PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Zlatan Arshavin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Lawson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Arshavin
vs
Lawson

170 cm
26
135 lbs
5 - 3 - 1

175 cm
18
130 lbs
6 - 3 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid 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 5 - 3 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zlatan Arshavin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Thomas Lawson!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Viktor Lagutenko and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lawson instigates a clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Arshavin.

Lawson manages to break the clinch.

Lawson moves into the clinch successfully.

Arshavin breaks from the clinch.
Lawson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Arshavin appears to be looking for a big counter.

Lawson tries to keep at a distance but Arshavin has taken the fight into the clinch.
Arshavin's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Lawson has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Arshavin uses from the top position.
Arshavin showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Arshavin wanted to stand there but Lawson had control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arshavin is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Arshavin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Arshavin trying to control the position from guard on top but Lawson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Lawson looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Arshavin puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Lawson tries to roll over but Arshavin keeps him under control.
Arshavin controlling the pace.
Lawson is holding on to half guard well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lawson throws a right hand that Arshavin ducks under and follows up with a left that Arshavin also avoids with ease.

Lawson tries to keep at a distance but Arshavin has taken the fight into the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Arshavin's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Arshavin breaks the clinch.

Arshavin scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Lawson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Arshavin decides to stand up, so the ref orders Lawson to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawson misses with a double jab

and Arshavin counters by clinching up.
Arshavin lands a left hand.
Lawson tries to pull guard but Arshavin forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Arshavin jumps guard and drags Lawson to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Lawson trying to control the position from guard on top but Arshavin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lawson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Lawson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Arshavin. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Arshavin is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Arshavin has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Lawson looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arshavin manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Lawson manages to get himself to full guard.

Arshavin drops back looking for a leg! Lawson is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Lawson manages to kick Arshavin off! Arshavin jumps back into Lawson's guard.
Lawson wants to sweep but no luck.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zlatan Arshavin dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Arshavin rushes Lawson and presses him up against the cage.

Arshavin manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Arshavin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Arshavin manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Lawson is trying to maintain a safe position but Arshavin gets an underhook and turns Lawson into the cage.

Arshavin pulls Lawson into guard.
Arshavin is looking to stand up but Lawson isn't so interested in that idea.
Lawson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lawson stopping the sweep attempt from Arshavin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawson trying to control the position from guard on top but Arshavin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Arshavin has a closed guard, preventing Lawson from standing up.
Arshavin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Arshavin looking for a sweep. Not yet Arshavin, not yet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
A head kick misses from Lawson.
Arshavin shoots for a double leg takedown but Lawson sprawls well. He's pushed Arshavin's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Arshavin stuffs the takedown.
Lawson throws a head kick but Arshavin moves out of range.
Arshavin throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Lawson's waist but Lawson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Arshavin off to one side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arshavin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lawson paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Lawson gets tackled into the cage by Arshavin. Arshavin maintains the clinch.

Arshavin pulls guard.
Arshavin is looking to stand up but Lawson isn't so interested in that idea.
Lawson trying to control but Arshavin is working from the bottom.
Arshavin is trying to keep Lawson in close.
Lawson is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Lawson throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawson trying to control the position from guard on top but Arshavin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Arshavin is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Lawson moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Arshavin seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lawson can't keep his opponent in guard - Arshavin advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Arshavin decides to stand up.

Lawson looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Arshavin!
Arshavin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lawson can do to turn this around?
Arshavin is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lawson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zlatan Arshavin 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!

Lawson shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Arshavin sprawls well. Arshavin wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Lawson gets slowly back to his feet.
Lawson tries to clinch up.
Arshavin avoids the body shot from Lawson.

Arshavin has Lawson up against the cage in a clinch.
Lawson prevents a takedown attempt there.
Lawson stalling in the clinch but Arshavin improves position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lawson being controlled against the cage.
Arshavin fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arshavin stalling.

Arshavin pulls guard successfully.
Lawson distracts Arshavin with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Arshavin throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Lawson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Arshavin is keeping the position for now.
Lawson is still trying to improve position.
Arshavin looking for a sweep. Not yet Arshavin, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arshavin is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Arshavin is looking to take a break and control but Lawson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Arshavin is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Lawson is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Lawson trying to control but Arshavin postures up.
Lawson tries to get to full guard but Arshavin has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arshavin performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Lawson is trying to get back to full guard.

Arshavin is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Arshavin prevents Lawson from standing back up.
Arshavin perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's four 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.

Arshavin is trying to work for a kimura but Lawson is defending well.
Lawson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Arshavin is trying to control the action in half guard but Lawson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Lawson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Arshavin is looking to advance position but Lawson won't allow it.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Thomas Lawson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Zlatan Arshavin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Arshavin looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Lawson wants to get back to his feet but Arshavin passes into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thomas Lawson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Arshavin has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zlatan Arshavin!