PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Francisco Mir (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Koslov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mir's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Nas - Hate Me Now. Francisco Mir has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mir
vs
Koslov

191 cm
21
265 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

191 cm
21
245 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Francisco Mir!
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, Igor Koslov!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Konstantin Menshow and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Koslov will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Mir tries to clinch there but Koslov circles away.

Mir shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Koslov is trying to keep Mir in close.
Mir wants to pass the guard but Koslov is keeping the position.
Koslov is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Mir trying to control but Koslov is working from the bottom.
Mir is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Koslov is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Koslov is looking to stand up but Mir isn't so interested in that idea.
Koslov keeping moving, preventing Mir from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koslov looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

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

Koslov clinches.
Koslov wants to break the clinch but can't.

Mir breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Koslov avoids the head kick by Mir.
Mir swinging wildly here.

Mir scores with a takedown into Koslov's guard.
Koslov wants to sweep here but Mir controlling him for the moment.
Koslov is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koslov is trying to keep Mir in close.
Mir slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Mir trying to control but Koslov is working from the bottom.
Mir working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Mir wants to control from the top but Koslov keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koslov keeping full guard, as Mir tries to pass.

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

and Koslov counters by moving into the clinch.
Koslov throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Koslov tightens his grip and picks Mir up, before dumping him to the ground. Mir manages to land in guard.

Mir has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Koslov can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Mir tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Mir is pulling down on Koslov's head to control his posture.
Mir looking for a sweep. Not yet Mir, not yet.
Koslov trying to control the position from guard on top but Mir is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mir tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Koslov gets to his feet - Mir follows without any prompting.
Nice takedown defense from Koslov. No joy for Mir on that attempt.
Koslov tries to clinch there but Mir circles away.
Mir dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Koslov. That did some damage!

Mir drives through and clinches with Koslov against the cage.
Mir is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Mir manages to break the clinch.
Mir moves out of range as Koslov throws a body kick.
Koslov circles away from the clinch attempt
and Koslov makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Mir tries to clinch but Koslov moves away

and Koslov counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Mir is breathing heavily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Mir looking for a guillotine here but Koslov defends easily.
Koslov seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Koslov dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Koslov doesn't manage to clinch there - Mir circles away.
Mir looks to clinch
enabling Koslov to counter with a crisp jab.
Koslov shoots in for a double leg but Mir sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Koslov will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Francisco Mir seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mir tries to clinch but Koslov is having none of it.
Mir doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Koslov counters by moving into the clinch.
Mir wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

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

Mir closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Mir lands in his opponent's guard.
Mir throws a strike but Koslov rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Mir looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mir bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Koslov's guard.
Mir works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Mir is trying to work for a kimura but Koslov is defending well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mir wants to lay and pray for a moment but Koslov keeps working.

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.
Koslov wants to control but Mir is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Koslov keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

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

Koslov feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Mir is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Mir wants to free his trapped foot but Koslov is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Mir with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Mir throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mir wants to free his trapped foot but Koslov is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Mir is looking for a kimura here.
Mir wants to lay and pray for a moment but Koslov keeps working.
Koslov wants to control but Mir is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Koslov looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koslov preventing the sweep.
Koslov lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Koslov would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Mir working a defensive guard here.
Mir wants to sweep here but Koslov controlling him for the moment.
Igor Koslov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mir is trying to keep Koslov in close.
Mir keeping full guard, as Koslov tries to pass.
Mir wants to improve his position but instead Koslov has moved into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Koslov 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! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Koslov closes the distance and clinches.

Mir breaks the clinch.

Koslov moves into the clinch.

Mir pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Koslov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mir misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Francisco Mir is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Mir shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Koslov manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Mir won't allow Koslov to sweep him here.
Mir throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Koslov works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Koslov is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Koslov wants to stand and escape but Mir is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mir throwing strikes from guard but Koslov blocks nicely.
Mir wants to control from the top but Koslov keeps moving.
Koslov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mir is one step ahead there.
Koslov seems keen to control Mir's posture.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Mir shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Koslov but Koslov pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Mir tries to clinch up
and Mir takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koslov fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Koslov tries to clinch but Mir moves out of range.
Mir moves in looking to clinch but Koslov pushes him off.

Mir closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Koslov managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Mir.
Mir trying to control the position but Koslov is working away.
Koslov parries the strikes from Mir easily there. Mir is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Koslov to escape.
Koslov is looking for a sweep.
Koslov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Mir thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Koslov is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koslov dodges the ground and pound from Mir.

Mir goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Koslov rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Mir's guard! Nice work there by Koslov!
Koslov looking to sit in guard and control but Mir gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Koslov keeping moving, preventing Mir from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Mir stops Koslov from standing up.
Mir with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mir tries to free his leg and advance position but Koslov is retaining full guard.
Koslov is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Francisco Mir has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mir wants to pass the guard but Koslov is keeping the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Mir gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Igor Koslov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mir misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Koslov.
Mir misses with a hook to the ribs.
Mir can't break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Francisco Mir.
Well Koslov 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Igor Koslov!