PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Srboljub Petrovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Three Cain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Petrovic
vs
Cain

196 cm
20
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

167 cm
23
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Inexperienced

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Very confident

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Srboljub Petrovic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Three Cain!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Cain has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Petrovic uses from the top position.

Cain looking for a guillotine here but Petrovic defends easily.
Petrovic controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Cain controlling the position.
Cain lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cain throwing strikes from guard but Petrovic blocks nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cain drops back, looking for a kneebar! Petrovic looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Petrovic looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Petrovic!

Petrovic trying to control the position but Cain is working away.
Cain really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Petrovic. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cain is looking for a sweep.
Cain is letting Petrovic control him for a moment.
You can see the frustration on Cain's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Cain tries to buck Petrovic off but Petrovic is having none of it.
Petrovic wants to control but Cain is keeping him busy.
Petrovic working away.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Cain can do anything to dispel that myth.
Cain is looking to reverse the position.
Cain is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Petrovic has just dragged him back down to the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two 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.
Petrovic content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Cain is trying to improve his position.
Cain is trying to control Petrovic's posture but Petrovic avoids it.
Petrovic will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Cain tries to buck Petrovic off but Petrovic is having none of it.
Petrovic lands a decent elbow from side control.
Cain is trying to control Petrovic's posture but Petrovic avoids it.
Cain looks winded!
Cain wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cain drives through and clinches with Petrovic against the cage.

Cain lands a takedown into guard.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Petrovic manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

Cain has picked Petrovic up - he's going for a ride! Cain dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

Petrovic kicks off Cain and gets to his feet.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Petrovic misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Cain steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Petrovic.
Good leg kick by Petrovic there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Petrovic pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrovic dives in for a single leg takedown but Cain sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Petrovic closes the distance and clinches up with Cain, looking for a takedown. Petrovic pushes Cain against the cage but Cain circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Cain unleashes a big counter combination but Petrovic bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Srboljub Petrovic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Petrovic fails with a takedown attempt.
Cain takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.

Cain shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Srboljub Petrovic will probably get the nod.
That's time! Petrovic's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Cain takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Cain fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Petrovic to the ground. Cain is now in Petrovic's guard.

Petrovic pushes Cain off and gets back to his feet.

Petrovic tries to keep at a distance but Cain has taken the fight into the clinch.

Cain tightens his grip and picks Petrovic up, before dumping him to the ground. Petrovic manages to land in guard.

Petrovic has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Cain has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Petrovic jumps guard and drags Cain to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Cain distracts Petrovic with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Cain wants to control from the top but Petrovic keeps moving.

Petrovic has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Cain is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Petrovic looking to slow down the pace here.

Petrovic decides to pull guard.

Cain stands and steps away. Petrovic gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Petrovic fakes the leg kick and cracks Cain in the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cain fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Petrovic, pushing him back against the cage.

Cain works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cain wants to control from the top but Petrovic keeps moving.
Petrovic is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Petrovic is pulling down on Cain's head to control his posture.
Petrovic throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Cain throwing strikes but missing.
Cain trying to control but Petrovic is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrovic trying to control the position.
Cain works over Petrovic with some ground and pound from guard.
Cain with a flurry of punches that miss.
Petrovic keeping moving, preventing Cain from controlling successfully.
Cain throwing strikes from guard but Petrovic blocks nicely.
Petrovic is trying to control the position but Cain postures up.
Petrovic will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Petrovic trying to control the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Petrovic gets caught flat footed, as Cain shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Cain prevents Petrovic from getting back to his feet.

Cain is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Petrovic is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Petrovic has escaped and now he's on top!

Cain is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Petrovic is controlling him.

Cain pushes Petrovic off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Cain shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Petrovic's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Srboljub Petrovic 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. This is the final round!

Petrovic looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Cain feints a counter leg kick.
Petrovic tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Cain swivels and escapes.
Cain is looking for the big counter here.
Petrovic connects with a leg kick. Cain looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

Cain drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Cain with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Srboljub Petrovic overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cain showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cain is pushing down on Petrovic's leg trying to pass to half guard. Petrovic is fighting to maintain full guard but Cain has managed to sneak the leg through.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cain lands with a punch from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrovic is looking for a sweep. Cain is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Cain lands with a punch from half guard.
Petrovic has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Cain is working away from the top position though.
Cain looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Petrovic with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Cain is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Cain looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Petrovic avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Cain.
Cain stalling away here and it's allowed Petrovic to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Cain stands up over Petrovic, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Cain throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cain preventing the sweep.
Cain must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Petrovic pulls Cain in close to prevent any damage.
Cain trying to control but Petrovic is working from the bottom.

Cain drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cain jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Cain is in close to Petrovic's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Petrovic has control of Cain's left arm, preventing Cain from doing any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Petrovic shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cain now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Srboljub Petrovic. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Cain looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cain preventing the sweep.
Cain cracks Petrovic with a solid left hand.
Cain postures up.

Cain gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Petrovic closes the distance and clinches up with Cain, looking for a takedown. Petrovic pushes Cain against the cage but Cain circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Cain unleashes a big counter combination but Petrovic bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

Cain decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Petrovic wants to control but Cain is keeping busy.
Three Cain has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Petrovic is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cain is working for a submission of some sort.
Cain wants to pass the guard but Petrovic is defending well.
Petrovic keeps control of the position for the meantime.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cain is keen to just control but Petrovic is a slippery customer.

And that's the end of the fight!
Three Cain comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Petrovic 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Srboljub Petrovic!