PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Papa Legba (ranked 936 p4p, 130 weight class) and Sergey Shipilov (ranked 1201 p4p, 157 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Legba
vs
Shipilov

178 cm
21
185 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

195 cm
21
195 lbs
5 - 1 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Groove Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Papa Legba!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Sergey Shipilov!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Robert Twigg and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shipilov circles away from the clinch attempt
and Shipilov counters with a one-two to the body.

Legba has managed to clinch.

Shipilov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Shipilov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Legba was well out of range. Poor timing from Shipilov.

Legba moves into the clinch successfully.
Shipilov struggles to land a body shot inside as Legba controls his hands.
Shipilov misses with a body punch.
Legba tries for a takedown. No joy.
Legba has been working on his balance at Blake Phoenix's Champion Factory, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Shipilov.
Shipilov tries to stall but Legba uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Legba is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Shipilov can't fight it off and eventually Legba manages to take the fight to the floor. Shipilov looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Legba controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shipilov keeping moving, preventing Legba from controlling successfully.

Shipilov is looking for a triangle but Legba pushes his legs off easily.

Legba 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.
Legba is stalling in the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Legba avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Legba wants to control from the top but Shipilov keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Shipilov looking for a guillotine here but Legba defends easily.
Legba stays in close to Shipilov's body and controls the position.
Shipilov keeping moving, preventing Legba from controlling successfully.

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

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

Shipilov has an active guard here but Legba has managed to pass into half guard.

Legba is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Legba is actively looking for submissions here but good counter grappling here from Shipilov as he works his way to full guard.
Legba trying to control but Shipilov is working from the bottom.

Shipilov looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Legba passes into side control.
Shipilov felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Legba trying to control the action but Shipilov is working from the bottom.
Shipilov wants to control but Legba postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Shipilov is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Legba is pressing down on Shipilov's thigh, looking to free his foot. Shipilov is holding on for now.
Legba wants to take a breather but Shipilov is having none of it.

Legba is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Shipilov is just riding it out for now. Legba eventually gives up the hold.
Legba with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Shipilov has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Legba is working away from the top position though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Shipilov looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Legba wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shipilov keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Papa Legba dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Legba moves away from the strike by Shipilov.

Legba rushes Shipilov and presses him up against the cage.
Shipilov misses with a short punch on the inside.
Shipilov can't find room to land a body shot as Legba controls the action.

Legba gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Shipilov regains guard.
Legba trying to control the position from guard on top but Shipilov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shipilov looking to control.

Shipilov looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Legba controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Shipilov looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Legba passes into half guard.
Shipilov is refusing to be controlled, as Legba sits in half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Legba moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Shipilov.
Shipilov is looking to regain half guard here but Legba keeps moving and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Shipilov's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Legba is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Shipilov knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Legba is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

Legba looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Legba working away.

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.

Legba tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Legba has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Legba is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Shipilov can do to turn this around?
Shipilov is looking for a sweep.
Shipilov is still trying to improve position.
Papa Legba overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Legba working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Legba working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Shipilov tries to buck Legba off but Legba is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Legba wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Shipilov, who protects the arm well.
Shipilov regains half guard.

Legba 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.

Legba is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Shipilov has managed to free his arm - good work.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Legba in particular looking to stall.

Shipilov actively working from the bottom here.

That's four 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.

Shipilov looking for submissions off his back.

Shipilov is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Legba pulls his head out easily.
Legba wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shipilov keeps working.
Shipilov is in trouble now - Legba has advanced to mount!
Legba controlling from mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Shipilov can't escape the position.
Legba controlling from mount.
Legba wants to control the pace but Shipilov is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Papa Legba dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Legba shoots and misses
and Shipilov counters with a left and a right that stings Legba.

Legba closes the distance and clinches.
Legba looking for a takedown.
Shipilov misses with a body punch.
Legba has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Shipilov after a bit of a struggle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Papa Legba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Shipilov.
Shipilov lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

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

Shipilov has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Legba can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Legba might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Shipilov throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Legba sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Shipilov's guard.

Legba seems to be working for a kimura but Shipilov defends the submission attempt.

Legba wants to work for an arm triangle but Shipilov is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Legba is looking to take a break and control but Shipilov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Legba is really struggling to control Shipilov but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Shipilov actively working from the bottom here.
Shipilov trying to control from the bottom.

Legba is looking for a kimura but Shipilov is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Legba to get the leverage.
Legba stalling.

Legba maintaining the dominant position here and is working for a kimura. He's locked it up! Shipilov could be in real trouble here! He's trying to wriggle out but Legba has cracked it and Shipilov is screaming in pain - he's tapped out! Great finish by Legba!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Papa Legba!
Papa Legba retains his middleweight title!
Papa Legba decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.