PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gabriel Milito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Emil Saifutdinov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Milito
vs
Saifutdinov

200 cm
25
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 1

202 cm
25
266 lbs
0 - 0 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite 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 0 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gabriel Milito!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Emil Saifutdinov!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Seu Braga and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Saifutdinov gets a takedown into half guard.
Milito gets back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Saifutdinov stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Milito misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Saifutdinov lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Milito leaves Saifutdinov with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Milito was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Milito throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Saifutdinov is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Milito with a body shot.
Milito slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

It looks like Emil Saifutdinov has been cut.
Milito misses with a series of wild punches.

Saifutdinov looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Milito tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Saifutdinov manages to move to mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Saifutdinov cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Saifutdinov controlling the pace for now.
Milito wants to control but Saifutdinov is having none of it.
Saifutdinov pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Saifutdinov with a couple of short strikes.
Saifutdinov is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Milito can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saifutdinov controlling the pace for now.
Saifutdinov lands a big elbow.
Saifutdinov is landing with some decent strikes but Milito is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Saifutdinov sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Saifutdinov looking to finish Milito with some ground and pound. This is bad for Milito!
Saifutdinov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Saifutdinov wants to finish this one by submission but Milito is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Saifutdinov.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Milito wants to control but Saifutdinov is having none of it.
Saifutdinov unloading with bombs!
Saifutdinov wants to control the pace but Milito is squirming around nicely.
Milito is looking to get to half guard.
Milito wants to control but Saifutdinov is having none of it.
Saifutdinov wants to control the pace but Milito is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Saifutdinov gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!

Saifutdinov shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Milito is trying to defend but Saifutdinov finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Saifutdinov is trying to control the action in half guard but Milito is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Saifutdinov is pressing down on Milito's thigh, looking to free his foot. Milito is holding on for now.
Milito has hold of Saifutdinov's hands but Saifutdinov slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Saifutdinov looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emil Saifutdinov dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Emil Saifutdinov's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Milito misses with a low kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Saifutdinov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Milito tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gabriel Milito seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Saifutdinov instigates a clinch.
Saifutdinov controlling the action here for a moment.
Saifutdinov tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Milito misses with a knee to the head.

Saifutdinov drags the fight down to the ground.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saifutdinov punching from the bottom.

Saifutdinov throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Milito with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saifutdinov controlling the position.

Saifutdinov throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Milito wants to stand and escape but instead Saifutdinov has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Saifutdinov stays in close to Milito's body and controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Saifutdinov forces his way into half guard.
Saifutdinov is keen to just control but Milito is a slippery customer.
Saifutdinov is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Milito reverses the position - he's now on top in Saifutdinov's guard.
Saifutdinov controls Milito momentarily but Milito frees himself.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Saifutdinov can do anything to dispel that myth.
Milito trying to control but Saifutdinov is working from the bottom.
Milito postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saifutdinov has Milito pulled in close to control his posture.
Saifutdinov wants to sweep here but Milito controlling him for the moment.
Saifutdinov is looking to stand up but Milito isn't so interested in that idea.
Saifutdinov not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Milito won't allow Saifutdinov to sweep him here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Milito tries a low kick but Saifutdinov avoids it.
Saifutdinov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Milito paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gabriel Milito is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Milito listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Milito lands a head shot.
Gabriel Milito is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Milito tries to score with a low kick but Saifutdinov moves his leg out of the way.
Milito tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Saifutdinov is able to avoid easily.
Saifutdinov fails to land with a series of punches.
Milito misses with a wild combination.
Milito throws a lazy body kick

and Saifutdinov counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Milito pushes Saifutdinov off and scrambles back to his feet.
Saifutdinov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Milito throws a head kick but Saifutdinov moves out of range.
Milito lands with a good body shot.
Saifutdinov is breathing heavily.
Milito lands with a straight right. Saifutdinov didn't see that one coming.

Saifutdinov pushes Milito up against the cage in a clinch.

Saifutdinov ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Saifutdinov no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Saifutdinov has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Milito dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Emil Saifutdinov'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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Saifutdinov throws a low kick but it's checked well by Milito.
Milito lands a nice shot that snaps Saifutdinov's head back.
Milito works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Milito bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Saifutdinov's head.
Milito throws a low kick but Saifutdinov moves out of range easily.
Milito throws a leg kick but Saifutdinov sees it coming and moves out of range.
Saifutdinov throws a counter combo.
Milito throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Saifutdinov counters with a shoot takedown. Milito fights it but they end up in guard.

Saifutdinov stands up from Milito's guard - Saifutdinov perhaps looking for a knockout.

Nice combo by Milito! Oh, that's hurt him - Saifutdinov falls to the canvas and Milito follows him into side control.

Saifutdinov is rocked!
Emil Saifutdinov has got the better of the ground game so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Milito happy to just control the position for now.
Saifutdinov tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Milito wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saifutdinov is not content to let Milito control the position.
Saifutdinov is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Saifutdinov makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Saifutdinov.
Milito working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Saifutdinov pulls Milito in close to prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Milito wants to control from the top but Saifutdinov keeps moving.
Saifutdinov is adopting a defensive guard.

Saifutdinov has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Milito can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Milito is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Milito trying to control but Saifutdinov is working from the bottom.
Saifutdinov is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Saifutdinov is looking for a kimura but Milito is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Saifutdinov to get the leverage.
Saifutdinov tries to pass to full mount but Milito defends it.
Milito makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Milito.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Milito has momentary wrist control but Saifutdinov slips an elbow through the middle.
Saifutdinov engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Milito is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Saifutdinov checks a leg kick.
Saifutdinov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Milito is fending him off so far but Saifutdinov persists. Nope, Milito circles away and we're back to standing.
Milito's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Milito duly obliges.

That has opened up Emil Saifutdinov's cut even more.
Milito throws a low kick but it's checked well by Saifutdinov.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gabriel Milito showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Milito 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gabriel Milito!