PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Russell Phillips (ranked 5590 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Shligel (ranked 4688 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Phillips
vs
Shligel

182 cm
18
159 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Russell Phillips!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alexander Shligel!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Tiny Johnson and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Shligel has taken the fight to the clinch.
Shligel is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Phillips gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Shligel jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Phillips walks away with a smile on his face. Shligel gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Shligel shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
enabling Phillips to counter with a crisp jab.
Russell Phillips has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Shligel.
Shligel misses with a takedown
and Phillips counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Shligel pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Shligel fails with the takedown
letting Phillips counter with a right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A low kick from Shligel is predictable there
and Phillips counters with a right hand to the body.
Shligel avoids a punch combination nicely.
Alexander Shligel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Phillips throws a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shligel looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Phillips is fending him off so far but Shligel persists. Nope, Phillips circles away and we're back to standing.
Phillips scores with a decent looking hook.

Shligel clinches up with Phillips and pushes him back against the cage.
Shligel prevents a body shot from Phillips.
A short left from Phillips.
Shligel keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Phillips's efforts to push away.
Phillips is trying to force a seperation but Shligel has the dominant position.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Shligel.
Phillips is trying to force a seperation but Shligel has the dominant position.
Shligel stalling the fight.

Shligel's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Phillips fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Shligel looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shligel with a poor takedown
and Phillips counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Shligel darts in trying to clinch
and Phillips connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Shligel will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Shligel shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Phillips but Phillips pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Shligel throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Phillips's waist but Phillips gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Shligel off to one side.
Phillips throws a body punch but Shligel moves out of range.
Phillips lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shligel with a lazy takedown attempt
and Phillips cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Shligel looks winded!
Phillips punishes Shligel's body with a nice straight punch.
Shligel doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Shligel has his takedown stuffed
and Phillips counters with a nice body shot.

Shligel scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Shligel stops Phillips from getting back to his feet.
Shligel working over Phillips with some ground and pound. Phillips looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Phillips is trying to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shligel tries to stand but can't do so whilst Phillips controls his leg.
Shligel works his way into side control.

Shligel wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Phillips, who protects the arm well.
Shligel is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Shligel looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Russell Phillips 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.

Shligel misses with a few strikes there.
Phillips is looking to wear down Shligel with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Shligel misses with a takedown
and Phillips counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Shligel doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Phillips counters with a left to the body.
Phillips takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Phillips tries to clinch there but Shligel circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Phillips's corner calls for a 1-2. Phillips obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Shligel dodges the punch combination from Phillips.
Shligel lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Russell Phillips is winning the standup battle so far.

Shligel has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phillips tries to stall but Shligel uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Shligel misses with the head strike.
Shligel looking for a takedown.
Russell Phillips has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Shligel.

Shligel breaks the clinch.
Shligel doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Phillips counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Shligel thinking.
Shligel is breathing heavily.
A shot to the liver by Phillips. Beautiful body shot.

Shligel is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Phillips's half guard.
Shligel stops Phillips from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shligel trying to control the pace.
Shligel lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Shligel trying to control the pace.
Shligel passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shligel raining down hammerfists from mount.
Phillips knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Shligel on the ground.

Shligel is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Phillips can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Shligel working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phillips taking shots to the head.
Shligel takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
Shligel just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Shligel.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Phillips takes a big shot to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Shligel 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!

Phillips avoids the head kick by Shligel.
Shligel takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Shligel doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Phillips moves into the clinch.

Shligel manages to break the clinch.
Shligel throws a leg kick
and Phillips counters with a left and a right that stings Shligel.
Shligel tries to close the distance and clinch up but Phillips swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Phillips scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shligel throws a sloppy head kick
and Phillips counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Alexander Shligel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Phillips checks a leg kick.
Shligel moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shligel fails to land the takedown.
Shligel with a poor takedown
and Shligel takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Russell Phillips has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Shligel.
Phillips slaps away a takedown attempt from Shligel, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Shligel tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Phillips swivels and escapes.
Phillips fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Shligel wants to clinch but Phillips slips to the side
and Phillips counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Shligel thinking.
Phillips connects with a body shot.
Jab by Phillips.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phillips thuds his right hand into Shligel's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

Phillips gets caught flat footed, as Shligel shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Shligel loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Phillips wants to stand up but Shligel is controlling him.
Shligel chips away with some ground and pound.
Phillips wants to stand up but Shligel is controlling him.
Phillips is looking to stand back up but Shligel counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Phillips.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shligel is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Let's hope that Shligel has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four 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.
Shligel throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Phillips's waist but Phillips gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Shligel off to one side.

Shligel clinches.

Shligel breaks the clinch.
Shligel misses with a takedown attempt
and Phillips counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Shligel moves into the clinch.
Phillips throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Shligel just leaning against Phillips, taking a breather.
A frustrated look appears on Phillips's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Alexander Shligel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Russell Phillips is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Phillips blocking some punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Russell Phillips showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Phillips 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight for Russell Phillips!
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight for Russell Phillips!
Judge George Francis scores the fight for Russell Phillips!

Russell Phillips wins by unanimous decision!
Russell Phillips was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.