PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Draganov (ranked 1953 p4p, 3349 weight class) and Sultanbek Akhtankhanov (ranked 257 p4p, 408 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Draganov
vs
Akhtankhanov

178 cm
21
155
2 - 1 - 0

176 cm
21
155
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ivan Draganov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sultanbek Akhtankhanov!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Columbo Gatti and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Draganov uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Akhtankhanov.
Jab by Akhtankhanov.
A left lands for Akhtankhanov.
Akhtankhanov lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Akhtankhanov.
Akhtankhanov throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Akhtankhanov is looking to chop away at Draganov's legs.
Draganov digs a good hook to Akhtankhanov's body.
Akhtankhanov takes a swing at Draganov's ribcage but misses.
Draganov throws a nice outside leg kick.
Draganov lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Sultanbek Akhtankhanov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Akhtankhanov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Draganov takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Draganov throws a lazy head kick
and Akhtankhanov counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Draganov moves in looking to clinch but Akhtankhanov pushes him off.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Draganov. Akhtankhanov shrugs it off though.
A telegraphed right hand from Akhtankhanov misses the target.
Draganov throws a quick counter head kick but Akhtankhanov was just out of range.
A low kick from Draganov is predictable there
and Akhtankhanov cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
The fighters circling - Akhtankhanov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Akhtankhanov connects with an inside leg kick.
Draganov moves out of range of the strikes.
Akhtankhanov lands a body shot.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Akhtankhanov swings away with a leg kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An inside leg kick from Draganov misses.
Draganov tries a head kick but it misses.
Akhtankhanov throws a half hearted mid kick.
Akhtankhanov swings widly with a right hand
and Draganov connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Akhtankhanov with a nice calf kick.
Akhtankhanov misses with a body punch
and Draganov counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Akhtankhanov connects with a nice looking jab.
Draganov works Akhtankhanov's body with a nice hook.
Akhtankhanov lands with a good body shot.
Draganov chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Akhtankhanov can pounce on him.
Draganov lands with a shot to the body.
Draganov checks the leg kick nicely there.
Akhtankhanov tries to close the distance and clinch up but Draganov swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Akhtankhanov gets a clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Draganov misses with a body punch.
Draganov cracks Akhtankhanov with a nice body shot.
Akhtankhanov misses with the head strike.
Akhtankhanov fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Draganov tries to work over Akhtankhanov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Akhtankhanov lands a left hand.
Draganov works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draganov throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A bit of stalling here from Draganov.
I was talking to Draganov's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Good body shot from Akhtankhanov.
Akhtankhanov lands a hook that snaps the head of Draganov backwards.
Draganov misses with some punches.
Draganov lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Akhtankhanov or not.
Akhtankhanov looks winded!
A short right from Draganov on the inside.
Draganov lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Akhtankhanov or not.
Draganov lands a right hand that snaps the head of Akhtankhanov backwards.
Draganov cracks Akhtankhanov with a nice body shot.
Akhtankhanov misses with a hook from the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Draganov.
Akhtankhanov's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Draganov lands with a light punch inside.
Draganov pushes Akhtankhanov back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Draganov misses with a body punch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Akhtankhanov fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Draganov misses with a hook to the ribs.
Akhtankhanov swings wildly with an uppercut but Draganov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Draganov misses with a punch on the inside.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ivan Draganov will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Draganov lands a head kick. Akhtankhanov smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Akhtankhanov misses with a wild body shot.
Draganov connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Sultanbek Akhtankhanov seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Akhtankhanov on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Akhtankhanov misses with a hook.
A clash of legs there as Draganov blocks the low kick.
Draganov swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Akhtankhanov counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Akhtankhanov ducks under a wild hook from Draganov.
Draganov lands a right hook to the body.
Draganov checks the leg kick nicely there.
Draganov with a nice calf kick.
Draganov throws a body punch but Akhtankhanov moves out of range.
Draganov swings for the body but Akhtankhanov moves out of range.
Akhtankhanov wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Draganov scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Good leg kick by Draganov.
Akhtankhanov drops his hands momentarily and Draganov takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Akhtankhanov blocks a leg kick.
Akhtankhanov looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Draganov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Akhtankhanov scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Akhtankhanov lands a leg kick that knocks Draganov off balance momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akhtankhanov blocks a low kick nicely.
Draganov wants to clinch.
Draganov lands a nice leg kick that just misses Akhtankhanov's sensitive parts.

