PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Boston Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikolai Volkov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Gracie
vs
Volkov

180 cm
19
160 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

176 cm
20
170 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Boston Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nikolai Volkov!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Matheus Silva and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Volkov doesn't manage to clinch there - Gracie circles away.
Gracie cracks Volkov with an open hand slap.
Volkov ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.
Gracie throws a right and a left that Volkov avoids nicely.
Gracie throws a series of punches but Volkov moves out of range.
Volkov pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Gracie lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Volkov closes this distance looking for a takedown but Gracie circles away.
Volkov fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Volkov throws a jab but it's blocked by Gracie.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Volkov moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Volkov moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Gracie lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Volkov circles away quickly and effectively.
Gracie displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Gracie tries to bum rush Volkov with a series of wild strikes but Volkov uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Volkov throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Gracie's waist but Gracie gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Volkov off to one side.
Boston Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nikolai Volkov.
Volkov shoots for a takedown but Gracie saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Volkov throws a combination that misses
and Gracie counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Volkov closes the distance and clinches.
Volkov with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Gracie breaks from the clinch.
Nikolai Volkov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Volkov shoots in and drives through. Gracie sprawls well.
Gracie misses with a two punch combination.
Gracie looks to land a combination but Volkov avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Volkov shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gracie pinned against the cage. Gracie gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Gracie scores with a one two! Volkov had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Volkov misses with a combination
and Gracie counters with a nice uppercut.
Volkov misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Gracie counters with a two punch combo.
Gracie lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Gracie lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Volkov gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Gracie avoids the elbow strike from Volkov, against the cage.
Gracie wants to break free but Volkov has control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie stops a takedown attempt from Volkov.
A frustrated look appears on Gracie's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Volkov is trying to drag Gracie to the mat but Gracie just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Volkov is trying to drag Gracie to the mat but Gracie just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Volkov looks gassed!
Gracie wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Volkov has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Volkov misses with a punch to the body.
Gracie is trying to break free.
Volkov tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gracie avoids it.
A right hook to the body lands for Volkov.
Volkov drops down looking for an ankle pick but Gracie pulls his leg out and moves away.
Volkov throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Gracie counters with a nice uppercut.
Nice sprawl there from Gracie as Volkov shoots in.
Volkov shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Gracie sprawls well. Gracie wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Volkov gets slowly back to his feet.
Gracie is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Gracie displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Boston Gracie dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

A punch combination from Gracie misses.
Boston Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Volkov swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Gracie counters with a nice uppercut.
Volkov gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Gracie misses with a combination
and Volkov counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Gracie lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Gracie throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Donk. Gracie catches Volkov right on the button with a cross.
Gracie throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Volkov counters with a nice uppercut.
Gracie slaps away a takedown attempt from Volkov, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Gracie lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Volkov falls off balance throwing a combination
and Gracie counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gracie throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Volkov tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gracie throws a combination that misses

and Volkov counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Gracie is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Volkov trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Gracie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Volkov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Volkov is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Gracie is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Gracie has escaped and now he's on top!
Volkov is breathing heavily.

Volkov looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Gracie won't allow Volkov to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Volkov throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Gracie escapes and throws Volkov's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Gracie has control of an arm but Volkov manages to advance to Gracie's back!

Volkov is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Gracie has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Gracie avoids the strikes from Volkov.
Volkov missing with punches from the back.

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.

Gracie manages to get to his feet, escaping the difficult position.
Gracie looks to land a combination but Volkov avoids it well.
Volkov drops his hands momentarily and Gracie takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Gracie keeps the fight on the outside.
Volkov throws a big shot that misses.
Volkov takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Gracie falls off balance throwing a combination

and Volkov counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie blocking the ground and pound attempt from Volkov.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolai Volkov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Volkov swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Gracie counters with a nice uppercut.
A jab lands there for Volkov.
Volkov takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Gracie swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Volkov counters with a left to the body.
Volkov avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Gracie misses with a double jab.
Gracie throws a combination that misses

and Volkov counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Volkov throws a big right hand that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Volkov accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Gracie keeping full guard, as Volkov tries to pass.
Volkov throwing strikes from guard but Gracie blocks nicely.
Gracie knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Volkov on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Volkovis looking to pass into half guard but Gracie pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Gracie is in guard.
Volkov working a defensive guard here.

Gracie stands and steps away. Volkov gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Volkov misses with a body punch
and Gracie counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Gracie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Volkov.
A clash of legs there as Volkov blocks the low kick.
Boston Gracie is winning the standup battle so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Gracie fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gracie misses with a double jab
and Volkov counters with a one-two to the body.
Gracie throws a left and a right that both miss
and Volkov counters with a left to the body.
Volkov gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Gracie counters with a three punch combo that has Volkov backing up. Volkov nods at Gracie to acknowledge the strikes.
Some wild striking there from Volkov.
Gracie rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Volkov moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gracie gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Volkov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Gracie lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Volkov misses with a combination
and Gracie counters with a stiff right hand.
The fighters circling - Volkov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Volkov slips under a jab.
Volkov misses with the combination.
Volkov is trying hard to land a takedown here. Gracie sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Volkov misses with a low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Volkov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gracie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A right-left combo lands from Gracie.
Volkov wants to clinch but Gracie slips to the side
and Gracie counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gracie misses with a combination
and Volkov counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Volkov connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Volkov throws a big shot that misses.
Gracie throws a combination that misses
and Volkov counters with an inside leg kick.
Nice uppercut there from Gracie.
A punch combination from Gracie misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nikolai Volkov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Volkov has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikolai Volkov!