PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Fuad Aliyev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ruslan Petrov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Aliyev
vs
Petrov

187 cm
20
210 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
195 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Fuad Aliyev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ruslan Petrov!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Sergei Dronov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aliyev misses with a body kick.
Petrov looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
The fighters circling - Petrov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Aliyev misses the shot to the body.

Aliyev closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Aliyev is taking a breather. Petrov says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aliyev wants to pass the guard but Petrov is defending well.
Aliyev keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Aliyev stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Aliyev's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Aliyev duly obliges.

It looks like Ruslan Petrov has been cut.
Aliyev avoids the head kick by Petrov.
Aliyev misses with the combination.

Aliyev shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Petrov's guard.
Petrov wants to stand and escape but Aliyev is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aliyev loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Aliyev trying to control but Petrov is working from the bottom.
Aliyev has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Aliyev passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Petrov is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Petrov really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Aliyev. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Aliyev is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Petrov will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Petrov is trying to get back to half guard.

Aliyev decides to stand up, so the ref orders Petrov to his feet.
Petrov throws a half hearted mid kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Petrov gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Aliyev is pushing down on Petrov's leg trying to pass to half guard. Petrov is fighting to maintain full guard but Aliyev has managed to sneak the leg through.
Aliyev is taking a breather. Petrov says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Aliyev scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Aliyev has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Aliyev sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Aliyev working Petrov over with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aliyev working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Aliyev looking for a guillotine from mount but Petrov is having none of it.
Petrov is squirming around, avoiding Aliyev's attempts to control the action.
Aliyev content just to control the position here.
Aliyev scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Aliyev lands a heavy elbow.
Petrov's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Aliyev looking to control but Petrov is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Aliyev breaks from Petrov's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Aliyev lands a heavy elbow.
Aliyev with the ground and pound from mount.
Petrov is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Aliyev scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Aliyev working away from the top, dropping strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Petrov defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Aliyev.
Aliyev controlling his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fuad Aliyev dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ruslan Petrov's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Aliyev drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Petrov takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Check out the look on Aliyev's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

Aliyev stands up.
Petrov has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Petrov throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Aliyev makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Aliyev misses with a double jab.
Petrov throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Aliyev decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Petrov's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Aliyev prevents Petrov from getting back to his feet.

Aliyev gets to his feet - Petrov follows without any prompting.
Petrov scores with a three punch combo!

Aliyev shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Aliyev showed some decent athleticism there.
Petrov is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aliyev is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Aliyev lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Aliyev postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Petrov to stand up.

Aliyev scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Aliyev decides to return to a standing position.
Aliyev lands with a shot to the body.

Aliyev darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Aliyev working Petrov over with strikes.
Aliyev looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petrov on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Petrov pushes Aliyev off but Aliyev dives into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Aliyev decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Aliyev looks to land a combination. Petrov sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Fuad Aliyev is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Petrov throws a sloppy head kick
and Aliyev counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Petrov thinking.

Aliyev darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Aliyev takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Aliyev frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Aliyev pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Aliyev dominating with strikes here.
Aliyev sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aliyev working the ground and pound effectively.
Petrov wants to try and get back to his feet.
Aliyev with a couple of short strikes.
Aliyev won't let Petrov get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Petrov is looking to get to half guard.
Petrov in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That has opened up Ruslan Petrov's cut even more.
Aliyev sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrov tries to hold on but Aliyev postures up.

Aliyev looking for a guillotine from mount but Petrov is having none of it.
Aliyev controlling the position easily from mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
BOOM! Aliyev connects with a massive shot to the dome!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fuad Aliyev dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ruslan Petrov's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Aliyev throws a series of strikes that have Petrov backpedaling.
Petrov misses with a combination

and Aliyev counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Aliyev works his foot free and advances to mount.
Petrov tries to buck Aliyev off but he can't manage it.
Petrov tries to reverse the position but Aliyev maintains control.
Aliyev tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Petrov is trying to stand up.
Fuad Aliyev overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Aliyev looking to control and managing it successfully.
Petrov trying desperately to get to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Aliyev jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Petrov manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Petrov struggling a bit here.
Petrov bucks up and tries to throw Aliyev off but instead Aliyev has got his back!
Aliyev lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.

The cut above Ruslan Petrov's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Aliyev scores with punches from the back.
Aliyev is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Petrov can do to turn this around?
Petrov trying to get back to his feet but Aliyev is in full control for now.

Aliyev working for the choke.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petrov has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

Petrov preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Aliyev.

Aliyev working for a choke but Petrov is defending well.
Petrov is trying to get back to his feet but Aliyev has full control of the position and if anything, Petrov has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Aliyev looking for the choke but no joy.

Petrov manages to escape to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aliyev throws a leg kick but Petrov moved away.
Petrov throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Aliyev counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Petrov's guard now.

Aliyev stands up and waves to Petrov to follow him.
Aliyev walks into a jab.
Petrov fails to land with a series of punches.
Aliyev lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Petrov backs up against the cage.

Aliyev scores with a takedown into Petrov's guard.
Aliyev wants to control from the top but Petrov keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Aliyev 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.
Petrov keeping moving, preventing Aliyev from controlling successfully.

Aliyev stands and steps away. Petrov gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Aliyev lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Petrov throws a right and a left that Aliyev avoids nicely.
Ruslan Petrov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Petrov throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Aliyev.

Petrov tries to keep at a distance but Aliyev has taken the fight into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fuad Aliyev showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Aliyev has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:24
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:25
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fuad Aliyev!