PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Markov Petrenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Saif Rasheed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Petrenko
vs
Rasheed

185 cm
21
176 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

170 cm
26
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Self confident

Good takedowns
Brawler
Fast

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Markov Petrenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Saif Rasheed!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Illya Tyunina and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rasheed fails with a takedown attempt.

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

Petrenko is trying to work for a kimura but Rasheed is defending well.

Petrenko is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Petrenko is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Petrenko wants to work for an arm triangle but Rasheed is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rasheed actively working from the bottom here.

Petrenko wants to work for an arm triangle but Rasheed is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rasheed looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Rasheed is defending against the submission attempts here by Petrenko.
Petrenko is trying to control. Rasheed wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Rasheed is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rasheed manages to get to full guard.

Rasheed had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Petrenko defends it easily.

Petrenko drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Petrenko jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Petrenko postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Rasheed is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Petrenko, into his guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rasheed slips nicely into half guard.
Rasheed prevents Petrenko from improving his position.

Rasheed seems to be looking for submissions.
Rasheed prevents Petrenko from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrenko trying to control here.

Rasheed is looking for a kimura but Petrenko is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Rasheed to get the leverage.
Petrenko won't allow Rasheed to pass to mount.
Petrenko trying to control from the bottom.
Rasheed wants to lay and pray for a moment but Petrenko keeps working.
Petrenko trying to control but Rasheed postures up.

Rasheed is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Petrenko is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rasheed pulls his head out easily.

Rasheed is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Rasheed works his foot free and advances to mount.
Petrenko tries to hold on but Rasheed postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rasheed works his way to his opponent's back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Petrenko trying to control the hands but Rasheed breaks the grip.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saif Rasheed dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rasheed fails with a takedown attempt.
Rasheed tries for a takedown but Petrenko circles away easily
and Petrenko makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Rasheed really felt that one!
Saif Rasheed seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rasheed doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Petrenko counters with a two punch combo.
Markov Petrenko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Saif Rasheed.
Rasheed tries for a takedown but Petrenko circles away easily
and Petrenko counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Petrenko tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Rasheed defends well and Petrenko ends up having to push Rasheed into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Petrenko jumps guard and drags Rasheed to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Petrenko is working an open guard so Rasheed takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Nice takedown defense from Petrenko. No joy for Rasheed on that attempt.
Rasheed stuffs the takedown attempt from Petrenko. Petrenko gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rasheed shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Petrenko defends it nicely.
Petrenko fails to land the takedown.

Rasheed shoots in and bounces Petrenko off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Petrenko is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Petrenko had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rasheed defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rasheed looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Petrenko has his foot on Rasheed's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rasheed works his way back into a safe position though.

Rasheed drops back looking for a leg! Petrenko is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Petrenko manages to kick Rasheed off! Rasheed jumps back into Petrenko's guard.
Rasheed advances position into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrenko tries to bench press Rasheed off him but Rasheed keeps the position.

Rasheed tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rasheed has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Rasheed tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rasheed has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Petrenko gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

Rasheed is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Petrenko to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Petrenko shrugs it off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rasheed trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Petrenko is in all sorts of trouble here.
Petrenko regains half guard.

Rasheed is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Rasheed is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Petrenko sees it coming and defends easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Rasheed is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saif Rasheed showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Rasheed feints and as Petrenko raises his hands in defense, Rasheed changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rasheed sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Petrenko's guard.
Petrenko is trying to control but can't.
Petrenko is looking to improve his position.

Rasheed looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Petrenko looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rasheed is trying to work for a kimura but Petrenko is defending well.
Rasheed is controlling the pace.

Rasheed is looking for a kimura here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Petrenko tries to get to full guard but Rasheed has control of the leg.

Rasheed is working for a kimura but Petrenko is defending it quite comfortably.

Petrenko looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Rasheed tries to pass the half guard into mount. Petrenko knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Saif Rasheed is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrenko trying to control here.
Rasheed seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Petrenko does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Rasheed is looking for a kimura but Petrenko is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Rasheed to get the leverage.
Petrenko is not content to let Rasheed control the position.
Rasheed stalling.
Petrenko is refusing to be controlled, as Rasheed sits in half guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Rasheed shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Petrenko napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrenko is looking to reverse the position.
Rasheed has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Petrenko gets back to half guard.
Petrenko is holding on to half guard well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rasheed tries to pass the half guard into mount. Petrenko knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Rasheed is trying to control. Petrenko wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Markov Petrenko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Saif Rasheed comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rasheed winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Saif Rasheed!
Our winner, Saif Rasheed, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.