PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lonny Gonzales (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mamed Khalidov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mamed Khalidov will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Gonzales
vs
Khalidov

153 cm
24
194 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
25
186 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Lonny Gonzales!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mamed Khalidov!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Igor Prikhodko and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Khalidov shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Gonzales looks like he's trying to stand up.
Gonzales flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Khalidov seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gonzales does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Gonzales looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Gonzales might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Khalidov seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Gonzales could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Gonzales is looking for a sweep. Khalidov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gonzales slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Khalidov preventing the sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khalidov is stalling in the full guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Gonzales manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Khalidov pulls guard successfully.
Gonzales lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Khalidov can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gonzales controls the pace.
Gonzales throws a big elbow that misses.
Gonzales 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.
Gonzales sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Gonzales got a little sloppy there for a moment and Khalidov has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Gonzales has managed to get both his arms back between Khalidov's legs - danger averted.
Gonzales is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Gonzales distracts Khalidov with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gonzales postures up.
Khalidov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gonzales.
Gonzales lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Khalidov not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Khalidov looks winded!
Gonzales is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gonzales prevents Khalidov from getting back to his feet.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Gonzales is stalling in the full guard.

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

Khalidov gets a double leg takedown into Gonzales's guard.

Gonzales working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Khalidov doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Khalidov manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Gonzales lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonzales throws a big right hand that misses.
Gonzales postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Gonzales drops back, looking for a kneebar! Khalidov looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Khalidov looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Khalidov!

Gonzales tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Khalidov working away.
Gonzales sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Khalidov prevents Gonzales from standing back up.
Gonzales is looking to control Khalidov's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gonzales avoid being mounted?
Khalidov frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Khalidov controlling his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khalidov looking to finish Gonzales with some ground and pound. This is bad for Gonzales!
Khalidov scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Gonzales?

Khalidov jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Gonzales manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Gonzales wants to get back to his feet.

Khalidov decides to stand up, so the ref orders Gonzales to his feet.

Khalidov gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Khalidov pushes Gonzales off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gonzales scores with a jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mamed Khalidov will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A left lands for Gonzales.
Mamed Khalidov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Khalidov looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Khalidov trying to control but Gonzales is working from the bottom.
Khalidov must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Gonzales has an active guard here but Khalidov has managed to pass into half guard.
Khalidov is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Khalidov trying to pass the guard but Gonzales defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khalidov trying to control the pace.
Gonzales is trying to stand up here but Khalidov is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalidov is breathing heavily.
Gonzales trying to control from the bottom.
Khalidov slips a nice elbow through Gonzales's hands, connecting with Gonzales's forehead.
Gonzales is trying to get back to full guard.

Khalidov decides to stand up.

Khalidov looking to score a takedown here. Gonzales is defending well but Khalidov drives through and ends up in Gonzales's guard.
Gonzales utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Gonzales looking to control.
Mamed Khalidov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gonzales throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gonzales has his foot on Khalidov's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Khalidov works his way back into a safe position though.
Gonzales lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Khalidov keeping moving, preventing Gonzales from controlling successfully.
Gonzales sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Gonzales with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Gonzales throwing strikes but missing.

Khalidov is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Gonzales is aware though and is defending well.
Gonzales sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonzales seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Khalidov for as long as he can get away with.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Khalidov tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gonzales manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gonzales swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

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.

Gonzales darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Ground and pound from Gonzales.

Khalidov looking for submissions off his back.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Gonzales continues to stall.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Khalidov trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mamed Khalidov will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Gonzales gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Gonzales controls Khalidov momentarily but Khalidov frees himself.
Gonzales 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.
Gonzales working a defensive guard here.

Gonzales looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Khalidov has picked Gonzales up and slammed him! Gonzales can't keep hold of the triangle and Khalidov manages to pass to side control!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Khalidov tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Gonzales is trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalidov trying to control the position but Gonzales is working away.
Khalidov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gonzales is pushing Khalidov's head away, looking to escape. Khalidov manages to hold on to the position though.
Gonzales is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Khalidov off and has taken his back!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Khalidov trying to control the action but Gonzales just sinks the hooks in.
Gonzales lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Khalidov trying to control the hands but Gonzales won't let him.
Khalidov is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Gonzales is staying active.
Gonzales lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khalidov takes a big shot to the side of the head.
Gonzales avoiding Khalidov 's attempts to control his hands.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Gonzales controlling the positon.
Khalidov trying to control the action but Gonzales just sinks the hooks in.
Gonzales has good solid back control here.

Gonzales is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Khalidov has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
What can Khalidov do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is taking a good look at Khalidov as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Gonzales!
I would not like to be Khalidov right now.
Khalidov is trying to remain composed but Gonzales is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
Gonzales really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Khalidov.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khalidov covers up after that shot from Gonzales.
Gonzales is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Khalidov. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.

Gonzales is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Khalidov is defending well though. Gonzales let's go of the attempt for now.

Gonzales is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Gonzales controls the action.
Khalidov trying to control but not successfully.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gonzales thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Lonny Gonzales has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mamed Khalidov is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Gonzales punches Khalidov on the ear.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lonny Gonzales showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Khalidov has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:29
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 29:29
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!