PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Joao Gabriel (ranked 5025 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ramazan Gafurov (ranked 5022 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Gabriel
vs
Gafurov

180 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Joao Gabriel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ramazan Gafurov!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksandr Martynov and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gabriel scores with a shot to the body.

Gafurov shoots in and bounces Gabriel off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Gafurov trying to control the position from guard on top but Gabriel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gafurov tries to free his leg and advance position but Gabriel is retaining full guard.

Gafurov drops back looking for a leg! Gabriel is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Gabriel manages to kick Gafurov off! Gafurov jumps back into Gabriel's guard.
Gafurov content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gafurov postures up.

Gafurov got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gabriel has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Gafurov has managed to get both his arms back between Gabriel's legs - danger averted.
Gafurov controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Gafurov's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gabriel trying to keep a closed guard but Gafurov is proving a slippery customer.
Gafurov postures up and lands a big shot to Gabriel's brow.
Gafurov seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Gafurov is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Gafurov stops Gabriel from standing up.
Gafurov keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Gabriel's head.

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.
Gabriel is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gafurov lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Gafurov trying to move into half guard but instead Gabriel has managed to sweep!

Gafurov has his foot on Gabriel's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gabriel works his way back into a safe position though.

Gafurov is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gabriel defends well.
Gafurov is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Gafurov controlling the action here.
Gafurov working the head and body with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gabriel looking for a kimura from the bottom but Gafurov passes into side control!
Gabriel is breathing heavily.
Gafurov works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Gafurov lands a nice forearm strike.
Gabriel takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Gabriel is looking for a sweep.
Gafurov is looking to take a break and control but Gabriel is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gafurov working the body and head with strikes.
Gabriel takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gafurov works to advance to full mount. Gabriel defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

Gafurov looking to secure an arm triangle but Gabriel defends it well.
Gafurov in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Gafurov lands a nice shot to the head.
Gafurov raining down shots from the mount!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gafurov postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Gabriel looks a forlorn figure.
Gafurov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Gafurov landing strikes from the mount.

Gafurov is working for a guillotine from mount but Gabriel frees his head quite easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ramazan Gafurov dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Gafurov decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Gabriel gets full guard.
Gafurov not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Gafurov is working Gabriel over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Gafurov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gafurov is working Gabriel over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Gafurov content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gafurov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gafurov working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gafurov passes Gabriel's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Gafurov lands a nice short elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gabriel tries to kick Gafurov off but Gafurov keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Gafurov is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Gafurov lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Gafurov lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Gafurov works his way into full mount!
Gabriel in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gafurov working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Gafurov controlling from the full mount.

Gafurov with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Gafurov working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Gafurov lands a couple of good shots and Gabriel has given up his back, trying to escape the position!

Gafurov looking to break Gabriel's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Gabriel remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Gafurov will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Gabriel is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Gafurov gets his way!

Gabriel defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gafurov scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Gabriel is looking for a way out.

Gafurov patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Gabriel is in bad spot here.
Gafurov looking to soften up his opponent with punches.

Gafurov has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Gabriel has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Gabriel showing good submission defense here.

Gafurov working for the rear naked choke here. He's got one arm under but Gabriel is defending well. A couple of punches soften him up though and Gafurov has tightened the hold! This one could be all over! It is! Gabriel taps out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Ramazan Gafurov!