PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dasha Karimov (ranked 77 p4p, 13 weight class) and Steve Belliveau (ranked 159 p4p, 20 weight class). Karimov comes to the cage accompanied by ACDC - Hells Bells. The crowd seem to be enjoying Belliveau's choice of entrance music: We will rock you. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Karimov
vs
Belliveau

185 cm
33
193 lbs
30 - 11 - 2

185 cm
39
195 lbs
38 - 18 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing
KOMBAT KLOTHING

Aspire Clothing
Bullet Proof System

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 30 - 11 - 2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dasha Karimov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 38 - 18 - 0, fighting out of London, Steve Belliveau!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karimov throws a hook to the side of Belliveau's head but Belliveau sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Belliveau looks to throw the jab but Karimov is out of range.
Karimov swings widly with a right hand
and Belliveau connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Karimov with a jab.
Karimov looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Belliveau takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Karimov uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Belliveau.
Belliveau throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Karimov has Belliveau up against the cage in a clinch.
Belliveau lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Karimov using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Karimov landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Belliveau looks winded!
Belliveau blocks a body shot from Karimov.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Belliveau goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Belliveau misses with a short punch on the inside.
Belliveau throws a punch but it's blocked by Karimov.
Karimov lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Karimov blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Karimov tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Belliveau lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belliveau tries to work over Karimov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Belliveau lands a body shot in the clinch.
We've been informed that Belliveau has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Belliveau makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Belliveau lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Karimov blocks a body shot from Belliveau.
Belliveau swings wildly with an uppercut but Karimov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Karimov has a couple of punches blocked by Belliveau.
Karimov lands a right hand.
Belliveau throws a head punch that misses.
Belliveau misses with a punch on the inside.
Karimov landing knees to the head.
Belliveau can't find room to land a body shot as Karimov controls the action.
Karimov misses with a hook from the clinch.
Karimov lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Belliveau misses with a punch to the body.
Karimov tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Belliveau tries a body shot but Karimov blocks it.
Karimov lands a shoulder strike.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Belliveau tries to throw a body punch but Karimov avoids it by throwing Belliveau back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belliveau misses with a body punch.
Karimov struggles to land a body shot inside as Belliveau controls his hands.
Karimov misses with a hook from the clinch.
Karimov misses with some punches.
Karimov prevents a body shot from Belliveau.
Karimov is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Karimov lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A short right from Karimov.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Karimov obliges.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Karimov.
Karimov digs a right hand into Belliveau's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Belliveau's gas tank.
Belliveau swings wildly with an uppercut but Karimov uses good head movement to avoid it.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Karimov.
Karimov unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Karimov lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Karimov lands a shot to the body.
Karimov works on Belliveau's body with a couple of short punches.
Karimov pushes Belliveau back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Karimov lands a nice uppercut.
Karimov tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karimov comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Steve Belliveau has been cut.
A short right from Karimov on the inside.
Karimov throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Karimov is leaning against Belliveau and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Karimov tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Belliveau's elbow.
A knee to the head by Karimov.
Karimov lands a knee to the body.
Belliveau prevents a body shot from Karimov.
Karimov with a knee to the head.
Karimov makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Belliveau is rocked!
Karimov misses with a punch on the inside.
Karimov lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Karimov lands with a short shot to the head.
Belliveau is still on wobbly legs! Can Karimov finish him?
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Karimov blocks a body shot from Belliveau.
Karimov throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Belliveau seems to have recovered his senses.
Karimov lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Belliveau backwards.
Karimov missing with knees to the body.
Karimov scores with a shoulder strike.
Karimov crunches a lovely knee into Belliveau's ribcage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karimov scores with a shot to the side of Belliveau's head.
Karimov misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Belliveau fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Belliveau goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Karimov prevents a body shot from Belliveau.
Karimov prevents a body shot from Belliveau.
Karimov misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Karimov lands a right hand.
Belliveau swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Karimov lands a nice uppercut.
Karimov lands a left hand that snaps the head of Belliveau backwards.
A head punch on the inside from Belliveau fails to land.
A nice right hand lands inside from Karimov.
Karimov throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Belliveaus head.
Belliveau throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Karimovs head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Karimov working aggressively here.

