PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mayo Kermode (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sergei Sokolov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Kermode
vs
Sokolov

185 cm
21
220 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

188 cm
23
210 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Decent elbows
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mayo Kermode!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sergei Sokolov!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Fedor Mirinova and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Left hook, right uppercut from Sokolov.
Kermode misses with a jab, cross combination.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Sokolov is trying to break the clinch but Kermode has him pressed against the cage.
Sokolov prevents a body shot from Kermode.
Kermode misses with a knee strike.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Kermode obliges.
Kermode working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Kermode throws a punch but it's blocked by Sokolov.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sokolov avoiding damage as Kermode throws knees to the body.
Kermode misses with a hook from the clinch.
Sokolov tries to break the clinch but Kermode is controlling the position.
Kermode tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sokolov avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sokolov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kermode tries to clinch there but Sokolov circles away.
A jab from Kermode misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Kermode misses the target.
Sokolov scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Kermode moves in looking to clinch but Sokolov pushes him off.
Kermode tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kermode is looking to clinch but Sokolov is avoiding it.
Sokolov throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Kermode counters by moving into the clinch.
Kermode prevents Sokolov from breaking the clinch.
Sokolov wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Sokolov wants to break the clinch but can't.
Sokolov takes a knee to the side of the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sokolov takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Sergei Sokolov has been cut.
Sokolov working hard to break the clinch.
Sokolov blocks an elbow strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Sokolov.
Sokolov is looking to break free of the clinch but Kermode has double underhooks.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A short right from Kermode.
Kermode lands a knee to the body.
Kermode pushes Sokolov back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kermode slows down the pace here.
Sokolov wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kermode lands a right hand that snaps the head of Sokolov backwards.
A head punch on the inside from Kermode fails to land.
A bit of stalling here from Kermode.
Kermode looking to throw knees to the head but Sokolov is blocking nicely.
A short left from Kermode.

Sokolov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kermode avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sokolov fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Kermode.
Nice straight punches there by Kermode. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Kermode.
Sokolov pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Kermode drives through and clinches with Sokolov against the cage.
Kermode keeps control of Sokolov as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kermode tries to land a knee to the head but Sokolov blocks with his arms.
Kermode misses with a knee to the head.
A knee to the head by Kermode.
Kermode misses with a knee to the head.
Kermode keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Sokolov's efforts to push away.
Kermode tries a body shot but Sokolov blocks it.

Sokolov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sokolov looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Kermode keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sokolov.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Kermode clinches up against the cage.
Sokolov is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mayo Kermode dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sergei Sokolov's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kermode avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sokolov catches Kermode with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Sokolov dips to his left and cracks Kermode with an uppercut!
Sokolov walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Kermode checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Sokolov misses with the combination.
Kermode tries to clinch up.
Kermode steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sokolov.
Sokolov jabs Kermode to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Sokolov keeps the fight on the outside.
Kermode darts in trying to clinch
and Kermode takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kermode tries to clinch but Sokolov is having none of it.
Kermode dodges the punch combination from Sokolov.
Kermode misses the shot to the body.
Kermode tries to clinch up.
Kermode tries to clinch but Sokolov moves out of range.
Kermode misses with a wild combination.
Sergei Sokolov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kermode moves in looking to clinch but Sokolov pushes him off.
Kermode tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sokolov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kermode wants to clinch up but Sokolov keeps it at a distance.
Kermode tries to clinch there but Sokolov circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kermode takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Sokolov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kermode throws a leg kick but Sokolov checks it.
Sokolov uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Kermode has time to react.
Kermode wants to clinch.
Sokolov cracks Kermode with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Sergei Sokolov seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kermode closes the distance but Sokolov moves to the side
and Sokolov counters with a straight right hand.
Sokolov misses with a body shot.
Kermode throws a leg kick
and Sokolov counters with a two punch combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sokolov with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Sokolov!
Mayo Kermode is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kermode moves out of range of the strikes.
Kermode lunges at Sokolov with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Sokolov's hand.
Sokolov keeps the fight on the outside.
Sokolov jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sokolov scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Sokolov's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Sokolov duly obliges.
Sokolov throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sokolov connects with a looping right hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sokolov scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sokolov throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sokolov dodges the punch combination from Kermode.
Sokolov swings for the body but Kermode moves out of range.
Kermode misses with a combination
and Sokolov counters with a nice uppercut.
Sokolov looks to land a right hand but Kermode moved out of range.
Kermode closes the distance looking to clinch
and Sokolov counters with a stiff right hand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kermode tries to clinch but Sokolov moves out of range.
Kermode throws a right and a left that both miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergei Sokolov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Sergei Sokolov's cut.
That's time! Kermode's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Sokolov misses with a hook. Kermode ducked under it nicely.
Kermode is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Some wild striking there from Kermode.
A slow jab from Sokolov misses its intended target.
Kermode swinging wildly here.
Kermode tries to clinch but Sokolov is having none of it.
Sokolov misses with a lunging right hand

and Kermode counters by moving into the clinch.
Sokolov dodges an elbow strike from Kermode.
Sokolov blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kermode missing with knees to the body.
Sokolov blocks the elbow strike.
Kermode throws a head punch that misses.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Kermode.
Sokolov working hard to break the clinch.
Kermode lands a knee to the head.
Kermode unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Sokolov is trying to break the clinch but Kermode is controlling him.
Sokolov tries to circle away but Kermode has him pinned against the cage.
Kermode tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Sokolov is looking to break free of the clinch but Kermode has double underhooks.
Kermode has a couple of punches blocked by Sokolov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sokolov avoiding damage as Kermode throws knees to the body.
Kermode stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Sokolov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kermode misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kermode tries to work over Sokolov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kermode looking to throw knees to the head but Sokolov is blocking nicely.
Kermode misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kermode looking to throw knees to the head but Sokolov is blocking nicely.
Sokolov tries to circle away but Kermode has him pinned against the cage.
Sokolov wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kermode with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Kermode has Sokolov pressed against the cage.
Sokolov is looking to break free of the clinch but Kermode has double underhooks.
Sokolov wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sokolov's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Kermode misses with the head strike.
Kermode working Sokolov over with knees to the body.
Kermode throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sokolov blocks it with crossed arms.
Kermode throws a head punch that misses.
Kermode with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kermode is pushing Sokolov up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Kermode keeps control of Sokolov as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sokolov takes a knee to the side of the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mayo Kermode showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Kermode 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mayo Kermode!
A very excited looking Mayo Kermode made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.