PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Piet Kriel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pedro Carrasco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Carrasco comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Hemhenti kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Piet Kriel had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 187.8lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Kriel
vs
Carrasco

171 cm
26
195 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

190 cm
19
189 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Mohito Fightwear

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Piet Kriel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Pedro Carrasco!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Carrasco gets caught napping as Kriel dives in and scores a takedown. Carrasco manages to retain guard.
Carrasco throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Kriel prevents Carrasco from getting back to his feet.
Kriel trying to control but Carrasco is working from the bottom.
Kriel is stalling in the full guard.
Kriel wants to control from the top but Carrasco keeps moving.
Carrasco is adopting a defensive guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kriel sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Carrasco misses with a jab, cross combination.
Carrasco shoots in for a takedown but Kriel shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Carrasco shoots for a double leg takedown but Kriel sprawls well. He's pushed Carrasco's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Carrasco throws the left hand but Kriel avoids the punch easily.
Nice body kick from Carrasco.
Carrasco throws a right and a left that Kriel avoids nicely.
Carrasco shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Kriel counters with a takedown into side control.
Piet Kriel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pedro Carrasco.
Kriel is breathing heavily.

Kriel is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Carrasco knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Kriel working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kriel swings around for an armbar but Carrasco sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Kriel's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kriel is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Carrasco trying to control but Kriel is working from the bottom.
Carrasco looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kriel 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Kriel throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Carrasco got a little sloppy there for a moment and Kriel has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Carrasco has managed to get both his arms back between Kriel's legs - danger averted.
Kriel keeping moving, preventing Carrasco from controlling successfully.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Carrasco won't allow Kriel to sweep him here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kriel controls Carrasco momentarily but Carrasco frees himself.
Kriel keeping moving, preventing Carrasco from controlling successfully.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
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 Piet Kriel will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Carrasco misses with a jab, cross combination.
Carrasco connects with a single shot there.
Carrasco lands with a nice combination. Kriel backs away looking to recover.
Pedro Carrasco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Carrasco tries to score a power double leg takedown but Kriel sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Carrasco somewhat.
A punch combination from Carrasco misses.
Kriel showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Carrasco.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kriel shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Carrasco sprawls well. Carrasco wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Kriel gets slowly back to his feet.
We've been told by Kriel's head coaches at Barbell Brigade - $700 that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Carrasco tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kriel half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carrasco shoots in and drives through. Kriel sprawls well.
Carrasco tries to clinch up but Kriel circles away and keeps his distance.
Carrasco shoots for a double leg takedown but Kriel sprawls well. He's pushed Carrasco's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Piet Kriel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pedro Carrasco.
Carrasco shoots for a double leg takedown but Kriel sprawls well. He's pushed Carrasco's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Kriel went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Carrasco changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kriel tries to avoid it but Carrasco manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kriel to the ground. Kriel escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Kriel fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Carrasco sprawls well initially but Kriel persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Still in half guard, Kriel seems content to control.

Kriel is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Carrasco sees it coming and defends easily.
Kriel is thwarting Carrasco's attempts to control the position.
Kriel uses his free foot to push down on Carrasco's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Carrasco.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kriel controlling from the full mount.
Carrasco working to try and regain half guard.
Kriel looking to control and managing it successfully.

Kriel looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
BOOM! Kriel connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Piet Kriel overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kriel tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Kriel tries to control but Carrasco wriggling away.
Kriel is really struggling to control Carrasco but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Carrasco is trying to stand.
Kriel looking to control and managing it successfully.
Carrasco is squirming around, avoiding Kriel's attempts to control the action.

That's four 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.
Carrasco trying desperately to get to his feet.
Kriel looking to control and managing it successfully.
Carrasco really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Kriel avoids the attempt from Carrasco to control.
Carrasco is desperately trying to improve his position but Kriel has a good base and remains in mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kriel sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Piet Kriel dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Carrasco misses with a double jab.
Carrasco fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kriel avoids it really well and circles away.
Carrasco dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Carrasco misses with a shot to the body
and Kriel counters with a stiff right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carrasco looks to throw the jab but Kriel is out of range.
Kriel pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Carrasco enables Kriel to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Carrasco manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Carrasco is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kriel passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Carrasco takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Kriel working away.
Kriel controls the position.
Carrasco is not content to let Kriel control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kriel working away.
Kriel is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Carrasco can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here as Kriel stalls from top position.
Carrasco stops Kriel from passing to mount.
Carrasco is looking to regain half guard here but Kriel keeps moving and retains side control.
Pedro Carrasco has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Kriel tries for a kimura but Carrasco is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kriel is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Carrasco has escaped the position, nice work there.
Carrasco struggling a bit here.

Kriel wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Carrasco, who protects the arm well.
Carrasco is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
A lull in the action here as Kriel stalls from top position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Carrasco gets the takedown into side control.
What's Kriel going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Carrasco is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Kriel knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

And that's the end of the fight!
Piet Kriel showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kriel, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Piet Kriel!
Pedro Carrasco spoke after the fight, saying 'Pete is a tough dude, he was the better fighter today. Thanks to my boys in the gym, family and my Spanish crew: Os quiero, and Dobriy den St Petersburg Ya tebya lyublyu!!!!'.