PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Luke Lepinakov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Vinci (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Luke Lepinakov has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Lepinakov
vs
Vinci

170 cm
21
214 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

188 cm
18
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Divine Clothing [GTI]

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Luke Lepinakov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Michael Vinci!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Lepinakov with that takedown attempt.

Vinci shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Lepinakov's guard.
Vinci stops Lepinakov from standing up.
Vinci seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Vinci gets to his feet - Lepinakov follows without any prompting.
Lepinakov with a poor takedown

and Vinci decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Lepinakov's guard.
Vinci trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Vinci stopping the sweep attempt from Lepinakov.
Vinci pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lepinakov is keeping the position for now.
Lepinakov looking for a sweep. Not yet Lepinakov, not yet.

Lepinakov looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Vinci has picked Lepinakov up and slammed him! Lepinakov can't keep hold of the triangle and Vinci manages to pass to side control!
Lepinakov is not content to let Vinci control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vinci has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Michael Vinci seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lepinakov tries for a takedown but Vinci circles away easily
and Vinci counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luke Lepinakov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Left hook, right uppercut from Vinci.
Vinci lands a nice looking body shot.
Lepinakov tries to clinch

and Vinci counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Lepinakov!
Vinci wants to control the pace but Lepinakov is squirming around nicely.
Lepinakov is trying desperately to improve position.
Vinci controlling the position easily from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vinci working the ground and pound effectively.
Lepinakov is trying to escape the mount.
Lepinakov bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Lepinakov drops back looking for a leg! Vinci is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Vinci manages to kick Lepinakov off! Lepinakov jumps back into Vinci's guard.

Lepinakov drops back, looking for a kneebar! Vinci looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Vinci looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Vinci!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lepinakov is looking to regain half guard here but Vinci keeps moving and retains side control.
Vinci working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Lepinakov is looking to regain half guard here but Vinci keeps moving and retains side control.

Vinci stands up and beckons Lepinakov to his feet.

Vinci throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Lepinakov was covering up waiting for the punch and Vinci finishes the takedown easily into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vinci advances to half guard.
Well, if Vinci is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Lepinakov might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Vinci looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Lepinakov with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Vinci throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vinci is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Lepinakov is not content to let Vinci control the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lepinakov tries to roll over but Vinci keeps him under control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Vinci dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Vinci thows a body kick. Lepinakov tries to catch it but that hurt him.

Vinci shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Lepinakov is trying to defend but Vinci finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Vinci is looking to take a break and control but Lepinakov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lepinakov gets back to full guard.
Vinci tries to free his leg and advance position but Lepinakov is retaining full guard.
Lepinakov keeping moving, preventing Vinci from controlling successfully.

Lepinakov is working an open guard so Vinci takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Vinci looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Lepinakov slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lepinakov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Vinci advances to half guard.
Lepinakov is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Vinci is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Lepinakov doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Vinci.
Vinci is breathing heavily.
Lepinakov is looking to escape.
Lepinakov moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Vinci gets to his feet - Lepinakov follows without any prompting.
Lepinakov looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lepinakov misses with a two punch combination.
Vinci throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Vinci closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Lepinakov to the mat! Lepinakov manages to get full guard.
Vinci stopping the sweep attempt from Lepinakov.

Lepinakov looking for subs off his back but Vinci has passed one foot through into half guard.
Lepinakov is trying to get back to full guard.
Lepinakov manages to get to full guard.

Lepinakov throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vinci tries to free his leg and advance position but Lepinakov is retaining full guard.
Lepinakov bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Vinci's guard.

Lepinakov drops back looking for a leg! Vinci is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Vinci manages to kick Lepinakov off! Lepinakov jumps back into Vinci's guard.
Vinci wants to sweep but no luck.
Lepinakov tries to free his leg and advance position but Vinci is retaining full guard.
Lepinakov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four 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.

Vinci working for a triangle but Lepinakov defends it easily.

Lepinakov drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Vinci manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Lepinakov has Vinci in his guard.
Lepinakov keeping moving, preventing Vinci from controlling successfully.
Lepinakov looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Vinci puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Vinci not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Lepinakov is looking to improve his position.

Vinci postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Lepinakov to stand up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Vinci showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Vinci scores a takedown into full mount!
Lepinakov is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Vinci trying to control but Lepinakov is having none of it.
Lepinakov is desperately trying to improve his position but Vinci has a good base and remains in mount.
Vinci content just to control the position here.
Lepinakov in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Lepinakov is looking to get to half guard.
Vinci postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Lepinakov looks a forlorn figure.

Vinci has hold of Lepinakov's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Lepinakov manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Vinci takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lepinakov working to try and regain half guard.
Vinci takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Lepinakov is desperately trying to improve his position but Vinci has a good base and remains in mount.
Lepinakov avoids a series of strikes thrown by Vinci.
Lepinakov is trying to escape the mount.
Well,Lepinakov is on his way to losing a decision here. Can he use his experience to pull something off in the closing minutes?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Vinci tries to control but Lepinakov wriggling away.
Lepinakov is wriggling around trying to escape.
Lepinakov sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Vinci is looking for a kimura here.
Lepinakov is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Vinci's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Vinci's back!
Lepinakov is hanging on to Vinci's back as he tries to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lepinakov is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Lepinakov doesn't have the hooks in and Vinci manages to turn into his guard.
Vinci is stalling in the full guard.
Lepinakov 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.
Vinci stops Lepinakov from standing up.

Lepinakov looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Lepinakov tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vinci passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Lepinakov gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Michael Vinci has got the better of the ground game so far.
Vinci is looking to advance position but Lepinakov won't allow it.
Lepinakov wants to get back to his feet.
Vinci tries to pass the half guard into mount. Lepinakov knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Luke Lepinakov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lepinakov wants to get back to full guard.
Vinci trying to control from half guard but Lepinakov is working away.
Lepinakov tries to get to full guard but Vinci has control of the leg.

Lepinakov is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Vinci pulls his head out easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Michael Vinci.
Well Vinci has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight for Michael Vinci!
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight for Michael Vinci!
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight for Michael Vinci!

Michael Vinci wins by unanimous decision!