PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Munawat Guli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ondrej Rigo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Munawat Guli looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Guli
vs
Rigo

184 cm
26
193 lbs
6 - 2 - 1

170 cm
25
195 lbs
8 - 4 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 6 - 2 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Munawat Guli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Ondrej Rigo!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Dmitry Maklakov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rigo closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Guli did well to prevent Rigo getting side control.
Rigo is controlling the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Guli is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Rigo is looking for a kimura here.
Guli moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rigo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Guli is keeping the position for now.
Guli keeping moving, preventing Rigo from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Guli looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Guli wants to stand up but Rigo is controlling him.
Rigo wants to pass the guard but Guli is keeping the position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rigo's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rigo tries to free his leg and advance position but Guli is retaining full guard.
Guli controls Rigo momentarily but Rigo frees himself.
Rigo wants to pass the guard but Guli is keeping the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Guli is on top in guard.

Rigo escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Guli gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Guli stopping the sweep attempt from Rigo.
Rigo is trying to keep Guli in close.

Rigo escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Guli gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Rigo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rigo lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Rigo looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Rigo thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rigo advances to half guard.
Rigo is taking a breather. Guli 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.

Rigo 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.
Rigo passes to side control.
Rigo in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rigo is looking to take a break and control but Guli is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rigo taking a breather here.
It looks like Rigo might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

Rigo is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Guli has escaped the position, nice work there.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Guli tries to bench press Rigo off him but Rigo keeps the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Guli stops Rigo from passing to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ondrej Rigo dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Guli throws a right hand that Rigo ducks under and follows up with a left that Rigo also avoids with ease.
Rigo on the wrong end of a nice jab.
A low kick from Guli misses

and Rigo counters with a single leg into guard. Guli didn't expect that.
Guli has Rigo pulled in close to control his posture.
Guli has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Guli keeping moving, preventing Rigo from controlling successfully.
Guli will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rigo works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rigo not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rigo is pressing down on Guli's thigh, looking to free his foot. Guli is holding on for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rigo is looking for a kimura but Guli is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Rigo to get the leverage.
Rigo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Guli does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Rigo trying to mount his opponent but Guli defends it.

Rigo seems to be looking for submissions.
Rigo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Guli keeps working.
Rigo is looking to advance position but Guli won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Guli wants to control but Rigo is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Rigo controlling the action here.
Guli wants to control but Rigo is keeping busy.
Guli tries to get to full guard but Rigo has control of the leg.

Guli is defending against the submission attempts here by Rigo.
Rigo wants to free his trapped foot but Guli is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Guli is in trouble now - Rigo has advanced to mount!
Rigo moves to take his opponent's back.
Rigo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Rigo working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

Rigo working for the choke.
Rigo keeps control of the position easily here as Guli tries to buck him off.

Rigo working for a choke but Guli is defending well.
Rigo keeps control of the position easily here as Guli tries to buck him off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rigo is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Well, with Rigo on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Guli is tapping out... Can he escape the position?

Rigo looking for the choke but no joy.

Guli showing good submission defense here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rigo tries to keep control of the position but Guli is staying busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ondrej Rigo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Guli takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
We've been told by Guli's head coaches at Bobby B's Gem that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Guli misses with a looping left.
Rigo lands with a nice body punch.

Rigo closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Guli did well to prevent Rigo getting side control.
Rigo trying to control from half guard but Guli is working away.
Guli keeping hold of Rigo's head, controlling as best he can.

Rigo is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Guli defends it well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Guli is looking to control Rigo's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Guli avoid being mounted?
Rigo content to control rather than advance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rigo is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Guli is just riding it out for now. Rigo eventually gives up the hold.
Rigo wants to free his trapped foot but Guli is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Rigo is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Guli wants to get back to full guard.

That's two 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.
Rigo works his way into full mount!
Rigo tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Ondrej Rigo has got the better of the ground game so far.

Rigo working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Rigo works his way to his opponent's back.

Rigo is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Guli defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Guli turns into Rigo and is now in his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rigo has control of Guli's left arm, preventing Guli from doing any damage.
Munawat Guli has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Rigo has his foot on Guli's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Guli works his way back into a safe position though.
Guli trying to control the position from guard on top but Rigo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Rigo is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Guli is aware though and is defending well.

Rigo pushes a forearm under Guli's chin to create some space. He's escaped his hips and pivoted quickly for an armbar! Can he extend the arm? Yes, Guli is tapping out! Damn, that was fast!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Ondrej Rigo!
An out of breath Ondrej Rigo thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.