PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Artur Gaziev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Peter Piper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Peter Piper told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Gaziev
vs
Piper

192 cm
20
220 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

190 cm
31
238 lbs
12 - 13 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

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, Artur Gaziev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Peter Piper!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gaziev throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Gaziev fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gaziev blocks a head kick by Piper.

Piper closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Piper is trying to drag Gaziev to the mat but Gaziev just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Piper goes for a takedown attempt but Gaziev pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Piper shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Gaziev napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Gaziev is trying to control Piper's posture but Piper avoids it.
Piper working the ground and pound from side control.
Gaziev stops Piper from passing to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Gaziev's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Gaziev tries to bench press Piper off him but Piper keeps the position.
Gaziev is working hard here to advance position.
A lull in the action here.
Piper working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Piper sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Gaziev is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Gaziev tries to buck Piper off but Piper is having none of it.
You can see the frustration on Gaziev's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Gaziev looking for a sweep but Piper has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Piper controlling the pace for now.
Piper looking to control but Gaziev is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piper takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Piper is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Gaziev is surviving well by controlling Piper's body position as best he can.
Piper controlling from the full mount.
Gaziev working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Piper controlling from the full mount.
Piper throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Piper looking to finish Gaziev with some ground and pound. This is bad for Gaziev!
Gaziev tries to reverse the position but Piper maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gaziev with a lazy takedown attempt
and Piper counters with a one-two to the body.
Piper looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Gaziev is fending him off so far but Piper persists. Nope, Gaziev circles away and we're back to standing.
Nice takedown defense from Piper. No joy for Gaziev on that attempt.
Gaziev with a poor takedown

and Piper counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Artur Gaziev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Piper controls from within his opponent's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Piper trying to control but Gaziev is working from the bottom.
Piper scoring with punches to the head and body.
Piper throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gaziev working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Piper doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Piper manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Piper decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Piper dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Piper dives in and scores a takedown into Gaziev's guard.
Gaziev can't keep his opponent in guard - Piper advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Piper not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Well, if Piper is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Piper has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
BOOM! Piper connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piper connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Piper content just to control the position here.
Gaziev really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaziev tries to hold on but Piper postures up.
Piper raining down hammerfists from mount.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gaziev is in all sorts of trouble here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Piper is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Gaziev has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Peter Piper has got the better of the ground game so far.
Piper 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.

Peter Piper showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Piper gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Piper lands an uppercut.

Gaziev has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Piper is trying to keep an underhook but Gaziev manages to get the takedown into half guard.

Gaziev is working for a submission of some sort.

Gaziev is trying to work for a kimura but Piper is defending well.
Piper trying to hold on to Gaziev's head to control him but Gaziev postures up.
Gaziev prevents Piper from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Piper gets back to full guard.

Piper pushes Gaziev off and scrambles back to his feet.
Gaziev tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Piper swivels and escapes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Piper lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gaziev circles away quickly and effectively.
Piper swinging wildly here.
No luck for Gaziev with that takedown attempt.
Artur Gaziev is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Piper defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gaziev.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Artur Gaziev. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Piper closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Piper thows a huge punch but Gaziev dodges it nicely.
Piper is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Piper's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Piper frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Piper connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Peter Piper is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Piper controlling the position easily from mount.

Piper looking for a guillotine from mount but Gaziev is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Piper avoids the attempt from Gaziev to control.
Gaziev can't escape the position.
Piper controlling his opponent.
Piper lands a big elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Peter Piper comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Piper 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Peter Piper!