PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Anzor Azhiev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rolland Pierre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Azhiev
vs
Pierre

177 cm
26
166 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

169 cm
18
149 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Anzor Azhiev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rolland Pierre!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Matti Vanhoillinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pierre throws a series of punches but Azhiev avoids them all with ease.
Pierre misses with a double jab.
Pierre looks to score with a jab to the body but Azhiev is just out of range.

Azhiev shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Azhiev stands and steps away. Pierre gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Azhiev uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pierre.
Pierre throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Azhiev closes the distance and pushes Pierre back into the cage.

Azhiev gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Pierre regains guard.
Pierre striking off his back but it's not causing Azhiev any problems.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pierre is trying to keep Azhiev in close.
Azhiev pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Pierre is keeping the position for now.

Pierre has his foot on Azhiev's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Azhiev works his way back into a safe position though.
Pierre really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Azhiev. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Azhiev is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Azhiev decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Pierre, up you get!
Azhiev avoids a punch combination nicely.
Azhiev moves out of range of the strikes.
Pierre lands a nice looking body shot.
Azhiev slips a jab and a cross from Pierre.
Pierre lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Azhiev circles away quickly and effectively.
Azhiev keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pierre fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Pierre throws out a loose jab but Azhiev uses good head movement to avoid it.

Azhiev has taken the fight to the clinch.
Pierre has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Azhiev jumps guard and drags Pierre to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Pierre must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azhiev has control of Pierre's left arm, preventing Pierre from doing any damage.
Pierre throwing strikes but missing.
Pierre looking to sit in guard and control but Azhiev gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Azhiev is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Pierre trying to keep a closed guard but Azhiev is proving a slippery customer.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pierre being controlled here, momentarily.

Azhiev gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pierre lands with a good body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Pierre. Azhiev does a little dance to reset his feet.

Azhiev 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.
Azhiev looking to pass the guard.
Azhiev controls from within his opponent's guard.
Azhiev stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pierre swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Pierre trying to keep a closed guard but Azhiev is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Azhiev looking to pass the guard.

Pierre working for a triangle but Azhiev defends it easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Azhiev makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Pierre is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pierre can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Azhiev controls the pace.
Azhiev's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anzor Azhiev dominated that round.
That's time! Azhiev's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Azhiev doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Pierre looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Pierre just misses with a punch to the body.
Azhiev avoids the body shot from Pierre.
Azhiev uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Pierre.
Some wild striking there from Pierre.
Azhiev slips under a jab.
Pierre looks to land a combination but Azhiev avoids it well.
Pierre misses with a series of wild punches.
Pierre misses with a series of wild punches.
Pierre misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pierre misses with a wild combination.
Pierre looks to land a combination. Azhiev sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
A telegraphed right hand from Pierre misses the target.
Pierre avoids the head kick by Azhiev.
Pierre is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Azhiev rather than just go for the knockout.
Azhiev takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Pierre misses with a straight left.
Azhiev fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rolland Pierre is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Pierre fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Azhiev looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Azhiev dives in and scores a takedown into Pierre's guard.
Azhiev stands up over Pierre, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Pierre controls Azhiev momentarily but Azhiev frees himself.

Azhiev stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pierre with a body punch. A glancing blow.

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

Azhiev tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Pierre is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Azhiev's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Still in half guard, Azhiev seems content to control.
Pierre wants to improve his position but Azhiev is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pierre trying to control here.
Azhiev slows the pace down in half guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Anzor Azhiev.

Azhiev shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Azhiev was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Pierre keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pierre is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Pierre tries to hold on but Azhiev pushes him away.
Pierre tries to control the position but Azhiev now has his back.
Anzor Azhiev overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Azhiev lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Pierre.
Pierre tries to break free.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Azhiev controls the action.
Azhiev lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Anzor Azhiev will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Pierre misses with a hook.
Azhiev misses with a head kick.

Azhiev fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Pierre to the ground. Azhiev is now in Pierre's guard.
Azhiev sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Pierre's guard.
Still in half guard, Azhiev seems content to control.
Pierre is looking to control Azhiev's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Pierre avoid being mounted?
Azhiev lands strikes from half guard.
Pierre won't allow Azhiev to pass to mount.
Azhiev with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Pierre trying to control but Azhiev postures up.
Pierre is in trouble now - Azhiev has advanced to mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azhiev with a couple of short strikes.
Pierre tries to reverse the position but Azhiev maintains control.
Azhiev controlling from the full mount.
Azhiev dominating with strikes here.
Azhiev content just to control the position here.
Pierre keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azhiev postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Pierre looks a forlorn figure.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Azhiev landing strikes, looking to finish!
Pierre slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Azhiev is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Azhiev controlling the pace for now.
Rolland Pierre has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pierre tries to improve his position but Azhiev has taken his back! Azhiev has a choke - it's sunk in pretty tight... Will Pierre tap? No... maybe... yes! He's tapped! Azhiev pushes Pierre away and gets up to celebrate with his corner!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:21 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Anzor Azhiev!