PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between El Terible (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alyosha Popovich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Terible
vs
Popovich

176 cm
20
135 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

225 cm
25
130 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, El Terible!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alyosha Popovich!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Igor Prikhodko and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Terible scores with a takedown into Popovich's guard.
Terible pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Popovich is keeping the position for now.
Terible is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Terible tries to free his leg and advance position but Popovich is retaining full guard.
Popovich can't keep his opponent in guard - Terible advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Terible looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Popovich with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Terible is controlling the pace.
Terible winds up and cracks Popovich with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Popovich is trying to stand back up but Terible is controlling him
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Popovich can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Terible moves into full mount! Popovich won't be happy about that!
You get the feeling that Popovich really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Popovich is in all sorts of trouble here.
Terible sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Terible looking to control but Popovich is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Terible putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

Terible looking to secure an arm triangle but Popovich defends it well.
Terible really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Popovich squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Terible landing strikes from the mount and Popovich is in trouble!
Terible unloading with bombs!
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!
Terible lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Popovich hang on?
Popovich is trying desperately to improve position.
Terible won't let Popovich get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Popovich looks gassed!
Terible is landing with some decent strikes but Popovich is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Popovich is looking to improve his position but Terible isn't that keen on the idea.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Terible has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Popovich's face.
BOOM! Terible connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Terible has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Popovich's face.
Terible takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Terible lands a heavy elbow.
Popovich wants to control but Terible is having none of it.
Terible 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.
Terible is landing with some decent strikes but Popovich is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Popovich is squirming around, avoiding Terible's attempts to control the action.
Terible tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Terible in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

Terible looking to secure an arm triangle but Popovich defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Terible can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Popovich is looking to escape.
Terible working away from the top, dropping strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Terible lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Popovich is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Terible wants to control the pace but Popovich is squirming around nicely.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Terible is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Terible with a couple of short strikes.
Popovich in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

El Terible dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Terible scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Terible taking a breather here.
Popovich is looking to regain half guard here but Terible keeps moving and retains side control.
Terible is looking to take a break and control but Popovich is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Popovich is working to avoid the ground and pound but Terible connects with a decent elbow.
Popovich wants to get back to his feet.
Terible lands a few punches from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Popovich's face as Terible controls the position.
Terible lands a nice forearm strike.
Popovich is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Popovich really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Terible. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Terible moves into full mount!
Popovich is breathing heavily.
Terible controlling the position easily from mount.
Popovich tries to hold on but Terible postures up.
Terible scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Popovich?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Terible trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Terible is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Popovich can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Terible looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
El Terible overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The referee warns Popovich that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Terible raining down shots from the mount!
Terible looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Terible connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Terible controlling from the full mount.
Popovich is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Terible.
Terible sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Terible with a couple of short strikes.
Terible controlling the position easily from mount.
Terible looking to control but Popovich is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Terible content just to control the position here.
Terible trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Terible pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Terible controlling his opponent.
Popovich wants to try and get back to his feet.
Terible controlling from the full mount.
Terible raining down hammerfists from mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Popovich is desperately trying to improve his position but Terible has a good base and remains in mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

El Terible dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Terible shoots in looking for a takedown. Popovich tries to sprawl out of it but Terible keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Popovich manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Popovich shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Terible eats them both and turns towards Popovich to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Popovich stuffs the takedown.
Terible fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for El Terible. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Popovich scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Popovich will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
El Terible seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Popovich closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Popovich misses with a series of wild punches.
Popovich throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Terible shoots for a double leg takedown but Popovich sprawls well. He's pushed Terible's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
No joy there for Popovich, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Popovich keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

Terible throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Popovich tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Terible is in Popovich's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Terible controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popovich wants to get back to his feet but Terible is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Terible might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Terible trying to control but Popovich is working from the bottom.
Popovich controls Terible momentarily but Terible frees himself.
Popovich keeping moving, preventing Terible from controlling successfully.
Terible is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of El Terible.
Terible changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Popovich tries to avoid it but Terible manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Popovich to the ground. Popovich escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Popovich moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popovich throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Horrible takedown by Terible or perhaps it was just good defense by Popovich which made him look bad.
El Terible is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Terible shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Popovich sprawls well. Popovich wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Terible gets slowly back to his feet.
Nice cross by Popovich.

Terible bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Popovich is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Terible controls the position.
Popovich is trying to buck Terible off.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Popovich is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Terible in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Terible is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Popovich can do to turn this around?
Popovich is looking to get back to his feet here but Terible is keeping cool and he's managed to take Popovich's back.
Terible slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Terible seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Popovich for as long as he can get away with.
Popovich looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Alyosha Popovich has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Terible biding his time, looking for the opening.

We're going to have a standup here because El Terible wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Some wild striking there from Popovich.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nice shot by Popovich.

Terible shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Popovich is trying to defend but Terible finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Popovich looking for submissions off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
El Terible showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Terible, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... El Terible!