PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Yuri Sichev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jack Johnson will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Sichev
vs
Johnson

207 cm
18
215 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

184 cm
22
210 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Yuri Sichev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jack Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Aleksandr Martynov and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sichev tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Johnson swivels and escapes.
Sichev fails to land the takedown.
Yuri Sichev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Johnson lands a two punch combo.
Sichev misses with a combination

and Johnson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Sichev's guard.
Johnson won't allow Sichev to get back to his feet.
Sichev keeping full guard, as Johnson tries to pass.
Sichev pulls Johnson in close to prevent any damage.
Sichev trying to keep a closed guard but Johnson is proving a slippery customer.
Johnson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sichev is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sichev keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.

Johnson drops back, looking for a kneebar! Sichev looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Sichev looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Sichev!
Sichev will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Sichev decides to stand back up.
Johnson doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Sichev counters with a nice double leg into side control. Johnson won't be happy with that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee asks Sichev politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Sichev prefers to stall for the moment though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson trying his best to control but Sichev has mounted him.
Sichev controlling the position easily from mount.
Sichev has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Sichev.

It looks like Jack Johnson has been cut.
Sichev controlling the pace for now.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sichev seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Johnson for as long as he can get away with.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Yuri Sichev just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Sichev tries to clinch up
and Johnson counters with a one-two to the body.
Sichev throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Johnson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Johnson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuri Sichev dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jack Johnson's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Johnson darts in and clinches Sichev up against the cage.
Johnson tries to break the clinch but Sichev is controlling the position.
With the fighters up against the cage, Johnson throws an elbow but misses.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Sichev won't allow it.
Sichev fails to pull guard.
Johnson tries to score a body lock takedown but Sichev shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Johnson tries for a takedown. No joy.
Yuri Sichev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jack Johnson.
Sichev is looking to break free of the clinch but Johnson has double underhooks.
Johnson tries for a takedown. No joy.
Sichev prevents a takedown attempt there.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Sichev trying to stall but Johnson improves his position.
Sichev slows down the pace here.

Sichev breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Johnson is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson has his takedown stuffed

and Sichev counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sichev.
Sichev lands a couple of elbows.

Johnson looking for subs off his back but Sichev has passed one foot through into half guard.
Johnson is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Sichev jumps into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sichev in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Sichev advances to full mount.
Sichev scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sichev in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Sichev putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Sichev controlling the position easily from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sichev breaks from Johnson's wrist control and lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuri Sichev dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jack Johnson's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Sichev tries to clinch up.

Sichev decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Sichev looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Sichev keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Sichev scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Sichev is taking a breather. Johnson says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Johnson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Johnson is trying to control but Sichev passes into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sichev taking a breather here.

Sichev decides to stand up, so the ref orders Johnson to his feet.
Sichev closes the distance looking to clinch
and Johnson counters with a lovely straight right hand!

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.
Sichev shoots in but no luck this time.
Johnson misses with a takedown

and Sichev counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Sichev works his foot free and advances to mount.
Sichev looking to control and managing it successfully.
Yuri Sichev overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sichev with a couple of short strikes.
Sichev controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Yuri Sichev just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
A head kick by Sichev misses

and Johnson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Sichev's guard.

Sichev has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Johnson off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Johnson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sichev.
Sichev shoots in for a takedown but Johnson shows good takedown defense.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yuri Sichev showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sichev, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yuri Sichev!