PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Alan Fadzaev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Martin Liechteiner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Fadzaev
vs
Liechteiner

174 cm
19
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

167 cm
23
138 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alan Fadzaev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Martin Liechteiner!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Daniel Bishop and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fadzaev throws a right and a left that Liechteiner avoids nicely.

Liechteiner gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Fadzaev is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Fadzaev postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fadzaev postures up in Liechteiner's guard and throws a big left but Liechteiner blocks it.
Fadzaev throwing strikes but missing.
Fadzaev throws a big right hand that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fadzaev is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fadzaev has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Fadzaev shoots for a takedown but Liechteiner saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
A jab from Liechteiner misses.
Fadzaev darts in looking for a takedown but Liechteiner gets double underhooks and turns Fadzaev into the cage.
Liechteiner looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Liechteiner closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Liechteiner has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Fadzaev darts in looking for a takedown but Liechteiner gets double underhooks and turns Fadzaev into the cage.
It seemed like Liechteiner was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alan Fadzaev. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Liechteiner rushes Fadzaev and presses him up against the cage.
Fadzaev misses with a knee strike.
Liechteiner has a couple of punches blocked by Fadzaev.
Liechteiner has Fadzaev pressed against the cage, preventing Fadzaev from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Liechteiner lands an uppercut.
Liechteiner lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fadzaev is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Good body shot from Liechteiner.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A nice right hand lands inside from Liechteiner.
Liechteiner throws a head punch that misses.

Liechteiner breaks the clinch.

Liechteiner drives through and clinches with Fadzaev against the cage.

Liechteiner manages to break the clinch.
No luck for Fadzaev with that takedown attempt.
Fadzaev throws a combination. Liechteiner tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Fadzaev closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Liechteiner's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fadzaev wants to control from the top but Liechteiner keeps moving.
Liechteiner is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Fadzaev with a flurry of punches that miss.
Liechteiner working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Fadzaev.
Liechteiner keeping moving, preventing Fadzaev from controlling successfully.
Fadzaev makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Fadzaev working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Fadzaev wants to control from the top but Liechteiner keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Fadzaev throws a combination that misses
and Liechteiner counters with a left to the body.
Fadzaev tries to bum rush Liechteiner with a series of wild strikes but Liechteiner uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Fadzaev cracks Liechteiner with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Fadzaev looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Liechteiner connects with a crisp jab.
Martin Liechteiner is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Liechteiner moves into the clinch.
Liechteiner lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Fadzaev tries for a takedown but Liechteiner manages to get underhooks.
Fadzaev is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
A shot in the inside from Liechteiner.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Alan Fadzaev will probably get the nod.
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.

Fadzaev looks for a takedown but Liechteiner sprawls well.

Liechteiner gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Liechteiner can do anything to dispel that myth.
Fadzaev trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Fadzaev working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Liechteiner's head.
Fadzaev with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Fadzaev postures up and lands a big shot to Liechteiner's brow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fadzaev throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Liechteiner works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Fadzaev keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Liechteiner's head.
Fadzaev lands a couple of elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fadzaev lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Fadzaev trying to control the position from guard on top but Liechteiner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fadzaev throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Liechteiner works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Fadzaev working some strikes from top position.
Fadzaev with a nice head shot there.
Fadzaev seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Fadzaev works over Liechteiner with some ground and pound from guard.
Fadzaev has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Liechteiner has momentary wrist control but Fadzaev slips an elbow through the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liechteiner utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Fadzaev throwing strikes but missing.
Fadzaev landing with the ground and pound.
Fadzaev is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Liechteiner can do to turn this around?
Fadzaev is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Fadzaev lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Fadzaev is working Liechteiner over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Fadzaev makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Fadzaev is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fadzaev connects with a couple of short punches.
Fadzaev chips away with some ground and pound.
Fadzaev scoring with punches to the head and body.
Fadzaev with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Fadzaev makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Liechteiner is rocked!
Fadzaev postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Liechteiner is still in real trouble! Can Fadzaev finish him?
Alan Fadzaev overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Liechteiner keeping moving, preventing Fadzaev from controlling successfully.
Fadzaev chips away with some ground and pound.
Fadzaev looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Liechteiner seems to have recovered his senses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fadzaev lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Liechteiner has momentary wrist control but Fadzaev slips an elbow through the middle.
Fadzaev distracts Liechteiner with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Fadzaev postures up in Liechteiner's guard and throws a big left but Liechteiner blocks it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Fadzaev controls from within his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alan Fadzaev 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. This is the final round!

Fadzaev has a takedown stuffed.
Fadzaev misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Alan Fadzaev is winning the standup battle so far.
A slow jab from Liechteiner misses its intended target.
Fadzaev uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Liechteiner.
Fadzaev throws a nice looking combination but Liechteiner bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Alan Fadzaev is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Liechteiner tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Fadzaev paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Fadzaev lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Liechteiner leaves Fadzaev with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Fadzaev shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alan Fadzaev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fadzaev fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fadzaev throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Liechteiner to counter with a crisp jab.
Liechteiner ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Fadzaev moves away.
Fadzaev swinging wildly here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fadzaev shoots in but Liechteiner avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Liechteiner keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A jab lands there for Liechteiner.
Liechteiner displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Fadzaev.
Fadzaev avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Liechteiner breaks the clinch.
Fadzaev takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Fadzaev throws a series of punches but Liechteiner avoids them all with ease.
Liechteiner looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Liechteiner moves into the clinch.
Liechteiner lands a shoulder strike.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Liechteiner.
Fadzaev tries for a takedown but Liechteiner manages to get underhooks.
Liechteiner lands with a left to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A frustrated look appears on Fadzaev's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Liechteiner lands with a left to the head.

Liechteiner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Fadzaev has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Fadzaev there as he acknowledges the shot.
The fight stays on the outside here - Liechteiner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Good shot there by Liechteiner.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liechteiner throws the left hand but Fadzaev avoids the punch easily.
Fadzaev changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Fadzaev shoots for a takedown but Liechteiner saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Fadzaev misses with a hook
and Liechteiner counters with a right hand to the body.
Fadzaev moves out of range as Liechteiner strikes.
Liechteiner's jab looks to have found its range, popping Fadzaev under the eye.
Alan Fadzaev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fadzaev misses with a takedown
and Liechteiner counters with a straight right hand.
Fadzaev walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Fadzaev is rocked!
Liechteiner scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Oh Fadzaev is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Liechteiner leaves Fadzaev with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Liechteiner gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Liechteiner working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fadzaev is trying to break the clinch but Liechteiner has him pressed against the cage.
Fadzaev seems to have got his legs back now.
Liechteiner lands a shoulder strike.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Liechteiner lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Fadzaev trying to control the position but instead, Liechteiner has worked for underhooks and has pushed Fadzaev into the cage.
Fadzaev tries to stall but Liechteiner uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Liechteiner lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Liechteiner creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Fadzaev doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Martin Liechteiner has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Liechteiner creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

And that's the end of the fight!
Martin Liechteiner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Fadzaev 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alan Fadzaev!