PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vladimir Shalbek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pedro Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Shalbek
vs
Sanchez

196 cm
20
231 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

175 cm
25
227 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Cobra Kai Nutrition (St. Pete's Best)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vladimir Shalbek!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Pedro Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Aleksandr Martynov and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shalbek throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sanchez.
Shalbek tries to clinch but Sanchez is having none of it.
Sanchez is looking to clinch but Shalbek is avoiding it.
Sanchez misses the shot to the body.

Sanchez shoots in and bounces Shalbek off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Shalbek pushes Sanchez off and scrambles back to his feet.

Sanchez shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Shalbek napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Sanchez in side control, throwing shots but Shalbek defends.
Sanchez landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Sanchez misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Shalbek tries to escape but Sanchez is in control.
Shalbek wants to control but Sanchez postures up.
Sanchez tries to advance to mount but Shalbek denies him.
Sanchez scoring with punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez tries to score with some ground and pound. Shalbek controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Sanchez misses with the ground and pound.
Shalbek tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Shalbek wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Shalbek manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Shalbek has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Sanchez is working away from the top position though.
Sanchez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Shalbek's head.
Shalbek trying to control here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sanchez.
Vladimir Shalbek is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two 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.
Shalbek swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Sanchez counters with a right hand to the body.
Shalbek misses with a double jab.
Shalbek misses with a wild combination.
Shalbek changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Sanchez with a nice cross.
Nice defenses there by Sanchez.
Shalbek misses with a wild body shot.
Shalbek lands with an uppercut that bounces Sanchez off the cage and back into rage.
Shalbek throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sanchez just misses with a punch to the body.
Shalbek uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sanchez.
Sanchez misses with a wild body shot.
Sanchez digs a good hook to Shalbek's body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Shalbek uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Sanchez misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Shalbek counters with a two punch combo.
Shalbek ducks under a wild hook from Sanchez.
Shalbek misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sanchez thows a body shot but no joy.
Shalbek swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nice body punch from Sanchez.

Sanchez has closed the distance and engaged Shalbek in a clinch.
Shalbek tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Shalbek scores with a nice hook to the head.
Shalbek lands a hook that snaps the head of Sanchez backwards.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Sanchez creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sanchez blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A right hook to the body lands for Sanchez.
Shalbek is breathing heavily.
Sanchez can't get the takedown.
Vladimir Shalbek has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pedro Sanchez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shalbek stops a takedown attempt from Sanchez.
Sanchez throws a punch but it's blocked by Shalbek.
A short right from Sanchez on the inside.
Shalbek lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Shalbek fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Sanchez is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Shalbek pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Shalbek gets underhooks to prevent Sanchez's takedown attempt.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Shalbek.
Shalbek lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Sanchez lands with a left to the head.
Sanchez lands a shot to the body.
Shalbek is pressed up against the cage. Sanchez has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Shalbek down to the mat. Shalbek avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
A jab from Sanchez does it's job there.
Shalbek throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Sanchez shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Shalbek's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sanchez won't allow Shalbek to get back to his feet.
Sanchez works over Shalbek with some ground and pound from guard.
Shalbek looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Pedro Sanchez will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sanchez looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Shalbek tries to get to full guard but Sanchez has control of the leg.
Shalbek trying to control from the bottom.
Sanchez throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Sanchez throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Shalbek is looking to control Sanchez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Shalbek avoid being mounted?
Sanchez lands strikes from half guard.
Sanchez is thwarting Shalbek's attempts to control the position.
Sanchez is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Sanchez landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Shalbek manages to get to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sanchez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Shalbek is trying to keep Sanchez in close.
Sanchez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shalbek utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Shalbek is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shalbek wants to get back to his feet.
Shalbek will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Sanchez tries to roll over but Shalbek keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is controlling Shalbek's trapped leg to prevent Shalbek from advancing to side control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sanchez scores with a shot to the body.
Sanchez takes a swing at Shalbek's ribcage but misses.
Shalbek looks to land a combination but Sanchez avoids it well.
Sanchez takes a swing at Shalbek's ribcage but misses.

Sanchez shoots in and bounces Shalbek off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Shalbek is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Sanchez wants to pass the guard but Shalbek is keeping the position.
Sanchez working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez tries to free his leg and advance position but Shalbek is retaining full guard.
Shalbek trying to keep a closed guard but Sanchez is proving a slippery customer.
Shalbek looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sanchez is one step ahead there.
Sanchez wants to pass the guard but Shalbek is keeping the position.

Shalbek uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Sanchez walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pedro Sanchez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Sanchez thows a body shot but no joy.
Sanchez misses with a takedown attempt
and Shalbek counters with a right hand to the body.
Shalbek bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sanchez with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Sanchez misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Shalbek counters by moving into the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Shalbek.
Still in the clinch, Shalbek scores with a nice short uppercut.
Knees in the clinch landing for Shalbek.
The referee is keeping an eye on Shalbek - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Sanchez has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Shalbek avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Sanchez tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Sanchez blocking some punches.
Sanchez struggles to land a body shot inside as Shalbek controls his hands.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Sanchez.
Sanchez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Shalbek missing with knees to the body.
Shalbek lands with a right to the head.
Shalbek lands an uppercut.
Sanchez throws a punch but it's blocked by Shalbek.

Shalbek is fighting off a takedown attempt but Sanchez is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Shalbek to the mat. Shalbek regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Shalbek is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shalbek softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Shalbek lands with a short head shot on the inside.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Shalbek just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sanchez's brow.
Shalbek working aggressively here.
Sanchez lands a body punch.
Sanchez's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A head punch on the inside from Sanchez fails to land.
Sanchez is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Shalbek pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Vladimir Shalbek has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pedro Sanchez.
Sanchez is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Shalbek utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Sanchez throws a punch but it's blocked by Shalbek.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Shalbek.
Sanchez tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Shalbek's elbow.
A short right from Shalbek on the inside.
Shalbek lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Shalbek tries to land knees in the clinch but Sanchez avoids the damage to the body.
Sanchez blocks the elbow strike.
Sanchez lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Shalbek tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Sanchez misses with a hook from the clinch.
A short right from Shalbek.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shalbek prevents a takedown attempt there.
Shalbek lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Sanchez is rocked!
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Shalbek.
Sanchez is still on wobbly legs! Can Shalbek finish him?
Shalbek working aggressively here.
Shalbek misses with a punch on the inside.
Sanchez seems to have recovered his senses.
Shalbek lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Sanchez has a couple of punches blocked by Shalbek.
Sanchez drops down looking for an ankle pick but Shalbek pulls his leg out and moves away.
Sanchez misses the shot to the body.
Shalbek fakes a right and follows up with a big left that drops Sanchez to one knee - oooooh, he's wobbly! Sanchez looks to clinch but Shalbek throws him off and pummels him into the canvas! Sanchez taps out under the strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:44 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Vladimir Shalbek!