PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vasily Ivanow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and chok rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). rivera has a pretty significant injury - he really shouldn't be fighting right now but he's a warrior and he's here none the less! Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Ivanow
vs
rivera

189 cm
21
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
20
250 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Senzu Beans Inc.

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vasily Ivanow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, chok rivera!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Fedor Mirinova and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
rivera closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ivanow circles away.
rivera looks gassed!

Ivanow bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Ivanow decides to stand back up. Ivanow steps back and let's rivera get back to his feet.

Ivanow drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ivanow has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
rivera keeping moving, preventing Ivanow from controlling successfully.
rivera working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ivanow.
Ivanow wants to control from the top but rivera keeps moving.
rivera utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ivanow with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivanow controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Ivanow throws a big right hand that misses.

rivera is working an open guard so Ivanow takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
chok rivera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ivanow throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by rivera.

It looks like chok rivera has been cut.
Ivanow lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
rivera has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Ivanow scores a takedown into full mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ivanow throws some wild stikes that rivera manages to avoid easily.
Ivanow can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as rivera is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ivanow working for a guillotine from mount but rivera is in no mood to give up.
Ivanow is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. rivera can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanow trying to control but rivera is having none of it.
rivera blocking the ground and pound.
Ivanow unloads with some shots from mount but rivera bucks and avoids them well.
Ivanow throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
rivera wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Ivanow.

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.
Ivanow content just to control the position here.
Ivanow looking to finish rivera with some ground and pound. This is bad for rivera!
Ivanow lands a big elbow.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ivanow sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vasily Ivanow dominated that round.
The cut man is working on chok rivera's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ivanow looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Ivanow moves into the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Ivanow - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Ivanow decides to pull guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Ivanow holds on and takes a little breather.

Ivanow looking for a guillotine here but rivera defends easily.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Ivanow is on top in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
rivera is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivanow lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Ivanow lands a couple of digs.
Ivanow slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

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.

Ivanow gets to his feet - rivera follows without any prompting.
rivera takes a kick to the side of the head.
rivera keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ivanow goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Ivanow looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Ivanow wants to free his trapped foot but rivera is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
rivera wants to get back to his feet.
Ivanow will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
rivera is staying active underneath Ivanow, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ivanow not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
rivera is trying to stand back up but Ivanow is controlling him
rivera is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Ivanow escapes and gets back to his feet.

Ivanow has closed the distance and engaged rivera in a clinch.
Ivanow looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vasily Ivanow. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ivanow escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Ivanow takes the fight into the clinch.

Ivanow has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics rivera uses from the top position.
Ivanow pulls rivera in close to prevent any damage.
Ivanow wants to sweep here but rivera controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vasily Ivanow dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on chok rivera's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

rivera gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Ivanow counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for rivera!
Ivanow tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Ivanow tries to control but rivera wriggling away.
Ivanow working the ground and pound effectively.
Ivanow pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
rivera takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivanow lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Ivanow takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Ivanow has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of rivera's face.
Ivanow landing shots from mount.
Ivanow postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. rivera looks a forlorn figure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ivanow wants to control the pace but rivera is squirming around nicely.
Ivanow scoring with strikes but rivera is staying in there.
rivera holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Ivanow tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Vasily Ivanow overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ivanow wants to control the pace but rivera is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanow throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Ivanow lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Ivanow tries to control but rivera wriggling away.
Ivanow with good strikes from the mount here!
Ivanow lands with some vicious ground and pound - can rivera hang on?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivanow controlling his opponent.
Ivanow raining down shots from the mount!
Poor strikes thrown by Ivanow there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
chok rivera has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Vasily Ivanow is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ivanow sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vasily Ivanow showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ivanow has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:25
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:25
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vasily Ivanow!