Karimov drops Belliveau onto one knee with a big uppercut from the clinch! Belliveau is propped up by the cage and works his way back to his feet!
Belliveau has a couple of punches blocked by Karimov.
Karimov misses with the head strike.
Karimov throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Belliveau blocks it with crossed arms.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dasha Karimov dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Steve Belliveau's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Belliveau tries to keep at a distance but Karimov has taken the fight into the clinch.
Belliveau scores with a shoulder strike.
Karimov working aggressively here.
Karimov lands a hook to the side of the head.
Karimov scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Karimov misses with a knee strike.

Karimov drops Belliveau with a big knee straight up the middle! Belliveau is covering up against the cage but manages to escape and gets back to his feet!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Karimov misses with a low kick.
Belliveau jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Karimov throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Belliveau on the side of the head.
Karimov throws a leg kick which misses Belliveau's front leg but catches the back leg as Belliveau tries to avoid it.
Karimov tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Karimov getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Karimov tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Dasha Karimov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Karimov swings for the body but Belliveau moves out of range.
No joy there for Karimov, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karimov is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Karimov feints and then cracks Belliveau's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Belliveau down.
Belliveau takes a jab right on the kisser.
Karimov tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Belliveau manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The fighters circling - Belliveau throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Belliveau pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Karimov tries to clinch but Belliveau moves out of range.
Karimov fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Belliveau is out of range.
Belliveau throws out a counter right but Karimov avoids it with no problem.
Karimov thuds his right hand into Belliveau's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
A head kick from Karimov lands but Belliveau takes it in his stride.

Karimov moves into the clinch successfully.
A short right from Karimov.
Belliveau prevents a body shot from Karimov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karimov lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Karimov with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Belliveau avoiding damage as Karimov throws knees to the body.
Karimov throws a knee to the head but misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Karimov.
Belliveau managing to block the knees to the body from Karimov.
Belliveau misses with a body punch.
Karimov missing with knees to the body.
Belliveau struggles to land a body shot inside as Karimov controls his hands.
Belliveau tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Belliveau misses with a punch on the inside.
Belliveau misses with the head strike.
Karimov prevents a body shot from Belliveau.
Karimov is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Belliveau is defending well for now.
Karimov lands a shoulder strike.
Karimov lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Belliveau misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Belliveau struggles to land a body shot inside as Karimov controls his hands.
Dasha Karimov has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Belliveau fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karimov can't find room to land a body shot as Belliveau controls the action.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Karimov.
Karimov tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Karimov tries to land a knee to the head but Belliveau blocks with his arms.
Karimov lands with a light punch inside.
Karimov misses with a short punch on the inside.
A short right from Karimov.
Karimov works on Belliveau's body with a couple of short punches.
Belliveau is breathing heavily.
Belliveau tries a body shot but Karimov blocks it.
Karimov misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Karimov missing with knees to the body.
Belliveau lands a shoulder strike.
Belliveau can't find room to land a body shot as Karimov controls the action.
Belliveau lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Karimov lands a body punch.
Belliveau misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Belliveau misses with a punch to the body.
Karimov softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Karimov working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Karimov tries to land a knee to the head but Belliveau blocks with his arms.
Belliveau lands a right hand that snaps the head of Karimov backwards.
Karimov pushes Belliveau back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Belliveau blocks an uppercut.
Belliveau working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Belliveau lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Belliveau misses with a hook to the ribs.
A short uppercut from Karimov.
Karimov is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Belliveau is defending well for now.
Karimov throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Belliveau blocks it with crossed arms.
Karimov lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Karimov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Belliveau can do to turn this around?
Belliveau working aggressively here.
Belliveau blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Karimov lands a nice uppercut.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Belliveau can't find room to land a body shot as Karimov controls the action.
Belliveau tries a body shot but Karimov blocks it.
Belliveau struggles to land a body shot inside as Karimov controls his hands.
Karimov lands an uppercut.

Karimov drops Belliveau with a big knee straight up the middle! Belliveau is covering up against the cage but manages to escape and gets back to his feet!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dasha Karimov dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Steve Belliveau's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Karimov throws a pinpoint strike between Belliveau's hands that connects right on the jaw and sends Belliveau crashing to the floor! He's out before he even hits the mat and Karimov scores a great knockout victory!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Dasha Karimov!
Dasha Karimov took his opportunity to call for a title shot in his post fight interview.