PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Samuri Sikura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Shlemenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alexander Shlemenko has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Sikura
vs
Shlemenko

196 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Fighters First Nutrition
Global Empire MMA Gear

Global Empire MMA Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Samuri Sikura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Alexander Shlemenko!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Yukihiro Shimada and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shlemenko shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sikura pinned against the cage. Sikura gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Shlemenko shoots in and drives through. Sikura sprawls well.
Shlemenko misses with a takedown

and Sikura counters with a shoot takedown. Shlemenko fights it but they end up in guard.
Samuri Sikura has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Shlemenko.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Sikura is working Shlemenko over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Shlemenko being controlled here, momentarily.
Sikura postures up and lands a big shot to Shlemenko's brow.
Shlemenko has momentary wrist control but Sikura slips an elbow through the middle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Shlemenko avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sikura slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Sikura throwing strikes from guard but Shlemenko blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sikura working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Sikura working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Shlemenko's head.
Sikura loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sikura throws an elbow that misses. Shlemenko uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sikura's guard. Nice move by Shlemenko!
Sikura tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Shlemenko wants to control from the top but Sikura keeps moving.
Shlemenko tries to free his leg and advance position but Sikura is retaining full guard.
Shlemenko won't allow Sikura to get back to his feet.
Shlemenko won't allow Sikura to sweep him here.
Sikura on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sikura tries to get out of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shlemenko wants to get up but he can't break Sikura's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Sikura knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Shlemenko on the ground.
Sikura is controlling Shlemenko's posture.

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

Sikura shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Sikura showed some decent athleticism there.
Shlemenko wants to control but Sikura is keeping busy.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sikura is controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sikura is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Shlemenko is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sikura scores with a couple of nice shots.
Shlemenko keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sikura looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Sikura takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Sikura trying to mount his opponent but Shlemenko defends it.
Sikura is trying to control the action in half guard but Shlemenko is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Sikura is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Shlemenko!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sikura putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Shlemenko looks gassed!
Sikura lands a big shot there that rocks Shlemenko but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sikura is in the full mount, landing strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sikura punishing his opponent with strikes.
Sikura lands a heavy elbow.
Shlemenko is bucking up trying to escape but Sikura cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Sikura content just to control the position here.
Sikura scoring with strikes but Shlemenko is staying in there.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sikura breaks from Shlemenko's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Sikura lands a big shot there that rocks Shlemenko but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samuri Sikura dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Sikura misses with a low kick as Shlemenko jumps back.
Sikura thows a leg kick but Shlemenko checks it
and Shlemenko counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Sikura bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Shlemenko is not content to let Sikura control the position.
Sikura in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Samuri Sikura overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sikura working away.

Sikura thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Sikura working the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shlemenko tries to improve position but can't.
Shlemenko is trying to control Sikura's posture but Sikura avoids it.
Sikura will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Sikura lands a few punches from side control.
Sikura connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Shlemenko some visible discomfort.
Sikura tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Sikura cracks Shlemenko with a big elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sikura takes a little break here. Shlemenko wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Sikura has knee on belly momentarily but Shlemenko bucks him off and regains half guard.
Sikura is nestled in close to Shlemenko, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Sikura is looking for a kimura but Shlemenko is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Sikura to get the leverage.
Sikura lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ground and pound from Sikura.
Shlemenko is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sikura is taking a breather. Shlemenko 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.
Sikura trying to pass the guard but Shlemenko defending well.
Sikura sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Sikura seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sikura is looking to advance position but Shlemenko won't allow it.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Sikura connects with a nice short shot to Shlemenko's temple.
Sikura drops an elbow to the side of Shlemenko's head.
Sikura working the head and body with strikes.
Sikura is keen to just control but Shlemenko is a slippery customer.
Sikura content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Sikura is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Shlemenko can do to turn this around?
Sikura scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sikura controlling the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samuri Sikura dominated that second 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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Sikura ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Shlemenko moves away.
Shlemenko closes the distance and clinches up with Sikura, looking for a takedown. Shlemenko pushes Sikura against the cage but Sikura circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Sikura throws a leg kick
and Shlemenko counters with a low kick, right behind Sikura 's knee.
Shlemenko misses with a takedown attempt - Sikura sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sikura misses with a hook.

Sikura is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Shlemenko's half guard.
Sikura is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sikura landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Shlemenko pushes Sikura off looking to stand but Sikura dives back in and keeps control.
Shlemenko takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sikura with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Shlemenko has hold of Sikura's hands but Sikura slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Shlemenko is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sikura scores with a couple of nice shots.
Sikura scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Sikura working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Sikura is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Sikura working over Shlemenko with some ground and pound. Shlemenko looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sikura seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Shlemenko does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Shlemenko is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sikura scores with a couple of nice shots.
Sikura is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Sikura drops an elbow to the side of Shlemenko's head.
Sikura looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Sikura trying to pass the guard but Shlemenko defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sikura content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Sikura lands with a punch from half guard.
Sikura slows the pace down in half guard.
Sikura wants to pass to mount but Shlemenko is defending the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sikura content to control rather than advance.
Sikura has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

We're going to have a standup here because Samuri Sikura wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Sikura scores with a takedown into Shlemenko's guard.
Alexander Shlemenko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sikura not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Samuri Sikura showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sikura 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Samuri Sikura!
Our winner, Samuri Sikura, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.