PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Ivanov (ranked 5860 p4p, 4235 weight class) and Jean Labosky (ranked 434 p4p, 384 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Ivanov
vs
Labosky

170 cm
29
155
10 - 15 - 0

182 cm
47
155
29 - 52 - 1

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Powerful

Vegan Gains

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 10 - 15 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Ivanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 52 - 1, fighting out of New York, Jean Labosky!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Wagner Zegers and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Labosky clinches.

Labosky gets control of Ivanov's arms and successfully pulls guard. Labosky will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Labosky trying to keep a closed guard but Ivanov is proving a slippery customer.
Ivanov trying to control but Labosky is working from the bottom.
Labosky wants to sweep but no luck.
Labosky trying to control the position.
Ivanov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Labosky swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ivanov controls from within his opponent's guard.
Ivanov scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Labosky looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ivanov is one step ahead there.
Labosky avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Ivanov scoring with punches to the head and body.
Ivanov lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Labosky is trying to control the position but Ivanov postures up.
Ivanov stays in close to Labosky's body and controls the position.
Ivanov stands and throws Labosky's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Ivanov working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov cracks Labosky with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Ivanov is chipping away with strikes.
Labosky is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Labosky prevents Ivanov from moving into mount.
Ivanov works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Ivanov wants to control but Labosky is keeping him busy.
Labosky is looking for a sweep.
Ivanov in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Labosky is trying to get back to half guard.
Labosky is letting Ivanov control him for a moment.
Ivanov has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Labosky is looking to reverse the position.
Ivanov scoring with punches from side control.
Ivanov is working Labosky over with some ground and pound from side control.
Ivanov cracks Labosky with a big right hand but Labosky just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Ivanov working the head and body with strikes.

Labosky is rocked!
Ivanov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Labosky keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov tries to advance to mount but can't.
Ivanov trying to control the action but Labosky is working from the bottom.
Ivanov scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Labosky to see if he's OK.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Labosky on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Labosky is still in real trouble! Can Ivanov finish him?
Labosky taking a bit of punishment here - Ivanov scoring with strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Ivanov dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ivanov rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Labosky moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ivanov fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Labosky avoids it really well and circles away.
Labosky throws a counter combo.
Ivanov closes the distance and clinches up with Labosky, looking for a takedown. Ivanov pushes Labosky against the cage but Labosky circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Labosky seems to have recovered his senses.
Labosky misses with a head kick.
Ivanov half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Ivanov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Labosky can do to turn this around?

Labosky closes the distance and clinches.

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

Ivanov has closed the distance and engaged Labosky in a clinch.
Labosky trying to stall but Ivanov improves his position.
Labosky struggles to land a body shot inside as Ivanov controls his hands.
Ivanov is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Labosky pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ivan Ivanov. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Labosky breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ivanov instigates a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Labosky gets a trip takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ivanov is positioning himself well to prevent Labosky advancing to mount.
Ivanov throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Labosky is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Ivanov looks like he's trying to stand up.

Labosky stands up and beckons Ivanov to join him on the feet.

Ivanov has Labosky up against the cage in a clinch.
Ivanov lands an uppercut.

Labosky breaks from the clinch.
Ivanov shoots in looking for a takedown. Labosky tries to sprawl out of it but Ivanov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Labosky manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Labosky misses with a hook. Ivanov ducked under it nicely.
As Labosky tries to get set, Ivanov tries to push him back and clinch up but Labosky manages to avoid the attempt.
Ivanov has been working on his balance at St Petersburg MMA Gym, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Labosky.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ivanov closes the distance and clinches.

Labosky breaks the clinch.
Labosky comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

Ivanov clinches.
Ivanov jumps guard but Labosky stands there with Ivanov around his waist. Ivanov gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Labosky tries to break the clinch but Ivanov is controlling the position.
Ivanov jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Labosky walks away with a smile on his face. Ivanov gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Ivanov darts in and clinches Labosky up against the cage.
Labosky prevents Ivanov from breaking the clinch.
Labosky using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ivanov has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Labosky lands with a left to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Labosky wants to get back to striking at distance but Ivanov won't allow it.
Labosky working hard to break the clinch.
Ivanov wants a takedown but no success here.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ivanov has Labosky up against the cage in a clinch.
Ivanov tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Labosky just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ivanov taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Ivanov is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Labosky pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Ivanov gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Ivanov landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Ivanov trying to control from half guard but Labosky is working away.
Ivanov looks to land a strike but Labosky avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Ivanov being controlled here momentarily.
Ivanov scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov chips away with some ground and pound.
Ivanov trying to control the position from guard on top but Labosky is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ivanov throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Labosky works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ivanov trying to control but Labosky is working from the bottom.
Labosky is trying to keep Ivanov in close.
Ivan Ivanov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Ivanov stands up from Labosky's guard - Ivanov perhaps looking for a knockout.
Labosky works the jab nicely.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jean Labosky will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Ivanov closes the distance and pushes Labosky back into the cage.
Labosky dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Ivanov works on Labosky's body with a couple of short punches.
Labosky lands with a right to the head.

Ivanov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ivanov instigates a clinch.
Labosky is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Labosky's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ivan Ivanov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Labosky swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Ivanov.
Labosky is looking to slow Ivanov down with leg kicks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ivanov fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Labosky avoids it really well and circles away.
Ivanov shoots in for a takedown but Labosky shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ivan Ivanov. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Labosky tries to keep at a distance but Ivanov has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Labosky breaks from the clinch.

Labosky closes the distance and clinches.

Labosky is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Ivanov can't fight it off and eventually Labosky manages to take the fight to the floor. Ivanov looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Ivanov keeping moving, preventing Labosky from controlling successfully.
Ivanov is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Labosky must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Labosky wants to stand and escape but instead Ivanov has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Ivanov throws a big elbow that misses.
Ivanov might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Labosky 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.
Ivanov looking to pass the guard.
Labosky manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ivanov manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov pulls Labosky in close to his closed guard and prevents Labosky from doing any damage or advancing position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Labosky wants to pass the guard but Ivanov is keeping the position.
Ivanov wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Ivanov has his hands on Labosky's head, controlling the position.
Ivanov is trying to control the position but Labosky postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Labosky gets tackled into the cage by Ivanov. Ivanov maintains the clinch.
Ivanov wants to get back to striking at distance but Labosky won't allow it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Labosky misses with a punch to the body.
Ivanov has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Labosky avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Labosky displaying some good clinch control by pressing Ivanov up against the cage.

Labosky breaks the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jean Labosky comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Labosky 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 29:29
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Jean Labosky!