PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between LaChron Herb (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Shlemenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alexander Shlemenko struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 172.5lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Herb
vs
Shlemenko

188 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
18
183 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, LaChron Herb!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexander Shlemenko!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Igor Prikhodko and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shlemenko misses with a series of wild punches.
Shlemenko swinging wildly here.
Shlemenko swinging wildly here.

Herb moves into range and clinches up with Shlemenko.
Herb lands an elbow that stopped Shlemenko in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like Alexander Shlemenko has been cut.
Shlemenko tries to pull guard but Herb won't allow it.
Shlemenko on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Shlemenko is trying to pull guard but Herb turns him against the ropes and we stay in the clinch.
Shlemenko tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Herb smiles and moves away.
LaChron Herb has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Shlemenko.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Herb.

Herb clinches up against the ropes.
Herb throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Herb tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Shlemenko avoids it.
Shlemenko takes an elbow to the forehead.
Shlemenko blocks an elbow strike.

Shlemenko pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Herb clinches up against the ropes.
Nice elbow from Herb.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shlemenko tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Herb smiles and moves away.
Some wild striking there from Shlemenko.
Shlemenko misses with a two punch combination.
Herb dives in and grabs Shlemenko's left leg, looking for a takedown. Shlemenko pushes down on Herb's head and hops out.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Shlemenko's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Herb fails with a takedown attempt.

Herb lands a big head kick that sends Shlemenko tumbling to the mat! Herb takes a step backwards and waves Shlemenko back to his feet - he wants the finish!

That has opened up Alexander Shlemenko's cut even more.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Herb misses with a hook from the clinch.

Herb has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Shlemenko uses from the top position.

Herb escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Shlemenko gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Shlemenko wants to stand but Herb is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Herb looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Shlemenko wants to stand and escape but instead Herb has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Shlemenko kicks Herb off and gets to his feet.
Shlemenko looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herb shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Shlemenko pinned against the ropes. Shlemenko gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Herb has Shlemenko up against the ropes in a clinch.
Shlemenko jumps guard but Herb turns him against the ropes and keeps the fight standing.
Shlemenko fails to pull guard.
Herb lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

The cut above Alexander Shlemenko's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Herb misses with the head strike.
Herb is trying to pull guard but Shlemenko turns him against the ropes and we stay in the clinch.
Nice elbow from Herb.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Herb.

Alexander Shlemenko's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Herb missing with knees to the body.
Herb trying to land knees to the body.

Herb pulls Shlemenko into guard.

Shlemenko decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Herb, up you get!

Herb clinches up with Shlemenko and pushes him back against the ropes.
Herb lands an elbow that stopped Shlemenko in his tracks for a moment.
Shlemenko jumps guard but Herb stands there with Shlemenko around his waist. Shlemenko gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Herb tries to pull guard but Shlemenko won't allow it.
Herb is trying to stall.
Shlemenko avoids the elbow strike from Herb, against the ropes.
Shlemenko jumps guard but Herb stands there with Shlemenko around his waist. Shlemenko gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Shlemenko jumps guard and drags Herb to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Herb trying to control but Shlemenko is working from the bottom.

Herb drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Shlemenko dives on top into guard.
Shlemenko wants to get up but he can't break Herb's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Herb is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Shlemenko is controlling him.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Shlemenko trying to stand up but can't free himself from Herb's guard.

Shlemenko wants to stand up, so he's looking to wriggle free of Herb's closed guard. He's half up but Herb has locked on to an arm! Uh oh! Herb pivots and extends the arm, Shlemenko falls face first to the mat and taps??... does he?? YES! He's tapping! Excellent counter grappling there by Herb! Well done that man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5:35 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). LaChron Herb!