PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Viktor Mikidropov (ranked 3680 p4p, 25312 weight class) and Johannes Balrog (ranked 399 p4p, 532 weight class). Mikidropov's entrance music is Danger. A fine choice. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Mikidropov
vs
Balrog

187 cm
19
185
1 - 1 - 0

183 cm
19
190
1 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Sakura Style
BANZAI COMBAT NUTRITION

BANZAI COMBAT NUTRITION

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Viktor Mikidropov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Johannes Balrog!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Balrog gets caught napping as Mikidropov dives in and scores a takedown. Balrog manages to retain guard.
Balrog throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Balrog is looking for a triangle here but Mikidropov uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Mikidropov controlling the position.
Balrog manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Mikidropov wants to take a breather but Balrog is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balrog gets full guard.
Balrog will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Balrog keeping moving, preventing Mikidropov from controlling successfully.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mikidropov won't allow Balrog to sweep him here.

Balrog throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Mikidropov escapes and throws Balrog's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Balrog tries to bench press Mikidropov off him but Mikidropov keeps the position.
Mikidropov controlling the position.
Balrog is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Mikidropov's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Balrog keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Mikidropov is looking to take a break and control but Balrog is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Balrog is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Mikidropov's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Mikidropov's back!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Balrog looking for the choke from the back.
Mikidropov is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Balrog is punishing Mikidropov with some ground and pound.
Mikidropov is trapped and Balrog is scoring with shots to the head and body.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Balrog has the hooks in. Mikidropov is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Balrog wants to control but Mikidropov is keeping busy.
You can see the frustration on Mikidropov's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

Mikidropov is in a bad position with Balrog working for a choke. Mikidropov manages to spin nicely into guard and the danger is over for the moment.
Mikidropov has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mikidropov trying to control the position from guard on top but Balrog is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Balrog not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Balrog looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mikidropov is pushing down on Balrog's leg trying to pass to half guard. Balrog is fighting to maintain full guard but Mikidropov has managed to sneak the leg through.
Balrog wants to improve his position but Mikidropov is controlling well.

Mikidropov is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Balrog doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Mikidropov.
Balrog trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Mikidropov manages to pass to mount!
Mikidropov content just to control the position here.
Mikidropov wants to control the pace but Balrog is squirming around nicely.
Balrog really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mikidropov looking to ground and pound but Balrog is blocking nicely.
Balrog tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Balrog tries to improve his position but instead Mikidropov has taken his back!
Balrog tries to roll but Mikidropov sticks to his back.
Mikidropov trying to control.
Balrog has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Balrog can't escape the position.
Balrog is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
A lull in the action here.
Mikidropov has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Balrog's body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Viktor Mikidropov dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Balrog stuffs the takedown attempt from Mikidropov. Mikidropov gets slowly back to his feet.

Balrog gets caught napping as Mikidropov dives in and scores a takedown. Balrog manages to retain guard.
Balrog 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.
Mikidropov stays in close to Balrog's body and controls the position.

Balrog throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Mikidropov escapes and throws Balrog's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Mikidropov misses with the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mikidropov controls the position.
Balrog can't do much from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balrog tries to buck Mikidropov off but Mikidropov is having none of it.
Balrog is still trying to improve position.
Balrog keeps trying to improve his position.
Mikidropov trying to control the action but Balrog is working from the bottom.
Mikidropov working the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mikidropov staying calm.
Balrog is looking to reverse the position.
Mikidropov wants to stand but Balrog has his arm trapped.
Balrog is looking for a sweep.
Mikidropov taking a breather here.
Balrog tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mikidropov wants to stand but Balrog is controlling his arm.
Balrog is looking for a sweep.
Mikidropov controlling the position from side mount.
Balrog is trying to work for a sweep but Mikidropov has mounted him!
Balrog is looking to get to half guard.
Viktor Mikidropov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mikidropov tries to control but Balrog wriggling away.
Mikidropov prevents Balrog from getting the reversal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mikidropov controlling from mount.
Balrog is desperately trying to improve his position but Mikidropov has a good base and remains in mount.
Mikidropov trying to control but Balrog is having none of it.
Balrog wants to hold on but Mikidropov pushes him away.
Mikidropov wants to control the pace but Balrog is squirming around nicely.
Balrog really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Balrog wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Balrog tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Viktor Mikidropov dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Mikidropov misses with a hook to the body

and Balrog counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Ground and pound from Balrog.

Balrog is trying to work for a kimura but Mikidropov is defending well.
Ground and pound from Balrog.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Balrog lands a nice short elbow.

Balrog is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Mikidropov doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Balrog.
Balrog prevents Mikidropov from improving his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mikidropov gets back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mikidropov controls Balrog momentarily but Balrog frees himself.
Balrog with a nice head shot there.
Mikidropov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Balrog can do to turn this around?
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Mikidropov is on top in guard.

Mikidropov is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Balrog trying to control the position.

Balrog working for a triangle but Mikidropov defends it easily.
Balrog looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mikidropov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Balrog is keeping the position for now.
Mikidropov trying to stand up but can't free himself from Balrog's guard.
Mikidropov trying to control but Balrog is working from the bottom.
Balrog seems keen to control Mikidropov's posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Balrog working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Mikidropov has passed into half guard!
Mikidropov wants to take a breather but Balrog is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mikidropov wants to stand up but Balrog is controlling the position.
Balrog is looking to improve his position.
Mikidropov throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Balrog actively working from the bottom here.
Mikidropov with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Mikidropov fails with a takedown attempt.
Balrog feints the counter takedown.
Mikidropov displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Balrog.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Balrog shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Mikidropov but Mikidropov pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Balrog takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nice sprawl there from Mikidropov as Balrog shoots in.
Viktor Mikidropov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johannes Balrog.
Balrog tries to score a power double leg takedown but Mikidropov sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Balrog somewhat.
Johannes Balrog seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Mikidropov feints and as Balrog raises his hands in defense, Mikidropov changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Mikidropov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Balrog swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mikidropov trying to control the position from guard on top but Balrog is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Mikidropov avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Viktor Mikidropov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Mikidropov has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Viktor Mikidropov!