PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between QL Hicks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Itof Meyachev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Meyachev has chosen Pussy by Rammstein as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hicks
vs
Meyachev

183 cm
22
186 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

172 cm
27
174 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Powerful

Blitzkrieg Formula 5000
Blitzkrieg Formula 5000

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, QL Hicks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Itof Meyachev!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Steve Smith and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Meyachev shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hicks defends it nicely.

Meyachev changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Hicks looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Meyachev tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Hicks is trying to get back to half guard.
Meyachev is looking to take a break and control but Hicks is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Meyachev wants to control for a moment but Hicks uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Meyachev is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Hicks is refusing to be controlled, as Meyachev sits in half guard.
Meyachev throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Meyachev shoots in looking for a takedown. Hicks tries to sprawl out of it but Meyachev keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Hicks manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Hicks throws a lazy right hand but Meyachev sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hicks throws a nice looking combination but Meyachev bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Meyachev closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Meyachev lands in his opponent's guard.
Hicks looking for a sweep. Not yet Hicks, not yet.
Hicks will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hicks keeping moving, preventing Meyachev from controlling successfully.
Hicks keeping full guard, as Meyachev tries to pass.
Meyachev is fighting to break Hicks's control of his arms but Hicks is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Meyachev preventing the sweep.

Meyachev postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Hicks is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Meyachev, into his guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hicks connects with a couple of short punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hicks trying to control but Meyachev is working from the bottom.
Meyachev wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hicks stands up over Meyachev, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Meyachev lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Hicks!
Meyachev thowing shots but they're missing.
Hicks is squirming around, avoiding Meyachev's attempts to control the action.

Meyachev is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Hicks can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Meyachev tries to control but Hicks wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Meyachev controlling from mount.
Hicks tries to reverse the position but Meyachev maintains control.
Meyachev thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Hicks is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Meyachev trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Meyachev sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Itof Meyachev dominated that round.
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.

Meyachev is looking to clinch.
Meyachev dodges the punch combination from Hicks.
Meyachev tries to clinch there but Hicks circles away.
Meyachev will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Hicks fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Meyachev, pushing him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hicks is working Meyachev over against the cage.

Hicks turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Meyachev tries to bench press Hicks off him but Hicks keeps the position.
Meyachev takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Meyachev is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Hicks lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hicks scores with a couple of short elbows.
A control attempt from Meyachev but he's now mounted!
Hicks trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hicks lands a nice shot to the head.
Hicks cracks Meyachev with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Meyachev wants to hold on but Hicks pushes him away.
Meyachev is trying desperately to improve position.
Hicks 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.
Hicks scoring with strikes but Meyachev is staying in there.
Meyachev is desperately trying to improve his position but Hicks has a good base and remains in mount.
Meyachev is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Meyachev is breathing heavily.
Hicks punishing his opponent with strikes.
Meyachev is desperately trying to improve his position but Hicks has a good base and remains in mount.
Hicks breaks from Meyachev's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Hicks lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Meyachev is wriggling around trying to escape.
Hicks landing strikes from the mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Hicks cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Hicks lands a big elbow.
Meyachev is trying desperately to improve position.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Hicks cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hicks trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hicks with shots to the head and body - Meyachev looks very uncomfortable down there.
Meyachev bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Meyachev trying to control the position from guard on top but Hicks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
QL Hicks overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Meyachev stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hicks swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Hicks had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Meyachev defends it easily.
Hicks is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Meyachev wants to control from the top but Hicks keeps moving.
Meyachev must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meyachev might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Hicks kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Meyachev drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Hicks dives on top into guard.
Meyachev not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hicks controls from within his opponent's guard.
Meyachev looking to control.

Meyachev has an active guard here but Hicks has managed to pass into half guard.
Nice strikes from Hicks there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

QL Hicks dominated that second round.
That's time! Hicks's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

A nice inside leg kick there by Hicks. That's going to slow Meyachev down.
Hicks leaves Meyachev with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Meyachev ducks under a wild hook from Hicks.

Meyachev drives through with a takedown into guard.
Meyachev trying to control but Hicks is working from the bottom.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Hicks holds on and takes a little breather.
Hicks controls Meyachev momentarily but Meyachev frees himself.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hicks is really struggling to control Meyachev but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Hicks has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meyachev showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Meyachev wants to pass the guard but Hicks is keeping the position.
Meyachev wants to control from the top but Hicks keeps moving.
Hicks is trying to keep Meyachev in close.

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.
Hicks looking to hit a scissor sweep but Meyachev is one step ahead there.
Meyachev working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Meyachev trying to control but Hicks is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Meyachev keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hicks.
Meyachev shoots in but no luck this time.

Hicks shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Meyachev napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Hicks wants to lay and pray for a moment but Meyachev keeps working.
Meyachev tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meyachev wants to control but Hicks postures up.
Meyachev avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Hicks.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Meyachev sneaks back into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Meyachev manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Meyachev has momentary wrist control but Hicks slips an elbow through the middle.
Hicks wants to pass the guard but Meyachev is keeping the position.
Hicks won't allow Meyachev to sweep him here.
Meyachev is trying to keep Hicks in close.

Meyachev is looking for a triangle here but Hicks uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Hicks gets to mount! Meyachev was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hicks takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Hicks lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Meyachev manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Meyachev is trying to get back to full guard.
Meyachev has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Hicks is working away from the top position though.
Hicks scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Meyachev is looking to improve his position.

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 QL Hicks.
Well Hicks has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... QL Hicks!