PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Yuri Boyka (ranked 24023 p4p, 5067 weight class) and Jacob Pokorney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pokorney has chosen Never Gonna Give You Up as his entrance music. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Boyka
vs
Pokorney

178 cm
26
167
5 - 12 - 0

195 cm
20
175
7 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 12 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Yuri Boyka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jacob Pokorney!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Igor Prikhodko and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Boyka decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Pokorney is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Boyka jumps into side control!
We've been hearing that Boyka has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Pokorney is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Boyka off and has taken his back!
Pokorney somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Pokorney has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Pokorney patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Boyka rolls, trying to escape but Pokorney keeps control of the position.
Boyka might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Pokorney cracks Boyka with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Boyka from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.

Pokorney looking for the choke from the back.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pokorney has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Boyka's body.
Boyka trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pokorney has good solid back control here.

Pokorney has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Boyka has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Pokorney is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Boyka is defending well though. Pokorney let's go of the attempt for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pokorney lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Pokorney connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Boyka to escape the position.
Pokorney has good solid back control here.

Pokorney is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Boyka has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pokorney keeps control of the position as Boyka tries to break free.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Pokorney is punishing Boyka with strikes - can he finish him?!
Boyka tries to escape but Pokorney has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pokorney is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Boyka trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

Pokorney looking for the choke but no joy.
Boyka tries to escape but Pokorney has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boyka is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Pokorney.
Boyka has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Pokorney.
Pokorney is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Boyka wants to control his opponent's hands but Pokorney gets his hands free.
Pokorney slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jacob Pokorney dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Pokorney lands with a right hand.

Boyka closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Pokorney preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

Pokorney looking for submissions off his back.
Pokorney manages to get to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pokorney has control of Boyka's left arm, preventing Boyka from doing any damage.
Jacob Pokorney has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Boyka drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Pokorney dives on top into guard.

Pokorney wants to stand but Boyka is controlling his posture from full guard.
Pokorney controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Boyka wants to stand and escape but Pokorney is having none of it.

That's two 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.
Pokorney looking to pass the guard.
Boyka wants to control the position but Pokorney says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Pokorney prevents Boyka from standing back up.
Pokorney trying to control from half guard but Boyka is working away.
Pokorney with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Pokorney uses his free foot to push down on Boyka's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Boyka.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boyka tries to hold on but Pokorney pushes him away.
Pokorney won't let Boyka get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Pokorney is landing with some decent strikes but Boyka is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Pokorney is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Pokorney content just to control the position here.
Boyka is wriggling around trying to escape.
Pokorney tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Boyka tries to control the position but Pokorney now has his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boyka is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Pokorney just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.

Pokorney looking for the choke from the back.
Boyka tries to roll but Pokorney sticks to his back.

Pokorney is looking for the choke from the back position but Boyka is controlling his hands well.
Boyka manages to reverse the position and now he's in Pokorney's guard. Nice work there by Boyka.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pokorney keeping moving, preventing Boyka from controlling successfully.
Pokorney controlling the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jacob Pokorney showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Pokorney shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Boyka defends it nicely.
Pokorney tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Boyka swivels and escapes.
Boyka gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Pokorney counters with a shoot takedown. Boyka fights it but they end up in guard.
Pokorney would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Pokorney trying to control but Boyka is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Boyka wants to get back to his feet but Pokorney is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Pokorney trying to control the position from guard on top but Boyka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boyka is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Pokorney is controlling him.

Pokorney stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Pokorney dives in and grabs Boyka's left leg, looking for a takedown. Boyka pushes down on Pokorney's head and hops out.
Yuri Boyka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jacob Pokorney.
Pokorney fails with a takedown attempt.
Boyka throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Pokorney looking to score a takedown here. Boyka is defending well but Pokorney drives through and ends up in Boyka's guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Pokorney working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pokorney throws a big right hand that misses.

Pokorney drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Pokorney jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Pokorney takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Pokorney drops back looking for a leg! Boyka is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Boyka manages to kick Pokorney off! Pokorney jumps back into Boyka's guard.
Pokorney has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Boyka is looking to stand up but Pokorney isn't so interested in that idea.

Boyka working for a triangle but Pokorney defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pokorney engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Boyka keeping full guard, as Pokorney tries to pass.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Boyka tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Boyka shoots in for a double leg but Pokorney sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Pokorney wants to counter the offense by Boyka and move into the clinch position.

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

Pokorney closes the distance and clinches.
Boyka goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Pokorney breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Boyka throws a combination that misses

and Pokorney holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Boyka misses with a punch on the inside.
Pokorney is leaning against Boyka and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

Pokorney decides to pull guard.
Pokorney has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Yuri Boyka has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jacob Pokorney is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Let's hope that Pokorney has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jacob Pokorney comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Pokorney winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jacob Pokorney!
After the fight, Jacob Pokorney was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.