PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Vladmir Tsipin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Boycov (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.

Tsipin
vs
Boycov

175 cm
21
150 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
152 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vladmir Tsipin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Boycov!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Illya Tyunina and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tsipin gets a takedown into half guard.

Tsipin is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Boycov defends it well.
Boycov is trying to control but can't.
Boycov tries to get to full guard but Tsipin has control of the leg.
Boycov has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Tsipin is working away from the top position though.
Tsipin tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Boycov is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tsipin not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tsipin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Boycov misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Boycov throws a head kick that misses.

Boycov scores a takedown into full mount!
Tsipin tries to hold on but Boycov pushes him away.
Boycov looking to control and managing it successfully.
Tsipin keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boycov is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Tsipin takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Tsipin tries to hold on but Boycov postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boycov looking to control but Tsipin is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Boycov punching from mount but Tsipin doing a good job of avoiding damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tsipin is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Boycov throws some wild stikes that Tsipin manages to avoid easily.
Boycov looking to finish with strikes here!
Tsipin tries to reverse the position but Boycov maintains control.
Tsipin is working hard here to advance position.

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.
Boycov trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Tsipin is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Boycov throwing strikes but Tsipin bucks up and reverses the position. He's now in guard on top.
Boycov trying to control but Tsipin is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Tsipin dives in and grabs Boycov's left leg, looking for a takedown. Boycov pushes down on Tsipin's head and hops out.
Tsipin is breathing heavily.
Tsipin tries to clinch but Boycov moves out of range.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Boycov fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tsipin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tsipin wants to clinch

and Boycov moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Boycov dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Boycov fails with the takedown.
Tsipin misses with a hook.

Boycov shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Tsipin napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Boycov laying and praying for a moment but Tsipin takes advantage and regains half guard.
Boycov wants to control but Tsipin is keeping him busy.
Boycov is breathing heavily.
Tsipin trying to hold on to Boycov's head to control him but Boycov postures up.
The fighters are battling for position here. Tsipin manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Tsipin pulls Boycov in close to prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tsipin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Boycov.
Boycov would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Tsipin keeping full guard, as Boycov tries to pass.
Boycov looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Tsipin pushes Boycov off and scrambles back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Tsipin cracks Boycov with an open hand slap.
Boycov darts in trying to clinch

and Tsipin counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Come on Boycov - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Tsipin breaks from the clinch.
Boycov misses with a takedown

and Tsipin counters with a single leg into guard. Boycov didn't expect that.
Tsipin would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Tsipin trying to control the position from guard on top but Boycov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Tsipin's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Tsipin stands up from Boycov's guard - Tsipin perhaps looking for a knockout.

Tsipin looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Boycov!
Boycov tries to reverse the position but Tsipin maintains control.

Tsipin is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Boycov has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Boycov!
Boycov wants to get up but he can't break Tsipin's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tsipin manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Boycov slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Tsipin thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Boycov to regain full guard.

Boycov had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Tsipin defends it easily.

Boycov has an active guard here but Tsipin has managed to pass into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vladmir Tsipin dominated that second 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Tsipin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Boycov as he jumps to the side.
Boycov misses with a takedown attempt

and Tsipin counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Tsipin.
Boycov 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.
Tsipin passes Boycov's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Tsipin postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Boycov to stand up.
Tsipin lands a body shot.
Tsipin shoots and misses

and Boycov counters with a shoot takedown. Tsipin fights it but they end up in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tsipin has a closed guard, preventing Boycov from standing up.
Tsipin wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boycov trying to control the position from guard on top but Tsipin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tsipin looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Boycov is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Boycov has gone for a leg lock! Tsipin slips out almost immediately though and dives into Boycov's guard.
Tsipin stopping the sweep attempt from Boycov.
Tsipin tries to stand but Boycov is controlling from the bottom.
Boycov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tsipin with a nice head shot there.
Vladmir Tsipin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tsipin wants to stand but Boycov is controlling his posture from full guard.
Tsipin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Tsipin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Tsipin chips away with some ground and pound.

Boycov is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Tsipin shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Boycov is trying to defend but Tsipin finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Boycov gets full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tsipin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Boycov has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Tsipin has managed to get both his arms back between Boycov's legs - danger averted.
Boycov trying to keep a closed guard but Tsipin is proving a slippery customer.
Tsipin passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Boycov manages to get back to half guard.
Tsipin is thwarting Boycov's attempts to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vladmir Tsipin showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Tsipin has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vladmir Tsipin!