PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mike Anderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kaleb Rasheed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Anderson's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Sky is the limit. Rasheed has chosen In the air tonight as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Anderson
vs
Rasheed

182 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
205 lbs
2 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mike Anderson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kaleb Rasheed!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Igor Prikhodko and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rasheed shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rasheed was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Rasheed is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Anderson has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Rasheed trying to control but Anderson is having none of it.
Rasheed throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

Rasheed is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Anderson is surviving well by controlling Rasheed's body position as best he can.

Rasheed moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Anderson has worked his arm free - good work by Anderson!
Anderson tries to improve position but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Anderson gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Anderson regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Anderson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rasheed trying to control the position from guard on top but Anderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Anderson is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rasheed looking to sit in guard and control but Anderson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Rasheed wants to sweep but no luck.
Anderson slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Rasheed escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Anderson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Rasheed looks gassed!
Anderson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two 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.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Anderson passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Rasheed struggling a bit here.
A lull in the action here as Anderson stalls from top position.
Anderson's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rasheed is looking for a sweep.
Rasheed on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

Anderson thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Rasheed regains half guard.
Anderson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rasheed keeps working.
Still in half guard, Anderson seems content to control.

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.
Anderson is keen to just control but Rasheed is a slippery customer.
Rasheed has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Anderson is working away from the top position though.
Rasheed 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.
Rasheed looks like he's trying to stand up.
Anderson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rasheed's head.

Rasheed looking for submissions off his back.
Anderson is controlling the pace.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Anderson scores a takedown into full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Anderson dominated that 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.

Rasheed is looking to clinch.
Rasheed fails with the takedown

and Anderson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Rasheed is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Anderson not doing much here.
Anderson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rasheed defending well though.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rasheed is refusing to be controlled, as Anderson sits in half guard.

Rasheed looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rasheed is refusing to be controlled, as Anderson sits in half guard.
Well, if Anderson is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Anderson is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Rasheed has managed to free his arm - good work.

Rasheed looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Anderson shoots in for a double leg but Rasheed sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Rasheed feints and as Anderson raises his hands in defense, Rasheed changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anderson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rasheed's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Anderson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rasheed is one step ahead there.
Anderson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Rasheed is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Rasheed drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Anderson manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Rasheed has Anderson in his guard.
Anderson controlling from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anderson seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Rasheed for as long as he can get away with.
Anderson looking to pass the guard.
Anderson postures up.
Rasheed manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Rasheed is going olschool here, as he tries to force Anderson to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Anderson shrugs it off.

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.

Rasheed working for a guillotine from mount but Anderson is in no mood to give up.
Rasheed avoids the attempt from Anderson to control.

Rasheed goes for an armbar but Anderson turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Anderson.

Rasheed escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Anderson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Anderson advances to half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Anderson dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Rasheed decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Rasheed is thwarting Anderson's attempts to control the position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rasheed missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rasheed wants to control but Anderson is keeping him busy.
Anderson is trying is best to control the position here.
Rasheed wants to control but Anderson is keeping him busy.
Anderson moves into full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Anderson wants to control the position but Rasheed says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.

Rasheed 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.
Anderson wants to improve his position but Rasheed is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anderson controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Anderson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rasheed wants to lay and pray for a moment but Anderson keeps working.
Anderson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Anderson is looking to control Rasheed's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Anderson avoid being mounted?

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rasheed looks to clinch

and Anderson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rasheed's guard now.
Rasheed keeping moving, preventing Anderson from controlling successfully.
Anderson tries to free his leg and advance position but Rasheed is retaining full guard.
Mike Anderson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Rasheed is looking for a triangle but Anderson pushes his legs off easily.

Rasheed working for a triangle but Anderson defends it easily.
Anderson trying to control but Rasheed is working from the bottom.

Rasheed has his foot on Anderson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Anderson works his way back into a safe position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anderson tries to free his leg and advance position but Rasheed is retaining full guard.
Rasheed trying to keep a closed guard but Anderson is proving a slippery customer.
Anderson slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Rasheed is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Anderson's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Anderson keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Anderson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rasheed keeps working.

Rasheed is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Anderson pulls his head out easily.

Rasheed looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Mike Anderson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rasheed is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Anderson sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Rasheed is trying to get back to full guard.
Kaleb Rasheed has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Rasheed looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mike Anderson.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Anderson, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Anderson!