strikes.
Salihov rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

Bobrov is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Salihov defends it well.
Salihov tries to kick Bobrov off but Bobrov keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Salihov misses with a double jab

and Bobrov counters with a nice double leg into side control. Salihov won't be happy with that.
Bobrov cracks Salihov with a big elbow.
Salihov is trying to buck Bobrov off.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ivan Bobrov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bobrov 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ivan Bobrov!