PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Anzor Azhiev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chang li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Azhiev comes to the cage accompanied by Czeczen Team. Azhiev has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Azhiev
vs
li

170 cm
23
145 lbs
1 - 7 - 0

175 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 7 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Anzor Azhiev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 6 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Chang li!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Daniel Franklin and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
li stuffs the takedown attempt from Azhiev. Azhiev gets slowly back to his feet.
Azhiev looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
li throws a head kick that misses.

li darts in and clinches Azhiev up against the cage.

Azhiev is fighting off a takedown attempt but li is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Azhiev to the mat. Azhiev regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
li trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
li throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Azhiev works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
li wants to control from the top but Azhiev keeps moving.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Chang li wasn't active enough on the ground.

li closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Azhiev quickly recovers to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
li is keen to just control but Azhiev is a slippery customer.
li might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Azhiev haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
li frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
li wants to control the pace but Azhiev is squirming around nicely.
li takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
li scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Azhiev is looking to get to half guard.
li trying to control but Azhiev is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
li in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Azhiev is squirming around, avoiding li's attempts to control the action.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
li working for a submission but Azhiev is keeping him at bay.
li trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azhiev manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Azhiev is staying active underneath li, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Azhiev has hold of a guillotine but he's not going to be able to crank on it really with only half guard, so it's no trouble for li. Oh but Azhiev has got full guard now! Oh boy! This one could be over very soon! li goes limp - he's gone! Azhiev jumps up and celebrates with the crowd - fantastic submission finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Anzor Azhiev!
Anzor Azhiev opened up his post fight interview with a scream to camera that he wants a title shot! Whether he deserves the shot will be up to the management of the organization, so I guess he'll have to wait and see.