PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Carlos Django (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shamil Astakhov (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.

Django
vs
Astakhov

185 cm
28
215 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

182 cm
28
197 lbs
13 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Experienced

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Carlos Django!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Shamil Astakhov!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Marco Blurström and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Django throws a leg kick

and Astakhov counters with a single leg into guard. Django didn't expect that.
Astakhov wants to pass the guard but Django is keeping the position.
Django utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Django is trying to control the position but Astakhov postures up.
Astakhov with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Django on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Django tries to get out of the position.

Django working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Astakhov doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Astakhov manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Astakhov stands up over Django, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Astakhov trying to control but Django is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Astakhov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Django striking from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Django thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Astakhov is looking to pass into half guard but Django pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Django is in guard.

Astakhov wants to sweep but no luck.
Django stands up over Astakhov, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Astakhov wants to sweep here but Django controlling him for the moment.
Django with a flurry of punches that miss.
Django stopping the sweep attempt from Astakhov.
Django is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Astakhov throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Django lands a couple of elbows.
Django with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Django is fighting to break Astakhov's control of his arms but Astakhov is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Django trying to control but Astakhov is working from the bottom.
Astakhov is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Django postures up in Astakhov's guard and throws a big left but Astakhov blocks it.
Django postures up and lands a big shot to Astakhov's brow.

Astakhov working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Django doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Django manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Django chips away with some ground and pound.

Astakhov throws his legs up looking for a submission but Django uses it to pass to side control.
Astakhov tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Django looks up at the clock and then as Astakhov takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Django smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Django in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

It looks like Shamil Astakhov has been cut.
Django looks up at the clock and then as Astakhov takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Django smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Django is chipping away with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Astakhov tries to bench press Django off him but Django keeps the position.
Astakhov taking punishment in the form of punches.
Django scores with a couple of short elbows.
Astakhov manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Astakhov stalling.
Django is trying to maintain the position but Astakhov is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Django works his way to full guard. Good work.
Django lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Django wants to pass the guard but Astakhov is keeping the position.

Django got a little sloppy there for a moment and Astakhov has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Django has managed to get both his arms back between Astakhov's legs - danger averted.
Django with a nice head shot there.
Django trying to control the position from guard on top but Astakhov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Django throws a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carlos Django dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Shamil Astakhov's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Django rushes Astakhov and presses him up against the cage.
Django is pressed up against the cage. Astakhov has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Django down to the mat. Django avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Django tries for a takedown but Astakhov circles away easily
and Astakhov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Django misses with a double jab
and Astakhov connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Django thows a leg kick but Astakhov checks it
enabling Astakhov to counter with a crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Astakhov avoids the head kick by Django.
Astakhov drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Django defends it well.
Django wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Django tries to clinch up.
Django misses with a body shot.
Astakhov is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
A head kick misses from Django.
Carlos Django is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Django tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Astakhov counters with a nice double leg into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Astakhov accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Django keeping moving, preventing Astakhov from controlling successfully.
Astakhov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Astakhov looking to sit in guard and control but Django gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Django throwing strikes from guard but Astakhov blocks nicely.
Django lands a couple of elbows.

Astakhov escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Django gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Carlos Django overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Django postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Django trying to control the position from guard on top but Astakhov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Django prevents Astakhov from getting back to his feet.
Django chips away with some ground and pound.
Astakhov is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Astakhov utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Django content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Astakhov is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Django showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Django working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Django trying to control the position from guard on top but Astakhov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Astakhov is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Astakhov utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Django is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Astakhov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Django lands a couple of digs.
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 Carlos Django will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Shamil Astakhov'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!

Astakhov circles away from the clinch attempt.
Astakhov feints the counter takedown.
The fight stays on the outside here - Django looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Astakhov steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Django.
Django tries to clinch

and Astakhov counters with a nice double leg into side control. Django won't be happy with that.
Astakhov in side control, throwing shots but Django defends.
Django lands a little strike from the bottom.
Astakhov scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Django to see if he's OK.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Astakhov advances nicely into full mount.
Astakhov blocks Django's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Astakhov looking to control but Django is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Astakhov scoring with strikes but Django is staying in there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Astakhov lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Django is trying to escape the mount.
Astakhov can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Django is looking to escape.
Astakhov punishing his opponent with strikes.
Django throwing hammer fists to the chest of Astakhov. What's that going to do exactly?
Astakhov working Django over with strikes here.
Django bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Astakhov working a defensive guard but Django passes into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Django lands strikes from half guard.
Astakhov manages to get to full guard.

Astakhov has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Django can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Django is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Astakhov is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Astakhov has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Django can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Django wants to control from the top but Astakhov keeps moving.
Django working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Astakhov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Django working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Astakhov's head.
Astakhov preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Django postures up and lands a big shot to Astakhov's brow.
Django postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Astakhov has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Django is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Astakhov.
Astakhov is looking for a sweep.
Astakhov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Django cracks Astakhov with a big right hand but Astakhov just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Django cracks Astakhov with a big right hand but Astakhov just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Django scoring with punches and elbows.

Django has hold of Astakhov's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Astakhov seems comfortable defending it but Django has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Astakhov is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Astakhov is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Django couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:30 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Carlos Django!