PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Sergei Kourdakov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sergi Olympiev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kourdakov comes into the arena with Sonata Arctica - San Sebastian blaring out of the sound system. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Kourdakov
vs
Olympiev

165 cm
20
140 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

160 cm
19
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Divine Clothing [GTI]

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sergei Kourdakov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sergi Olympiev!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Dmitry Maklakov and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kourdakov shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Olympiev is trying to defend but Kourdakov finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Kourdakov controlling the action here.
Olympiev keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kourdakov prevents Olympiev from standing back up.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Kourdakov lands a nice short elbow.
Kourdakov stalling.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Kourdakov decides to return to a standing position.

Kourdakov closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Olympiev to the mat! Olympiev manages to get full guard.
Kourdakov tries to free his leg and advance position but Olympiev is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Olympiev lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Kourdakov!
Olympiev trying to control but Kourdakov is having none of it.
Kourdakov slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Olympiev is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Kourdakov is looking for a sweep. Olympiev is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Olympiev is working for a submission of some sort.
Kourdakov keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kourdakov on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Kourdakov tries to get out of the position.
Olympiev is pressing down on Kourdakov's thigh, looking to free his foot. Kourdakov is holding on for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Olympiev is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Olympiev trying to control from half guard but Kourdakov is working away.
The fighters are battling for position here. Kourdakov manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Olympiev stopping the sweep attempt from Kourdakov.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kourdakov shoots in but Olympiev avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Kourdakov darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Olympiev is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Kourdakov pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kourdakov stands up and beckons Olympiev to join him on the feet.
Olympiev shoots and misses

and Kourdakov counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Olympiev!
Olympiev looks gassed!
Kourdakov wants to control the pace but Olympiev is squirming around nicely.
Olympiev is wriggling around trying to escape.
Kourdakov tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Olympiev is looking to improve his position but Kourdakov isn't that keen on the idea.
Kourdakov blocks Olympiev's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kourdakov fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Kourdakov with shots to the head and body - Olympiev looks very uncomfortable down there.
Kourdakov looking to control but Olympiev is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Kourdakov sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kourdakov's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergei Kourdakov dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kourdakov clinches with his opponent.
Kourdakov drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Kourdakov works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Olympiev is looking to stand up but Kourdakov isn't so interested in that idea.
Kourdakov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Olympiev is keeping the position for now.
Olympiev wants to stand but Kourdakov is controlling the position.
Kourdakov lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Olympiev isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Kourdakov stacks Olympiev on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Kourdakov!
Olympiev is not content to let Kourdakov control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Olympiev can't do much from the bottom here.

Kourdakov stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Kourdakov shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Olympiev as he jumps to the side.

Kourdakov shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Olympiev kicks off Kourdakov and gets to his feet.

Kourdakov drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Kourdakov is looking to take a break and control but Olympiev is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Kourdakov stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kourdakov leaves Olympiev with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Kourdakov is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Olympiev's half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Olympiev trying to control but Kourdakov postures up.
Kourdakov slows the pace down in half guard.
Kourdakov is looking to take a break and control but Olympiev is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kourdakov stalling.
Kourdakov not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Kourdakov seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Olympiev does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Sergei Kourdakov just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Olympiev shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Kourdakov counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Olympiev wants to get back to full guard.
Olympiev on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Olympiev is looking to improve his position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kourdakov is looking to take a break and control but Olympiev is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergei Kourdakov dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Kourdakov drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Olympiev wants to get back to his feet.

Kourdakov decides to stand back up. Kourdakov steps back and let's Olympiev get back to his feet.
Kourdakov shoots for a takedown but Olympiev saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Kourdakov drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Olympiev has an active guard here but Kourdakov has managed to pass into half guard.
Kourdakov stalling.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kourdakov stands up out of the half guard.

Kourdakov instigates a clinch.
Kourdakov drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Olympiev gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Kourdakov drops down looking for an ankle pick but Olympiev pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sergei Kourdakov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Olympiev tries for a takedown but Kourdakov circles away easily

and Kourdakov counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Olympiev wants to get back to his feet but Kourdakov is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Kourdakov postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kourdakov accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kourdakov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Olympiev is keeping the position for now.

Olympiev looking for a guillotine here but Kourdakov defends easily.
Kourdakov slips nicely into half guard.
Kourdakov working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Olympiev is not content to let Kourdakov control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kourdakov stops Olympiev from getting back to his feet.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Kourdakov escapes and gets back to his feet.
Kourdakov shoots and misses

and Olympiev counters with a single leg into guard. Kourdakov didn't expect that.
Kourdakov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Olympiev is one step ahead there.
Olympiev wants to control from the top but Kourdakov keeps moving.
Kourdakov tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Olympiev trying to control the position from guard on top but Kourdakov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kourdakov is trying to control the position from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kourdakov is on top in guard.
Sergi Olympiev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Olympiev lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Kourdakov!

Olympiev looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Olympiev moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Kourdakov has worked his arm free - good work by Kourdakov!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kourdakov manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

And that's the end of the fight!
Sergei Kourdakov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kourdakov, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Sergei Kourdakov!
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight for Sergei Kourdakov!
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight for Sergei Kourdakov!

Sergei Kourdakov wins by unanimous decision!