PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hong Caldwell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aleksandros Zagrev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Caldwell
vs
Zagrev

215 cm
19
278 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

195 cm
23
210 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hong Caldwell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aleksandros Zagrev!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Vladimir Khabensky and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Zagrev throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Caldwell was covering up waiting for the punch and Zagrev finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Zagrev looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Caldwell pulls Zagrev in to control the position.
Caldwell will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Zagrev trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Zagrev postures up.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Zagrev working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Caldwell is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Caldwell controls Zagrev momentarily but Zagrev frees himself.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Caldwell gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Caldwell is looking to control Zagrev's arms but Zagrev gets an underhook and turns him. Now Caldwell has his back to the cage.
Zagrev is trying to maintain a safe position but Caldwell gets an underhook and turns Zagrev into the cage.

Caldwell pulls guard.
Caldwell is pulling down on Zagrev's head to control his posture.
Caldwell trying to control the position.
Caldwell is pulling down on Zagrev's head to control his posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Caldwell keeping moving, preventing Zagrev from controlling successfully.
Caldwell looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zagrev is one step ahead there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Caldwell is pulling down on Zagrev's head. It's preventing any offense from Zagrev, at least for the moment.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Caldwell tries to clinch there but Zagrev circles away.

Zagrev is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Caldwell's half guard.
Caldwell is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Caldwell is doing well to control the position and prevent Zagrev from advancing to side control.
Caldwell trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Caldwell wants to get back to full guard.
Caldwell keeps control of the position for the meantime.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
The fighters are battling for position here. Caldwell manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Caldwell is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Zagrev is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Aleksandros Zagrev will probably get the nod.
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.

No luck for Caldwell with that takedown attempt.

Zagrev feints and as Caldwell raises his hands in defense, Zagrev changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Caldwell is trying to control the position but Zagrev postures up.
Caldwell pulls Zagrev in close to prevent any damage.
Caldwell bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Zagrev's guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Caldwell in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Caldwell throwing strikes but missing.
Zagrev is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caldwell lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Caldwell prevents Zagrev from getting back to his feet.
Caldwell is looking to work some ground and pound but Zagrev has wrist control.
Caldwell trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Caldwell is looking to work some ground and pound but Zagrev has wrist control.
Zagrev working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Caldwell.
Zagrev avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Hong Caldwell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Caldwell darts in and clinches Zagrev up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Caldwell throws a head punch that misses.
Caldwell throws a head punch that misses.

Caldwell drags the fight down to the ground.
Caldwell is trying to control the position but Zagrev postures up.
Caldwell bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Zagrev's guard.

Caldwell is working Zagrev over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Caldwell postures up.
Zagrev is looking to stand up but Caldwell isn't so interested in that idea.
Caldwell throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zagrev is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Caldwell throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zagrev works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Caldwell trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Zagrev can do anything to dispel that myth.
Zagrev looking to control.
Caldwell with a flurry of punches that miss.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Caldwell tries to clinch there but Zagrev circles away.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Caldwell!
Caldwell tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Zagrev defends well and Caldwell ends up having to push Zagrev into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Caldwell gets a clinch.
Caldwell tries to pull guard but Zagrev won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hong Caldwell. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Caldwell successfully pulls guard.
Zagrev trying to control but Caldwell is working from the bottom.
Zagrev might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Caldwell haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Caldwell wants to stand and escape but Zagrev is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hong Caldwell dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Zagrev gets caught flat footed, as Caldwell shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Zagrev is wriggling around but Caldwell manages to pass to half guard.

Zagrev looking for submissions off his back.
Caldwell missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Caldwell thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Nice strikes from Caldwell there.
Caldwell working over Zagrev with some ground and pound. Zagrev looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Zagrev takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caldwell seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Zagrev wants to control but Caldwell is keeping busy.
Caldwell working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Caldwell thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Caldwell is working for a kimura but Zagrev is defending it quite comfortably.
Zagrev is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two 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.
Caldwell sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Zagrev defending well though.
Zagrev is looking to improve his position.
Caldwell takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zagrev wants to get back to his feet.
Caldwell working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Caldwell slips a nice elbow through Zagrev's hands, connecting with Zagrev's forehead.
Hong Caldwell overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Caldwell wants to stand but Zagrev has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Caldwell sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Zagrev defending well though.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Zagrev clinches with his opponent.

Caldwell jumps guard.
Caldwell not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Caldwell holds on and takes a little breather.
Zagrev throwing strikes from guard but Caldwell blocks nicely.
Caldwell is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Caldwell not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Caldwell trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Caldwell is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Zagrev can do to turn this around?
Caldwell controls Zagrev momentarily but Zagrev frees himself.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hong Caldwell showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Caldwell 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hong Caldwell!