PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Reynaldo Erickson (ranked 7157 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mirko Filipovic (ranked 5532 p4p, 0 weight class). Reynaldo Erickson has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Erickson
vs
Filipovic

214 cm
24
279 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

188 cm
20
234 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Reynaldo Erickson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mirko Filipovic!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Valeri Chadov and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Filipovic tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Erickson defends well and Filipovic ends up having to push Erickson into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Erickson is looking to counter the offense by Filipovic and move into the clinch.
Erickson shoots in looking for a takedown but Filipovic manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Erickson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Filipovic throws a head kick that misses.

Erickson has managed to clinch.
Erickson displaying some good clinch control by pressing Filipovic up against the cage.
Filipovic looking to throw knees to the head but Erickson is blocking nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Erickson jumps guard but Filipovic stands there with Erickson around his waist. Erickson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Filipovic wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Filipovic has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Filipovic is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Erickson to keep the fight standing.

Filipovic manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Erickson won't allow Filipovic to sweep him here.
Filipovic is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Filipovic manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Erickson throws a series of punches but Filipovic moves out of range.

Oooooh!!! Filipovic has knocked Erickson down with a huge combo! Filipovic steps away and waves a wobbly Erickson back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

Erickson is rocked!

It looks like Reynaldo Erickson has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Horrible takedown attempt by Filipovic or perhaps it was just good defense by Erickson, which made it look bad.
Oh Erickson is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Reynaldo Erickson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mirko Filipovic.
Filipovic shoots in but Erickson avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Filipovic pushes Erickson up against the cage in a clinch.
Filipovic is trying to force a seperation but Erickson has the dominant position.
Erickson seems to have got his legs back now.

Erickson gets control of Filipovic's arms and successfully pulls guard. Erickson will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Erickson looking to control.
Erickson manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Filipovic manages to get himself to full guard.

Filipovic wants to stand and escape but Erickson is having none of it.
Erickson wants to stand but Filipovic is controlling his posture from full guard.
Erickson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Filipovic is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Erickson is controlling him.

Filipovic has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Erickson is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Erickson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Filipovic keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Filipovic misses with a series of wild punches.
Filipovic should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Filipovic gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Filipovic is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Filipovic with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Erickson manages to pull guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Filipovic throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Erickson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Erickson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Filipovic trying to control but Erickson is working from the bottom.
Erickson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Filipovic is controlling him.
Filipovic in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Erickson wants to sweep but no luck.
Erickson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Filipovic controls the pace.
Filipovic in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Erickson looking to control.
Filipovic wanted to stand there but Erickson had control of the position.
Filipovic pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Erickson is keeping the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mirko Filipovic dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Reynaldo Erickson's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Filipovic misses with a head kick.
Filipovic fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Erickson appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Filipovic moves into range and clinches up with Erickson.

Erickson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Erickson rushes Filipovic and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Filipovic has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Erickson is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Filipovic is defending well.
Filipovic wants to break free but Erickson has control.
Filipovic wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Erickson has him pressed against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Filipovic's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A short right hand to the side of the head by Erickson.
Erickson lands on the inside with an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Erickson is working for takedown but Filipovic is calmly controlling the position for now.
Filipovic wants to get back to striking at distance but Erickson won't allow it.
Erickson wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Reynaldo Erickson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A short left from Filipovic.
Erickson content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Erickson looking for a takedown.
Filipovic fails to pull guard.
Erickson can't get the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Filipovic is looking to break free of the clinch but Erickson has double underhooks.
Filipovic tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Mirko Filipovic seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Erickson working aggressively here.
Erickson fails to pull guard.
Filipovic has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Erickson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Erickson fails to pull guard.

Erickson breaks from the clinch.
Filipovic shoots in but no luck this time.
Erickson attempts a counter takedown but Filipovic avoids it well and moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Filipovic.
Filipovic throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Nice sprawl there from Erickson as Filipovic shoots in.
Filipovic closes the distance and clinches up with Erickson, looking for a takedown. Filipovic pushes Erickson against the cage but Erickson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Filipovic is breathing heavily.

Filipovic moves into the clinch.
Erickson has Filipovic pressed against the cage, preventing Filipovic from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Filipovic misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Erickson lands a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Erickson stalling.
Filipovic tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Erickson just stands there and leans against the cage.
Erickson has a couple of punches blocked by Filipovic.
Erickson landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Erickson lands a left hand that snaps the head of Filipovic backwards.
Filipovic gets through Erickson's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Erickson jumps guard but Filipovic stands there with Erickson around his waist. Erickson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Filipovic wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reynaldo Erickson dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Reynaldo Erickson's cut.
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!

Erickson is looking to clinch but Filipovic is avoiding it.

Filipovic forces Erickson back against the cage and clinches.
Stalling in the clinch from Filipovic.
Erickson is trying to drag Filipovic to the mat but Filipovic just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Filipovic. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Filipovic with an attempt at a knee that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee calls for Erickson to work.
Erickson misses with some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Erickson is pressed up against the cage. Filipovic has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Erickson down to the mat. Erickson avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Erickson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Erickson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Erickson wants it to stay on the feet.
Filipovic shoots in looking for a takedown. Erickson tries to sprawl out of it but Filipovic keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Erickson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Reynaldo Erickson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mirko Filipovic.
Filipovic misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Erickson has a takedown stuffed.
Filipovic leaves Erickson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Erickson moves into range and clinches up with Filipovic.
Erickson lands a shoulder strike.

Erickson is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Filipovic can't fight it off and eventually Erickson manages to take the fight to the floor. Filipovic looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Filipovic lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Erickson is adopting a defensive guard.
Filipovic trying to control but Erickson is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Erickson trying to keep a closed guard but Filipovic is proving a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Filipovic working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Filipovic wants to control from the top but Erickson keeps moving.
Erickson pulls Filipovic in close to his closed guard and prevents Filipovic from doing any damage or advancing position.
Filipovic trying to control but Erickson is working from the bottom.
Erickson has Filipovic pulled in close to control his posture.
Erickson wants to control but Filipovic passes easily into half guard.
Filipovic thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Erickson's head.
Erickson tries to get to full guard but Filipovic has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Filipovic is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Erickson moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Filipovic wants to control from the top but Erickson keeps moving.
Erickson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Filipovic trying to control but Erickson is working from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Erickson is trying to keep Filipovic in close.
Filipovic trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Erickson wants to get back to his feet but Filipovic passes into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mirko Filipovic comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Filipovic has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mirko Filipovic!