PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jake Greenberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rustam Bidienko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Greenberg
vs
Bidienko

190 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
21
190 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 St Petersburg, Jake Greenberg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rustam Bidienko!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksandr Martynov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Greenberg attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Bidienko closes the distance but Greenberg moves to the side

and Greenberg counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Greenberg.
Greenberg tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Bidienko just stands there and leans against the cage.
Greenberg fails to pull guard.
Greenberg jumps guard but Bidienko stands there with Greenberg around his waist. Greenberg gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Greenberg. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Bidienko jumps guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Bidienko is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Greenberg is aware though and is defending well.
Bidienko thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Bidienko has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Greenberg accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Bidienko throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bidienko wants to sweep but no luck.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Greenberg trying to control but Bidienko is working from the bottom.
Greenberg preventing the sweep.

Bidienko looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Greenberg would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Bidienko looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Greenberg tries to free his leg and advance position but Bidienko is retaining full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Greenberg stuffs the takedown attempt from Bidienko. Bidienko gets slowly back to his feet.
Greenberg fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Bidienko tries to close the distance and clinch but Greenberg swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Greenberg scores with a crisp jab that stopped Bidienko in his tracks.
Greenberg tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Greenberg stuffs the takedown.
Bidienko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bidienko should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Nice takedown defense from Bidienko. No joy for Greenberg on that attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Greenberg looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Greenberg shoots in and drives through. Bidienko sprawls well.
Greenberg swings for the body but Bidienko moves out of range.
Greenberg throws a head kick that misses.

Bidienko looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Bidienko wants to control from the top but Greenberg keeps moving.
Bidienko looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Greenberg trying to control the position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Bidienko works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Bidienko is taking a breather. Greenberg 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.
Greenberg wants to improve his position but Bidienko is controlling well.
Bidienko seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Bidienko is looking for a kimura but Greenberg is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bidienko to get the leverage.
Greenberg tries to get to full guard but Bidienko has control of the leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rustam Bidienko dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Bidienko shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Greenberg sprawls well. Greenberg wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bidienko gets slowly back to his feet.
Greenberg tries to clinch but Bidienko moves out of range.
Good shot there by Bidienko.
Bidienko throws the kick towards the body but Greenberg avoids it.
Bidienko shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Greenberg defends it nicely.
Greenberg tries to close the distance and clinch but Bidienko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Greenberg tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Bidienko counters by moving into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bidienko lands an elbow inside.

It looks like Jake Greenberg has been cut.
Bidienko is trying to drag Greenberg to the mat but Greenberg just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Jake Greenberg has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rustam Bidienko.
Bidienko is trying to stall.
Bidienko tries to land knees in the clinch but Greenberg avoids the damage to the body.
Greenberg wants to break free but Bidienko has control.
Bidienko on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Greenberg wants a takedown.

Bidienko breaks the clinch.
Bidienko is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Greenberg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bidienko throws a combination that misses
and Greenberg counters with a series of strikes. Bidienko will be more careful next time no doubt.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Greenberg throws a wild body kick that Bidienko sees coming a mile off.
A punch combination from Greenberg misses.
Greenberg shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bidienko defends it nicely.

Greenberg has Bidienko up against the cage in a clinch.

Bidienko manages to break the clinch.
Bidienko throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Greenberg tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bidienko swivels and escapes.
Greenberg misses with a takedown attempt - Bidienko sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Greenberg swats away the attempt to clinch by Bidienko.
Greenberg fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Bidienko dives in and scores a takedown into Greenberg's guard.
Bidienko throws a big right hand that misses.
Bidienko is stalling in the full guard.
Bidienko wants to pass the guard but Greenberg is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bidienko trying to control the position from guard on top but Greenberg is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Greenberg has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Bidienko has passed into side control.
Bidienko is looking to take a break and control but Greenberg is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bidienko tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Greenberg is trying to work for a sweep but Bidienko has mounted him!
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 Jake Greenberg will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jake Greenberg's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Bidienko misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Greenberg closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Greenberg lands in his opponent's guard.
Bidienko is trying to keep Greenberg in close.
Bidienko wants to sweep but no luck.
Greenberg postures up.
Greenberg wants to stand but Bidienko is controlling his posture from full guard.

Bidienko wriggles free and stands up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Greenberg tries to sprawl but Bidienko drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Bidienko misses with a head shot. Greenberg uses the momentum to regain guard.
Bidienko trying to control the position from guard on top but Greenberg is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bidienko is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Greenberg keeping moving, preventing Bidienko from controlling successfully.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Rustam Bidienko wasn't active enough on the ground.

Bidienko throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Greenberg tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Bidienko is in Greenberg's guard.
Greenberg keeping full guard, as Bidienko tries to pass.

Greenberg looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Bidienko passes into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bidienko works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bidienko lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Bidienko is trying to get an arm triangle but Greenberg is defending well.
Bidienko is looking to take a break and control but Greenberg is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Bidienko tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Rustam Bidienko has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bidienko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Greenberg keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Greenberg is trying to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Greenberg's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Bidienko tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Greenberg sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rustam Bidienko comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bidienko has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rustam Bidienko!