PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sergey Chernishev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Renato Ibanez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Chernishev
vs
Ibanez

173 cm
18
165 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

173 cm
19
168 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

Sydney Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sergey Chernishev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Renato Ibanez!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Daniel Bishop and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chernishev keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Chernishev drops down looking for a counter takedown but Ibanez sprawls and moves away.
Chernishev swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Ibanez counters by moving into the clinch.

Chernishev breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ibanez fails with the takedown.
Chernishev attempts a counter takedown but Ibanez avoids it well and moves away.
Ibanez has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Chernishev is landing a low percentage of strikes.

Ibanez shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Chernishev's guard.
Ibanez is stalling in the full guard.
Ibanez works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ibanez trying to control from half guard but Chernishev is working away.
Chernishev keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Ibanez trying to mount his opponent but Chernishev defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chernishev is refusing to be controlled, as Ibanez sits in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ibanez keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Ibanez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Chernishev keeps working.
Chernishev is looking for a sweep. Ibanez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ibanez controlling the action here.
Chernishev on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Chernishev tries to get out of the position.
Ibanez is trying to control the action in half guard but Chernishev is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ibanez sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Chernishev is pressing down on Ibanez's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Ibanez trying to control the position from guard on top but Chernishev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ibanez looking to pass the guard.
Ibanez is still trying to improve position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Ibanez throws a leg kick that is checked

and Chernishev decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Ibanez's guard.
Chernishev distracts Ibanez with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Ibanez is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ibanez looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chernishev stands up over Ibanez, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Chernishev won't allow Ibanez to sweep him here.

Ibanez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ibanez working a defensive guard here.
Ibanez wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Chernishev is now in half guard.
Ibanez tries to get to full guard but Chernishev has control of the leg.
Ibanez trying to control from the bottom.
Ibanez wants to get back to full guard but Chernishev has passed into side control.
Chernishev is putting a hurting on Ibanez here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chernishev in side control lands a decent elbow.
Chernishev cracks Ibanez with a big elbow.
Chernishev advances nicely into full mount.
Chernishev lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Ibanez sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Ibanez is looking to get back to full guard here but Chernishev has managed to pass to side control instead.
Chernishev working the ground and pound.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Chernishev creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Ibanez sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Ibanez is trying to improve his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Chernishev lands a nice forearm strike.
Chernishev trying to control the action but Ibanez is working from the bottom.
Ibanez struggling a bit here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ibanez changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Chernishev looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Ibanez trying to control the position but Chernishev is working away.

Ibanez wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Chernishev, who protects the arm well.
Chernishev prevents Ibanez from moving into mount.
Ibanez is looking to take a break and control but Chernishev is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Ibanez tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ibanez remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ibanez wants to control but Chernishev is keeping him busy.
Sergey Chernishev overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Chernishev is looking to reverse the position.
Chernishev is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ibanez can do to turn this around?
Ibanez is staying tight to Chernishev's torso, preventing him from escaping.
The strikes coming from Ibanez are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Ibanez trying to control the action but Chernishev is working from the bottom.
Chernishev tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two 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.
Ibanez trying to control the position but Chernishev is working away.

Ibanez wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Chernishev, who protects the arm well.
Chernishev gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Ibanez controlling his opponent.

Ibanez looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Ibanez content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chernishev is in all sorts of trouble here.
Chernishev is working hard here to advance position.
Ibanez looking to control but Chernishev is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Chernishev wants to control but Ibanez is having none of it.
Ibanez seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Chernishev is holding on tight.

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.
Chernishev is looking to improve his position but Ibanez isn't that keen on the idea.
Ibanez throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Ibanez sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ibanez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Chernishev is looking to escape.
Chernishev is working to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ibanez wants to take Chernishev's back but he can't do it this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Renato Ibanez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Ibanez looks for a takedown but Chernishev sprawls well.
Ibanez shoots in but no luck this time.
Renato Ibanez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Chernishev stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Ibanez shoots in but no luck this time.
Sergey Chernishev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Renato Ibanez.

Chernishev shoots in and bounces Ibanez off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Chernishev postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Ibanez has momentary wrist control but Chernishev slips an elbow through the middle.
Chernishev scoring with some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chernishev controlling from the top position.
Ibanez managing to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ibanez working a defensive guard here.
Chernishev postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Chernishev has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Chernishev in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ibanez controlling the position.

Ibanez has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Chernishev can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Ibanez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Chernishev scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Ibanez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ibanez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chernishev connects with a couple of short punches.
Ibanez controls Chernishev momentarily but Chernishev frees himself.
Chernishev is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Ibanez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Chernishev tries to roll over but Ibanez keeps him under control.
Ibanez is trying to control. Chernishev wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Ibanez passes to full mount!
Ibanez controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ibanez working for a guillotine from mount but Chernishev is in no mood to give up.
Ibanez looking to ground and pound but Chernishev is blocking nicely.
Ibanez trying to control but Chernishev is having none of it.
Ibanez controlling the pace for now.
Ibanez trying to control but Chernishev is having none of it.
Ibanez controlling his opponent.

That's four 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.
Ibanez wants to take Chernishev's back but he can't do it this time.

Ibanez with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Ibanez controlling from the full mount.
Ibanez wants to control but instead Chernishev manages to regain half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Chernishev is trying to maintain the position but Ibanez is very close to passing his half guard.
Ibanez trying to mount his opponent but Chernishev defends it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sergey Chernishev showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Chernishev has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sergey Chernishev!
During a confident post fight interview, Sergey Chernishev thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
In defeat, Renato Ibanez stepped up to the mic, saying 'The only reason I cut so easily is because of my eczema and excessive use of steroid creams thinning my skin'.