Draganov forces Akhtankhanov back against the cage and clinches.
Nice body punch from Akhtankhanov - that landed with a thud.
Ivan Draganov has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Akhtankhanov misses with a hook from the clinch.
Akhtankhanov digs a right hand underneath Draganov's ribcage. Draganov let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Draganov lands a body shot in the clinch.
Draganov blocks a body shot from Akhtankhanov.
Draganov lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Draganov scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Draganov swings wildly with an uppercut but Akhtankhanov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Draganov struggles to land a body shot inside as Akhtankhanov controls his hands.
Draganov blocks an uppercut.
Akhtankhanov lands a right hand that snaps the head of Draganov backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akhtankhanov blocks an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Akhtankhanov fails to land.
Draganov works on Akhtankhanov's body with a couple of short punches.
Akhtankhanov lands a nice uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Draganov.
Akhtankhanov lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Draganov or not.
Akhtankhanov digs a right hand into Draganov's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Draganov's gas tank.
Draganov fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Akhtankhanov lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Draganov backwards.
A short left from Draganov.
Akhtankhanov misses with a punch to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Akhtankhanov.
Akhtankhanov throws a head punch that misses.
Draganov presses Akhtankhanov against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Draganov scores with a shoulder strike.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Draganov misses with the head strike.
Akhtankhanov working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Akhtankhanov can't find room to land a body shot as Draganov controls the action.
Akhtankhanov blocks an uppercut.
A nice right hand lands inside from Draganov.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Draganov dominated that second round.
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. And we move into the final round!

Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Draganov lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Akhtankhanov has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Akhtankhanov and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Akhtankhanov feints a counter leg kick.
Sultanbek Akhtankhanov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A decent looking cross lands there for Akhtankhanov.
Draganov tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Akhtankhanov counters with a stiff right hand.
Draganov feints and then cracks Akhtankhanov's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Akhtankhanov down.
Draganov checks a leg kick.
Draganov connects with a leg kick.
Draganov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Akhtankhanov manages to avoid it.
Akhtankhanov keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Draganov throws a hook but Akhtankhanov blocks it.
Akhtankhanov now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Akhtankhanov throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Akhtankhanov's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
A jab from Akhtankhanov does it's job there.
Akhtankhanov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Draganov moves away.

Draganov has closed the distance and engaged Akhtankhanov in a clinch.
Draganov misses with a hook to the ribs.
Akhtankhanov works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Akhtankhanov swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Draganov misses with a body punch.
Akhtankhanov swings wildly with an uppercut but Draganov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Akhtankhanov misses with a short punch on the inside.
Draganov misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Draganov working aggressively here.
Akhtankhanov misses with the head strike.
A nice right hand lands inside from Akhtankhanov.
Akhtankhanov pushes Draganov back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Akhtankhanov has a couple of punches blocked by Draganov.
Akhtankhanov fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Akhtankhanov blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Draganov is trying to stall.
Draganov misses with a body punch.
Draganov misses with a hook from the clinch.
Akhtankhanov can't find room to land a body shot as Draganov controls the action.
A short right from Draganov on the inside.
Draganov tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Akhtankhanov's elbow.
Draganov misses with some punches.
Akhtankhanov misses with a hook from the clinch.
Draganov wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Draganov doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Akhtankhanov tries to work over Draganov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Akhtankhanov softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Ivan Draganov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draganov digs a right hand into Akhtankhanov's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Akhtankhanov's gas tank.
Draganov lands a nice uppercut.
Draganov misses with a punch on the inside.
Akhtankhanov misses with a punch on the inside.
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!
Akhtankhanov tries to throw a body punch but Draganov avoids it by throwing Akhtankhanov back against the cage.
Akhtankhanov misses with a punch on the inside.
Akhtankhanov has a couple of punches blocked by Draganov.
Akhtankhanov tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Draganov presses Akhtankhanov against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Draganov misses with a short punch on the inside.
Akhtankhanov blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Draganov.
Akhtankhanov lands a left hand.
Akhtankhanov tries a body shot but Draganov blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Akhtankhanov.
Akhtankhanov tries to throw a body punch but Draganov avoids it by throwing Akhtankhanov back against the cage.
Akhtankhanov lands with a light punch inside.
Draganov trying to control the position but instead, Akhtankhanov has worked for underhooks and has pushed Draganov into the cage.
Draganov stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Sultanbek Akhtankhanov.
I think Draganov 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 28:29
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Sultanbek Akhtankhanov!
Sultanbek Akhtankhanov spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.