PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt Aquino (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Dolbakov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dolbakov is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Radiohead-Creep. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Aquino
vs
Dolbakov

186 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

194 cm
19
214 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Matt Aquino!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Dolbakov!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Igor Prikhodko and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dolbakov showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Aquino.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Dolbakov, right into the meat.
Aquino looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Aquino misses with a two punch combination.
Aquino looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Aquino throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Aquino misses with a wild combination.
Aquino throws a right hand that Dolbakov ducks under and follows up with a left that Dolbakov also avoids with ease.
Aquino misses with a few strikes there.
Matt Aquino seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Aquino throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Aquino misses with a wild combination.

Dolbakov changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Aquino looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Aquino tries to buck Dolbakov off but Dolbakov is having none of it.
Dolbakov cracks Aquino with a big right hand but Aquino just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Dolbakov decides to stand back up.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Dolbakov.
Aquino throws a right and a left that Dolbakov avoids nicely.
Dolbakov thumps Aquino with a low kick.
Matt Aquino is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aquino lands with a hook. Dolbakov tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Dolbakov goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Aquino throws a series of punches but Dolbakov avoids them all with ease.
Aquino misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Aquino lands with a nice combination. Dolbakov backs away looking to recover.
Dolbakov slips a jab and a cross from Aquino.
Aquino tries to bum rush Dolbakov with a series of wild strikes but Dolbakov uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Aquino throws a right hand that Dolbakov ducks under and follows up with a left that Dolbakov also avoids with ease.
Aquino lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Dolbakov circles away quickly and effectively.
Dolbakov showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Aquino.
Aquino throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Dolbakov.
An inside leg kick lands from Dolbakov.
Aquino fails to land with a series of punches.
Dolbakov misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Dolbakov lands a front kick.
Nice body kick from Dolbakov.
Aquino fails to land with a series of punches.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Dolbakov!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aquino falls off balance throwing a combination
and Dolbakov counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Aquino misses with a combination

and Dolbakov counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Dolbakov.
Aquino is breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dolbakov is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Dolbakov decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Aquino, up you get!
Aquino misses with a double jab

so Dolbakov counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Dolbakov stops Aquino from standing up.
Dolbakov is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dolbakov stands up and waves to Aquino to follow him.
Aquino takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

Dolbakov darts in and clinches Aquino up against the cage.
Aquino misses with a knee strike.

Dolbakov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Dolbakov goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Aquino takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

Dolbakov looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Aquino!
Dolbakov takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aquino is wriggling around trying to escape.
Dolbakov controlling his opponent.
Aquino gets back to half guard.
Dolbakov is trying to control the action in half guard but Aquino is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Aquino is trying to control but can't.

Dolbakov stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Aquino swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Dolbakov counters with a nice double leg into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Dolbakov dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Aquino works over Dolbakov's head and body with a nice combination.
Aquino throws a left and a right that both miss

and Dolbakov counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Aquino's guard now.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Dolbakov's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Dolbakov stopping the sweep attempt from Aquino.

Dolbakov stands up from Aquino's guard - Dolbakov perhaps looking for a knockout.
Aquino swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Dolbakov counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Aquino throws a left and a right that both miss
and Dolbakov counters with a left and a right that stings Aquino.
Aquino misses with a series of wild punches.
Aquino misses with a combination

and Dolbakov counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Aquino!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Aquino is squirming around, avoiding Dolbakov's attempts to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dolbakov is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Aquino is wriggling around trying to escape.

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.
Aquino is squirming around, avoiding Dolbakov's attempts to control the action.
Dolbakov wants to control the action but instead Aquino gets a body lock and reverses into Dolbakov's guard! Nice work!

Despite being in the dominant position, Ivan Dolbakov just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Aquino throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Dolbakov counters with a single leg into guard. Aquino didn't expect that.
Dolbakov preventing the sweep.
Dolbakov is stalling in the full guard.
Aquino tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Aquino is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aquino scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Matt Aquino is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Aquino misses with a double jab
and Dolbakov counters with a thumping low kick.
Aquino throws a left and a right that both miss

and Dolbakov counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Aquino is staying active underneath Dolbakov, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Dolbakov controlling the action here.
Dolbakov tries to pass the half guard into mount. Aquino knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Dolbakov is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dolbakov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Dolbakov is trying to control the action in half guard but Aquino is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Aquino is trying to control but can't.
Dolbakov scoring with strikes to the body and head.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Aquino falls off balance throwing a combination
and Dolbakov counters with a head kick.
Dolbakov shoots in and drives through. Aquino sprawls well.
Aquino misses with a combination
and Dolbakov counters with a good low kick that Aquino was not able to check.
Aquino misses with a combination
and Dolbakov counters with a straight right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Aquino moves out of range of the body kick from Dolbakov.
Aquino keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Aquino throws a combination that misses
and Dolbakov counters with a stiff right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Dolbakov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Aquino throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Dolbakov counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Dolbakov looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Dolbakov wants to get up but he can't break Aquino's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Aquino wants to sweep but no luck.
Dolbakov must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Dolbakov trying to control the position from guard on top but Aquino is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dolbakov postures up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aquino throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Aquino falls off balance throwing a combination
and Dolbakov counters with a big head kick but Aquino shrugs it off.
Some wild striking there from Aquino.
Dolbakov scores with a shot to the body.
Aquino falls off balance throwing a combination
and Dolbakov counters with a nice leg kick.
Aquino misses with a jab, cross combination.
Aquino throws a combination that misses
and Dolbakov counters with a nice low kick that buckles Aquino's knee momentarily.
Aquino swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Dolbakov counters with an inside leg kick.
Aquino throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Dolbakov finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Aquino fails to land with a series of punches.
Aquino uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Dolbakov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Aquino rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Dolbakov moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Aquino lands a head shot.
Aquino throws a combination that misses

and Dolbakov holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Aquino tries a knee to the head but Dolbakov blocks it.
Dolbakov is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Aquino gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Aquino using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Dolbakov has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Aquino misses with a knee strike.
Dolbakov goes for a takedown in the clinch but Aquino prevents it.
Aquino tries a knee to the head but Dolbakov blocks it.
Aquino misses with a knee strike.
Aquino looking to throw knees to the head but Dolbakov is blocking nicely.
Dolbakov tries for a takedown but Aquino manages to get underhooks.
Matt Aquino has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Dolbakov.
Aquino tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
A knee to the head by Aquino.
Aquino looking to throw knees to the head but Dolbakov is blocking nicely.
Aquino looking to throw knees to the head but Dolbakov is blocking nicely.
Aquino tries a knee to the head but Dolbakov blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aquino throws a knee to the head but misses.
Aquino with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Dolbakov tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Aquino smiles and moves away.
Aquino swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Dolbakov counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Dolbakov is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Aquino keeping moving, preventing Dolbakov from controlling successfully.

Dolbakov is sitting in close to Aquino's body. Aquino has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Dolbakov is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Dolbakov is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Aquino.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Matt Aquino!