PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between G Row (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sakari Saatana (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). G Row has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Row
vs
Saatana

184 cm
23
178 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

182 cm
23
183 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Recos Laboratory

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, G Row!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sakari Saatana!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Igor Prikhodko and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Row tries to close the distance and clinch but Saatana swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Row closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Saatana to the mat! Saatana manages to get full guard.
Row thows a big elbow that misses.
Row advances position into side control!
Saatana stops Row from passing to mount.
Saatana defending against the ground and pound.
Saatana is not content to let Row control the position.
Saatana is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Row's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Saatana won't allow Row to pass to mount.
Row passes to side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Row working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Saatana lands an elbow from the bottom.
Saatana regains half guard.
Row is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Saatana!

Row moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Saatana has worked his arm free - good work by Saatana!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Row wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Saatana, who protects the arm well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Row is breathing heavily.
Row has control of an arm but Saatana manages to advance to Row's back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Saatana fending off the submission attempt from Row.
You can see the frustration on Saatana's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Saatana trying to control the hands but Row breaks the grip.

Row is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Saatana trying to control the hands but Row won't let him.

Row is persistently looking for the submission but Saatana is defending it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Row looking to finish the fight with a rear naked choke. Saatana is controlling Row 's left arm and he spins nicely into guard.
Saatana is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Row looking for a sweep. Not yet Row, not yet.
Row is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Row is stalling here. Saatana is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Row seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Saatana has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Saatana connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Row some visible discomfort.
Saatana working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Row is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Saatana off and has taken his back!

Row is persistently looking for the submission but Saatana is defending it well.

Saatana preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Row.
Saatana tries to escape but Row has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

G Row dominated that 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.

Saatana waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Row.
Saatana looks to score with a jab to the body but Row is just out of range.
Row shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Row uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Saatana.
Row tries to score with a low kick but Saatana moves his leg out of the way.
Saatana avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
G Row is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Row tries to clinch up.
Saatana stuffs the takedown attempt from Row. Row gets slowly back to his feet.

Row scores with a takedown into Saatana's guard.
Saatana trying to keep a closed guard but Row is proving a slippery customer.
Row works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Row missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Saatana has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Row is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Row is keen to just control but Saatana is a slippery customer.
Saatana misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Row is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Saatana sees it coming and defends easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Saatana is trying to get back to full guard.

Row is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Saatana is just riding it out for now. Row eventually gives up the hold.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Saatana stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for G Row. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Saatana throws an overhand right that lands on Row's shoulder, as Row tries to avoid the shot.
Saatana connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Saatana swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Row throws a low kick but Saatana avoids it.
Row is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Saatana lands a two punch combo.
Row fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Row tries to clinch there but Saatana circles away.
Row uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Saatana.
A jab from Row does it's job there.
Saatana throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Row.
No joy there for Saatana, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Saatana throws out a loose jab but Row uses good head movement to avoid it.
Saatana works Row's body with a nice hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Row misses with a kick to the body.
Saatana throws a jab but it's blocked by Row.
Saatana lands a head shot.
Saatana throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Saatana throws a hook but Row avoids it easily.

Row decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Row stalling away here and it's allowed Saatana to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Row works over Saatana with some ground and pound from guard.
Row pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Saatana is keeping the position for now.
Row missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Saatana tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Row pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Saatana is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Row pushing down on Saatana's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Saatana wants to control but Row is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Row slips a nice elbow through Saatana's hands, connecting with Saatana's forehead.
Row is trying to control the action in half guard but Saatana is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Saatana trying to hold on to Row's head to control him but Row postures up.
Row missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Row is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Row tries to pass to full mount but Saatana defends it.
Row moves nicely into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that G Row will probably get the nod.
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!

Nice takedown defense from Saatana. No joy for Row on that attempt.
Saatana lands a two punch combo.
Saatana misses with a hook.
Sakari Saatana seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Saatana jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A big right from Saatana misses.
Row wants to clinch up but Saatana keeps it at a distance.

Saatana gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Saatana is trying to control the position but Row postures up.
Saatana punching from the bottom.
Row pushes down on Saatana's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Saatana missing with punches from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saatana tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Row trying to mount his opponent but Saatana defends it.
Still in half guard, Row seems content to control.
Row trying to control from Saatana's half guard. Saatana has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Row trying to control the position from guard on top but Saatana is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
G Row overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Row is really struggling to control Saatana but he's trying to hold on to the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Saatana throws a right and a left that both miss.

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.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Row.
Row tries to move into full mount but can't pass Saatana's legs.

Row tries for a kimura but Saatana is defending well.
Saatana is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Row wants to lay and pray for a moment but Saatana keeps working.
You can see the frustration on Saatana's face as Row controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saatana wants to control but Row postures up.

Row working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Row working the head and body with strikes.

Row tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Row working away.
Saatana is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Row looking to control but instead Saatana has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Sakari Saatana has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Saatana misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Saatana won't allow Row to pass to mount.
Row is tying to control. Saatana wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Saatana connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Saatana circles away from the clinch attempt.

Saatana gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Saatana keeping moving, preventing Row from controlling successfully.
G Row is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Saatana looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to G Row.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Row, 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... G Row!