PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Don Ovanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Derek Whitaker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ovanov's entrance music is Fairytale. A fine choice. Whitaker is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Korn - Freak on a leash. Derek Whitaker will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Ovanov
vs
Whitaker

196 cm
21
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Likes ground

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Don Ovanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Derek Whitaker!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Edson Gomes and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Whitaker on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

Ovanov has managed to clinch.

Ovanov has hold of one of Whitaker's legs. Whitaker is fighting the takedown attempt but Ovanov gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Whitaker trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Whitaker has a closed guard, preventing Ovanov from standing up.

Whitaker throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ovanov won't allow Whitaker to get back to his feet.
Whitaker trying to keep a closed guard but Ovanov is proving a slippery customer.
Ovanov chips away with some ground and pound.

Ovanov drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Whitaker manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Ovanov has Whitaker in his guard.
Ovanov pulls Whitaker in close to his closed guard and prevents Whitaker from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whitaker trying to control but Ovanov is working from the bottom.
Ovanov 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.

Ovanov working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Whitaker has passed into half guard!
Whitaker wants to take a breather but Ovanov is having none of it.
Whitaker scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Whitaker works his foot free and advances to mount.

Ovanov defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Whitaker.
Ovanov is trying to escape the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ovanov tries to hold on but Whitaker postures up.
Whitaker has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Ovanov's face.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ovanov tries to hold on but Whitaker pushes him away.
Ovanov really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Whitaker lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Whitaker with a couple of short strikes.
Ovanov is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Whitaker putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Ovanov can't escape the position.
Ovanov reaches up to try and control the position but Whitaker seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Ovanov rolls and tries to escape and now Whitaker has his back!

Whitaker looking for the choke from the back.
Whitaker looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ovanov manages to get to his feet, escaping the difficult position.

Ovanov shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Whitaker's guard.

Whitaker is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ovanov 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.
Whitaker wants to control but Ovanov passes easily into half guard.
Ovanov controlling the pace.
Ovanov wants to pass to mount but Whitaker is defending the position.
Ovanov will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Ovanov controlling the action here.
Ovanov works his way into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ovanov landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Ovanov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Whitaker keeps working.

Ovanov is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Whitaker is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Whitaker tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Whitaker is trying to control Ovanov's posture but Ovanov avoids it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ovanov wants to control but Whitaker is keeping him busy.
Ovanov gets to mount! Whitaker was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Don Ovanov will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Whitaker misses with a two punch combination.
Ovanov throws a body kick that misses.
Whitaker misses with a few strikes there.
Whitaker throws a body punch but Ovanov moves out of range.
Ovanov slips a jab and a cross from Whitaker.
Whitaker fails with the takedown

so Ovanov counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Ovanov gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Whitaker falls off balance throwing a combination

and Ovanov counters with a single leg into guard. Whitaker didn't expect that.

Ovanov stands up from Whitaker's guard - Ovanov perhaps looking for a knockout.
Don Ovanov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Whitaker throws a combination that misses

and Ovanov counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Whitaker throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Whitaker trying to control but Ovanov postures up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ovanov prevents Whitaker from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ovanov decides to stand up.
Whitaker with a lazy takedown attempt

and Ovanov counters with a single leg into guard. Whitaker didn't expect that.
Whitaker manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ovanov manages to get himself to full guard.
Ovanov bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Whitaker's guard.
Ovanov trying to control the position from guard on top but Whitaker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Whitaker is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Ovanov decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Ovanov avoids the body shot from Whitaker.
Ovanov is looking to land body kicks.
Whitaker tries a head kick but it misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker throws a left and a right that both miss

and Ovanov counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ovanov blocks the strikes from Whitaker.

Ovanov decides to stand and escape the position.
Whitaker stalks Ovanov and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Ovanov's face. Ovanov staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Don Ovanov has been cut.
Nice combo by Whitaker! Oh, that's hurt him - Ovanov falls to the canvas and Whitaker follows him into side control.

Ovanov is rocked!
Ovanov can't do much from the bottom here.
Oh Ovanov is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Whitaker tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Whitaker has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Ovanov seems to have got his legs back now.
Ovanov struggling a bit here.

Whitaker decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Whitaker gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker wants to get back to his feet but Ovanov is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Ovanov looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Ovanov passes Whitaker's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Ovanov passes the guard and advances to mount!
Ovanov raining down shots from the mount!
Ovanov working Whitaker over with strikes here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ovanov content just to control the position here.
Ovanov wants to take Whitaker's back but he can't do it this time.

Ovanov working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Whitaker is working to get back to half guard.

Ovanov stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Ovanov cracks Whitaker with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Whitaker looks to clinch

and Ovanov counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Whitaker wants to get back to full guard.
Ovanov trying to control from half guard but Whitaker is working away.
Whitaker wants to control but Ovanov is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Ovanov dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Don Ovanov's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Whitaker throws out a loose jab but Ovanov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Whitaker doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Ovanov counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Ovanov wants to pass the guard but Whitaker is defending well.
Don Ovanov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Ovanov decides to return to a standing position.

Ovanov shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Whitaker can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ovanov controls the pace.
Ovanov works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Whitaker wants to control but Ovanov is keeping busy.
Whitaker tries to get to full guard but Ovanov has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ovanov is pressing down on Whitaker's thigh, looking to free his foot. Whitaker is holding on for now.
Whitaker trying to control but Ovanov postures up.

Ovanov stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Whitaker looks to land a combination but Ovanov avoids it well.

Ovanov moves into range and clinches up with Whitaker.
Whitaker wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Ovanov.
Whitaker has had enough of the clinch but Ovanov keeps him there for the moment.

Ovanov breaks the clinch.
Ovanov lands with a shot to the body.
Whitaker with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Jab by Ovanov.

Ovanov shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker wants to get back to his feet.

Ovanov has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Whitaker defend it? Ovanov steps over the head and cranks it - Whitaker is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Ovanov!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Don Ovanov!