PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Emil Saifutdinov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Parker Schneibal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Parker Schneibal is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Saifutdinov
vs
Schneibal

202 cm
27
266 lbs
1 - 4 - 2

200 cm
26
250 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Very confident

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 1 - 4 - 2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Emil Saifutdinov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Parker Schneibal!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Marco Blurström and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Decent striking displayed by Schneibal there.
Saifutdinov moves in looking to clinch but Schneibal pushes him off.
Saifutdinov dives in for a single leg takedown but Schneibal sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Schneibal is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Schneibal looks for a takedown but Saifutdinov sprawls well.
Schneibal stuffs the takedown.

Schneibal moves into the clinch successfully.

Saifutdinov gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Schneibal is looking for a sweep. Saifutdinov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Saifutdinov is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Saifutdinov blocks the strikes from Schneibal.
Saifutdinov is nestled in close to Schneibal, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Saifutdinov prevents Schneibal from improving his position.
Schneibal has hold of Saifutdinov's hands but Saifutdinov slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saifutdinov is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Schneibal wants to improve his position but Saifutdinov is controlling well.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Schneibal can do anything to dispel that myth.
Saifutdinov is keen to just control but Schneibal is a slippery customer.
Saifutdinov keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Schneibal wants to improve his position but Saifutdinov is controlling well.
Saifutdinov looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Saifutdinov is looking for a kimura but Schneibal is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Saifutdinov to get the leverage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Schneibal tries to get to full guard but Saifutdinov has control of the leg.
Saifutdinov controlling the pace.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Schneibal is not content to let Saifutdinov control the position.

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

Saifutdinov closes the distance and clinches.
Saifutdinov goes for a takedown in the clinch but Schneibal prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Emil Saifutdinov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A short right from Schneibal.

Schneibal breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Saifutdinov looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Saifutdinov is thwarting Schneibal's attempts to control the position.
Saifutdinov content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Saifutdinov lands with a punch from half guard.
Saifutdinov looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Saifutdinov wants to stand up but Schneibal has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Schneibal actively working from the bottom here.
Schneibal keeping control of the position.
Schneibal tries to roll over but Saifutdinov keeps him under control.
Saifutdinov is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Saifutdinov is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Schneibal!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emil Saifutdinov dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Saifutdinov gets the takedown into side control.
Schneibal tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Schneibal trying to control the hands but Saifutdinov breaks the grip.
Schneibal is in bad spot here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Saifutdinov tightening his grip on Schneibal, looking for the choke.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Saifutdinov has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schneibal tries to roll but Saifutdinov sticks to his back.
Saifutdinov trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

Saifutdinov tightening his grip on Schneibal, looking for the choke.
Schneibal tries to roll but Saifutdinov sticks to his back.
Saifutdinov is not going to allow Schneibal to sit and survive in this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Saifutdinov is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Schneibal knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Schneibal for a finish.
Will Saifutdinov go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Saifutdinov lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Schneibal is in bad spot here.

Saifutdinov is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Schneibal defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saifutdinov loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Schneibal hold on?
Schneibal is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Schneibal is in bad spot here.
Emil Saifutdinov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Saifutdinov throwing damaging strikes from the back! Schneibal could be in trouble here!
Schneibal is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Schneibal trying to control but not successfully.
Saifutdinov controlling well, preventing Schneibal from escaping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Saifutdinov tightening his grip on Schneibal, looking for the choke.
Schneibal looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Saifutdinov is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Schneibal defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Saifutdinov's arms.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emil Saifutdinov 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. This is the final round!

Schneibal has taken the fight to the clinch.

Saifutdinov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Schneibal gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Saifutdinov pulls guard successfully.

Saifutdinov is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Saifutdinov trying to control the position.
Saifutdinov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Schneibal can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saifutdinov controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saifutdinov has a closed guard, preventing Schneibal from standing up.
Schneibal trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Saifutdinov wants to sweep here but Schneibal controlling him for the moment.
Schneibal wants to get up but he can't break Saifutdinov's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Saifutdinov preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Saifutdinov misses with a takedown attempt - Schneibal sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Schneibal.

Schneibal gets a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Schneibal just misses with a elbow thrown towards Saifutdinov's brow.

Saifutdinov has Schneibal pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Saifutdinov pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Schneibal tumbling to the mat - Saifutdinov dives into Schneibal's guard.
Saifutdinov is standing up over Schneibal. Schneibal looks to escape but Saifutdinov dives into side control.

Schneibal tries to bench press Saifutdinov off him but Saifutdinov keeps the position.
Saifutdinov slows the pace down.
Schneibal wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Schneibal really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Saifutdinov. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schneibal is looking to reverse the position.
Saifutdinov is looking to take a break and control but Schneibal is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Schneibal struggling a bit here.
Saifutdinov tries to advance to mount but can't.
Schneibal tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.

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.
Saifutdinov postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Schneibal looks a forlorn figure.
Schneibal looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Saifutdinov controls the position.

Saifutdinov is looking for the choke from the back position but Schneibal is controlling his hands well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Saifutdinov has the hooks in. Schneibal is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Parker Schneibal has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Emil Saifutdinov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Saifutdinov's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

And that's the end of the fight!
Emil Saifutdinov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Saifutdinov, 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Emil Saifutdinov!