PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Russell Simon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Giorgi Kharadze (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Simon
vs
Kharadze

192 cm
19
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

170 cm
21
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Russell Simon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Giorgi Kharadze!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Summer Carpenter and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kharadze looks to land a combination but Simon avoids it well.

Kharadze has taken the fight to the clinch.
Simon wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Simon is trying to trip Kharadze. He has hold of a leg but Kharadze is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Simon persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Kharadze manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Simon misses with some punches.

Kharadze has picked Simon up - he's going for a ride! Kharadze dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Kharadze decides to stand and escape the position.
Kharadze moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

It looks like Russell Simon has been cut.
Simon stuffs the takedown attempt from Kharadze. Kharadze gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kharadze fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
As Kharadze tries to get set, Simon tries to push him back and clinch up but Kharadze manages to avoid the attempt.
Kharadze shoots in for a takedown but Simon shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Simon tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Kharadze manages to circle out of the way.
Russell Simon has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Giorgi Kharadze.
Kharadze shoots and misses
and Simon counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Kharadze is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Simon slaps away a takedown attempt from Kharadze, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Simon throws a quick counter head kick but Kharadze was just out of range.

Kharadze closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Simon gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Kharadze throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Simon was covering up waiting for the punch and Kharadze finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Kharadze wants to control from the top but Simon keeps moving.
Simon is trying to keep Kharadze in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kharadze wants to control from the top but Simon keeps moving.
Simon is pulling down on Kharadze's head to control his posture.

Kharadze stands up from Simon's guard - Kharadze perhaps looking for a knockout.
Kharadze throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
As Kharadze tries to get set, Simon tries to push him back and clinch up but Kharadze manages to avoid the attempt.

Kharadze drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Kharadze has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Simon!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Simon regains half guard.
Simon moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Simon is looking for a triangle but Kharadze pushes his legs off easily.
Kharadze controlling from the top position.
Kharadze keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Simon's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Giorgi Kharadze dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Russell Simon's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kharadze fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Simon manages to avoid it.
Simon tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Kharadze manages to circle out of the way.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.

Kharadze gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Kharadze manages to pull guard.
Kharadze manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Simon manages to get himself to full guard.

Kharadze throws an elbow that misses. Simon uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Kharadze's guard. Nice move by Simon!

Simon really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Kharadze is controlling Simon's posture.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kharadze is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kharadze trying to control the position here.
Giorgi Kharadze has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kharadze trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kharadze wants to stand but Simon is controlling the position.
Kharadze working a defensive guard here.
Simon trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

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.
Kharadze is controlling Simon's posture.
Kharadze 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.

Kharadze looking for a guillotine here but Simon defends easily.
Simon in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Simon loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Kharadze is looking to cinch up a triangle. Simon throws the leg off to one side though and gets in tight to Kharadze's body to avoid the submission. Kharadze has instead reached around Simon's neck and now has a guillotine! Oh, this is biiiig trouble! Kharadze arches his back and squeezes and forces the tap from his hapless opponent.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:35 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Giorgi Kharadze!