PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Petr Petrovich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esko Morko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Petrovich kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Soviet Anthem. Morko has chosen Arch Enemy - Nemesis as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Petrovich
vs
Morko

180 cm
22
195 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

176 cm
22
190 lbs
5 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

SPARTAN FIGHTWARE
Cobra Kai 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 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Petr Petrovich!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Esko Morko!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Illya Tyunina and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Petrovich ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Morko moves away.
Petrovich keeps the fight on the outside.
Petrovich swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Morko uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Petrovich.
Morko tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Petrovich paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Petrovich moves into the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Petrovich scores with a nice short uppercut.
Morko jumps guard but Petrovich stands there with Morko around his waist. Morko gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Morko tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Morko crunches a lovely knee into Petrovich's ribcage.
Petrovich blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Petrovich will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Morko up against the cage.
Petrovich taking a breather.
Morko changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Petrovich fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Petrovich dips to his left and cracks Morko with an uppercut!
Morko tries to clinch there but Petrovich circles away.
Petrovich tries to clinch but Morko moves away

and Morko counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Morko postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Petrovich is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Morko, into his guard.

Morko working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Petrovich doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Petrovich manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrovich is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Morko had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Petrovich is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Morko Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Petrovich's back instead.

That's two 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.
Morko 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.
Even with his hooks in, Morko manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Petrovich breaks Morko's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Petrovich trying to control the position from guard on top but Morko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Petrovich won't allow Morko to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrovich stops Morko from standing up.
Morko is trying to control the position but Petrovich postures up.
Morko is controlling Petrovich's posture.
Petrovich looking to pass the guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Morko shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Morko showed some decent athleticism there.
Morko not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Petrovich trying to hold on to Morko's head to control him but Morko postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrovich is breathing heavily.
Morko trying to control from half guard but Petrovich is working away.

Morko decides to stand and escape the position.
Petrovich misses with a looping right.
Morko fails in his attempt to clinch.
Morko doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Morko bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Petrovich swings for the body but Morko moves out of range.

Morko moves into the clinch.
Petrovich presses Morko against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Petrovich blocking some punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esko Morko dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Morko changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Petrovich tries to avoid it but Morko manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Petrovich to the ground. Petrovich escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Morko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Morko keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Morko tries to work over Petrovich's front leg with a kick but Petrovich checks it.
Petrovich circles away from the clinch attempt.
Morko fails in his attempt to clinch.
Petrovich just misses with a punch to the body.
Petrovich circles away from the clinch attempt.
Morko closes the distance but Petrovich moves to the side
enabling Petrovich to counter with a crisp jab.

Morko drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Petrovich struggling a bit here.
Morko wants to control but Petrovich is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morko working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Petrovich is not content to let Morko control the position.
Petrovich is looking for a sweep.

Morko stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Petrovich throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Petr Petrovich seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morko lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Morko.
Petrovich uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Morko.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Morko looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Morko is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Petrovich looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Petrovich not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morko is pushing down on Petrovich's leg trying to pass to half guard. Petrovich is fighting to maintain full guard but Morko has managed to sneak the leg through.
Petrovich tries to roll over but Morko keeps him under control.
Morko throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Morko wants to stand up but Petrovich has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Petrovich tries to get to full guard but Morko has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morko works his way into full mount!
Morko lands a nice shot to the head.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Morko cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Morko takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Morko tries to control but Petrovich wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrovich tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Morko punishing his opponent with strikes.
Morko takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Morko with shots to the head and body - Petrovich looks very uncomfortable down there.

Morko goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Petrovich is on top in guard.
Morko working a defensive guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esko Morko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Morko wants to clinch.

Morko takes the fight into the clinch.
Petrovich is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Morko is keeping busy.
Morko with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Petr Petrovich has been cut.
Morko displaying some good clinch control by pressing Petrovich up against the cage.
Morko lands a knee to the body.

Morko has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Petrovich clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Morko is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Morko gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Morko gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Morko apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Morko tries to clinch up but Petrovich circles away and keeps his distance.
Petrovich swings for the body but Morko moves out of range.

Morko clinches up with Petrovich and pushes him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrovich looking to stall.
Petrovich blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Morko throws a punch but it's blocked by Petrovich.
Morko has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Petrovich avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Petrovich misses with a punch to the body.
Morko drops down looking for an ankle pick but Petrovich pulls his leg out and moves away.
Esko Morko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Petrovich throws a hook but Morko avoids it easily.
Petrovich throws a body punch but Morko moves out of range.
Morko lands with a slapping head kick.
Morko throws a head kick that misses.
Petrovich keeps the fight on the outside.
Morko tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Petrovich counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Morko closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petrovich looking to stall.
Morko is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Petrovich is defending well for now.
Morko has a couple of punches blocked by Petrovich.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Morko drags the fight down to the ground.
Morko controls Petrovich momentarily but Petrovich frees himself.

Morko has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Petrovich can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Morko has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Petrovich is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Morko.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrovich is looking to take a break and control but Morko is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Morko sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Esko Morko is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Morko holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Petrovich throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Petrovich is looking to advance position but Morko won't allow it.

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.
Petrovich is trying to control the action in half guard but Morko is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Morko is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Morko wants to get back to his feet.
Petrovich missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Petr Petrovich has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Morko is controlling Petrovich's trapped leg to prevent Petrovich from advancing to side control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Morko tries to clinch but Petrovich moves away
and Petrovich counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Morko's corner calls for a 1-2. Morko obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Esko Morko comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Morko 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Esko Morko!