PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Elias Paniki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hector Ulrich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paniki comes to the cage accompanied by Get Back. Ulrich has chosen Bob Marley - Lights Down Low as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Paniki
vs
Ulrich

183 cm
18
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

193 cm
20
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Elias Paniki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hector Ulrich!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Konstantin Menshow and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ulrich dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Paniki. That did some damage!
Ulrich throws a sloppy head kick and Paniki moves out of range easily.
Ulrich explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

Ulrich clinches up with Paniki and pushes him back against the cage.
Paniki is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Paniki is fighting off a takedown attempt but Ulrich is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Paniki to the mat. Paniki regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Paniki can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ulrich controls the pace.

Paniki had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ulrich defends it easily.
Ulrich is stalling in the full guard.

Paniki is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Paniki is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ulrich looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Paniki had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ulrich defends it easily.

Paniki has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ulrich can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

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.
Ulrich stays in close to Paniki's body and controls the position.
Paniki wants to stand but Ulrich is controlling the position.
Ulrich in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Paniki is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ulrich sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Paniki's guard.
Ulrich stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ulrich is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Ulrich lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Paniki hang on?
Ulrich takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Ulrich looking to control but Paniki is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ulrich might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Paniki kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Despite being in the dominant position, Hector Ulrich just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Paniki throws a nice looking combination but Ulrich bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Paniki fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Ulrich clinches.

Ulrich manages to break the clinch.
Ulrich shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Paniki but Paniki pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Elias Paniki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ulrich looks gassed!
Ulrich dodges the punch combination from Paniki.
Ulrich misses with a combination
and Paniki counters with a right hand to the body.
Paniki throws a series of punches but Ulrich avoids them all with ease.
Paniki swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ulrich tries to clinch up but Paniki circles away and keeps his distance.

Paniki drops Ulrich with a beautiful combination! Ulrich stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Paniki is looking for the KO!

It looks like Hector Ulrich has been cut.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Paniki fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Paniki listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Jab by Paniki.

Ulrich is rocked!
Ulrich dodges the punch combination from Paniki.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elias Paniki dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hector Ulrich's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Paniki lands a body shot.
Ulrich uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Paniki.
Ulrich doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Paniki misses with a series of wild punches.
Ulrich takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Elias Paniki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Paniki misses with the combination.
Paniki throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Paniki is looking to wear down Ulrich with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Paniki connects with a jab.
Paniki misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Paniki throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Ulrich counters with a nice double leg into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Paniki keeping moving, preventing Ulrich from controlling successfully.
Ulrich is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Paniki working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ulrich doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ulrich manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ulrich works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Paniki is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ulrich pulls his head out easily.
Ulrich missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ulrich is taking a breather. Paniki says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Ulrich working the head and body with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ulrich controlling the action here.
Ulrich throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Paniki looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Paniki looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Ulrich content to control rather than advance.

Paniki looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ulrich looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Ulrich thows a huge punch but Paniki dodges it nicely.
Paniki is refusing to be controlled, as Ulrich sits in half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Paniki throws a left and a right that both miss

and Ulrich counters with a takedown into side control.
Paniki is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Ulrich is pressing down on Paniki's thigh, looking to free his foot. Paniki is holding on for now.
Ulrich is looking to take a break and control but Paniki is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Paniki looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ulrich keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Paniki tries to kick Ulrich off but Ulrich keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Ulrich throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Ulrich slows the pace down in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nice strikes from Ulrich there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hector Ulrich showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Hector Ulrich's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Paniki stuffs the takedown attempt from Ulrich. Ulrich gets slowly back to his feet.
Ulrich dives in and grabs Paniki's left leg, looking for a takedown. Paniki pushes down on Ulrich's head and hops out.
Paniki swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ulrich moves forwards but Paniki connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Paniki comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

Paniki drops Ulrich with a beautiful combination! Ulrich stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Paniki is looking for the KO!
Ulrich is still on wobbly legs! Can Paniki finish him?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ulrich dodges the punch combination from Paniki.
Ulrich seems to have recovered his senses.
Paniki lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Ulrich walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Paniki lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Ulrich at a distance.
Good shot there by Paniki.
Paniki misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Elias Paniki is winning the standup battle so far.

Ulrich shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Ulrich throwing strikes here but Paniki is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Ulrich looking to finish with strikes here!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paniki working to try and regain half guard.
Ulrich sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Paniki is in a horrible position here. Ulrich smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Ulrich has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Paniki is trying desperately to improve position.
A nice elbow there by Ulrich.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ulrich with shots to the head and body - Paniki looks very uncomfortable down there.
Ulrich wants to control the pace but Paniki is squirming around nicely.
Paniki is working to get back to half guard.
Ulrich wants to control the pace but Paniki is squirming around nicely.
Ulrich lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Paniki tries to reverse the position but Ulrich maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paniki is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Paniki tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Paniki squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Ulrich tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Paniki is trying to stand.
Ulrich controlling from the full mount.
Paniki tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four 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.
Ulrich with the ground and pound from mount.
Ulrich controlling from mount.
Paniki keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Paniki is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ulrich is landing with some decent strikes but Paniki is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Ulrich takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Elias Paniki showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Paniki has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Elias Paniki!