PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mohamed Khanidov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and William Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lee has chosen Welcome to the Jungle by Guns and Roses as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Khanidov
vs
Lee

183 cm
27
199 lbs
7 - 18 - 0

190 cm
28
197 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 18 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mohamed Khanidov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, William Lee!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Khanidov shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Khanidov showed some decent athleticism there.
Lee is looking for a sweep. Khanidov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Lee trying to hold on to Khanidov's head to control him but Khanidov postures up.

Khanidov is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Lee defends it well.
Lee works his way to full guard. Good work.
Khanidov with a flurry of punches that miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lee utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Khanidov makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Khanidov trying to control the position from guard on top but Lee is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lee looking for a sweep. Not yet Lee, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lee escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Khanidov gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Lee has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Khanidov is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Lee.
Khanidov wants to control but Lee is keeping him busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lee sneaks back into half guard.
Lee is not content to let Khanidov control the position.
Lee wants to control but Khanidov is keeping busy.

Lee looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khanidov tries to stand but can't do so whilst Lee controls his leg.
Lee trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Lee is working to get back to half guard.
Lee tries to hold on but Khanidov postures up.
Lee working to try and regain half guard.
Lee keeps trying to improve his position.
Khanidov can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Lee is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khanidov breaks from Lee's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Khanidov raining down hammerfists from mount.
Khanidov trying to control but Lee is having none of it.
Khanidov is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Lee is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Lee is wriggling around trying to escape.
Khanidov misses with a head shot.

Khanidov wants to finish this one by submission but Lee is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Khanidov.
Khanidov knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Lee on the ground.
Lee manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khanidov prevents Lee from improving his position.
Lee wants to control but Khanidov is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Lee looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Lee is trying to get back to full guard.
Lee looks winded!

Lee is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Khanidov pulls his head out easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Khanidov is looking to take a break and control but Lee is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lee trying to hold on to Khanidov's head to control him but Khanidov postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Lee misses with a series of wild punches.
Lee lands a body shot.

Lee forces Khanidov back against the cage and clinches.

Khanidov has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Lee regains guard immediately.
Khanidov with a nice head shot there.
Khanidov wants to control from the top but Lee keeps moving.
Khanidov looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Mohamed Khanidov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lee is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lee escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Khanidov gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Lee is breathing heavily.
Khanidov trying to control the position from guard on top but Lee is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Khanidov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lee is keeping the position for now.
Lee is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Khanidov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lee can do to turn this around?

Lee is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Lee is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Khanidov defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Khanidov wants to control from the top but Lee keeps moving.

Lee has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Khanidov can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Lee is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Lee tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Khanidov throws a big elbow that misses.

Lee working for a triangle but Khanidov defends it easily.

Lee throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khanidov wants to control from the top but Lee keeps moving.

Khanidov avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Khanidov's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Lee working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Khanidov doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Khanidov manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Lee escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Khanidov gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Lee can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Khanidov controls the pace.

Khanidov got a little sloppy there for a moment and Lee has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Khanidov has managed to get both his arms back between Lee's legs - danger averted.
Khanidov slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Lee has his foot on Khanidov's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Khanidov works his way back into a safe position though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Khanidov wants to control from the top but Lee keeps moving.

Lee is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

William Lee 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!

Khanidov clinches up with Lee and pushes him back against the cage.
Lee blocks the elbow strike.

Khanidov gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Khanidov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Khanidov wants to pass the guard but Lee is defending well.
Khanidov is trying to control. Lee wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The fighters are battling for position here. Lee manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lee has control of Khanidov's left arm, preventing Khanidov from doing any damage.
Khanidov stopping the sweep attempt from Lee.
Lee can't keep his opponent in guard - Khanidov advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lee takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Lee trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khanidov pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Khanidov trying to control but Lee is having none of it.
Khanidov landing shots from mount.
Lee slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Khanidov looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Khanidov lands strikes from half guard.
Lee is looking to improve his position.

Khanidov gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Khanidov closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Lee wants to control but Khanidov is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Khanidov wants to take a breather but Lee is having none of it.

Lee looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Lee tries to roll over but Khanidov keeps him under control.

Khanidov 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.
Khanidov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Khanidov is looking for a kimura but Lee is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Khanidov to get the leverage.
Lee wants to control but Khanidov is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Khanidov lands a nice short elbow.

Lee actively working from the bottom here.
Khanidov wants to take a breather but Lee is having none of it.
Lee is looking for a sweep. Khanidov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Khanidov is trying to control. Lee wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Lee looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Khanidov stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Lee to get to his feet.
Lee is looking to clinch but Khanidov is avoiding it.
Lee scores with a jab to the jaw.
William Lee seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lee stalks Khanidov and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Khanidov's face. Khanidov staggers backwards, shaken.

Khanidov forces Lee back against the cage and clinches.
Khanidov stalls.
Khanidov blocks a punch to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mohamed Khanidov showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Khanidov 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mohamed Khanidov!
In defeat, William Lee stepped up to the mic, saying 'I'll be back stronger than ever.'.