PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aleksandr Starostenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Billy Bob Hick (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Starostenko
vs
Bob Hick

182 cm
20
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aleksandr Starostenko!
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, Billy Bob Hick!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Aleksandr Martynov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Starostenko tries to close the distance and clinch but Hick swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Starostenko shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Hick makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hick.
Hick has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Starostenko trying to control the position from guard on top but Hick is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hick wants to stand but Starostenko is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hick tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Starostenko knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hick on the ground.
Starostenko trying to control but Hick is working from the bottom.
Hick managing to control the position.
Starostenko wants to control from the top but Hick keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starostenko wants to pass the guard but Hick is keeping the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Starostenko is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hick sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Starostenko swats away the attempt to clinch by Hick.
Hick doesn't manage to clinch there - Starostenko circles away.
Starostenko shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Hick sprawls well. Hick wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Starostenko gets slowly back to his feet.
Starostenko tries to clinch but Hick moves out of range.
Starostenko tries to clinch up.

That's two 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.
Starostenko fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hick avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aleksandr Starostenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Starostenko fails in his attempt to clinch.
Starostenko shoots in but no luck this time.
Starostenko is breathing heavily.
Hick's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Hick duly obliges.
Hick displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Starostenko.

Hick gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Hick tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Starostenko manages to break the clinch.
Starostenko takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Hick uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Starostenko avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hick throws the kick towards the body but Starostenko avoids it.
Starostenko could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Starostenko stuffs the takedown.
Hick has his takedown stuffed

and Starostenko decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hick's guard.
Hick keeping full guard, as Starostenko tries to pass.
Starostenko trying to control but Hick is working from the bottom.
Hick wants to stand and escape but Starostenko is having none of it.

Starostenko gets to his feet. Hick looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Hick shoots in looking for a takedown. Starostenko tries to sprawl out of it but Hick keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Starostenko manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Starostenko fails with the takedown

and Hick counters by moving into the clinch.

Starostenko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Hick closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Starostenko did well to prevent Hick getting side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hick is trying to control the action in half guard but Starostenko is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Starostenko trying to hold on to Hick's head to control him but Hick postures up.
Hick wants to lay and pray for a moment but Starostenko keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksandr Starostenko dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hick circles away from the clinch attempt.

Hick scores with a takedown into Starostenko's guard.
Hick being controlled here momentarily.

Starostenko is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hick wanted to stand there but Starostenko had control of the position.
Hick is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

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.

Starostenko has his foot on Hick's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hick works his way back into a safe position though.
Hickis looking to pass into half guard but Starostenko pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Starostenko is in guard.
Hick keeping moving, preventing Starostenko from controlling successfully.

Starostenko decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hick, up you get!
Hick closes the distance but Starostenko moves to the side

and Starostenko counters with a single leg into guard. Hick didn't expect that.
Hick keeping moving, preventing Starostenko from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starostenko throwing strikes but missing.
Hick is looking to stand up but Starostenko isn't so interested in that idea.
Starostenko has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hick controls Starostenko momentarily but Starostenko frees himself.
Hick pulls Starostenko in to control the position.
Starostenko throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Starostenko trying to stand up but can't free himself from Hick's guard.
Starostenko missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nice sprawl there from Starostenko as Hick shoots in.

That's four 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.
Starostenko tries for a takedown but Hick circles away easily

and Hick decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Starostenko's guard.
Starostenko keeping moving, preventing Hick from controlling successfully.

Starostenko has his foot on Hick's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hick works his way back into a safe position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Aleksandr Starostenko will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Starostenko blocks a head kick by Hick.
Hick looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Hick tries to clinch up but Starostenko circles away and keeps his distance.
Starostenko is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hick misses with a low kick.
Starostenko keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Starostenko gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Hick counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hick stuffs the takedown attempt from Starostenko. Starostenko gets slowly back to his feet.
Starostenko is looking to clinch but Hick is avoiding it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starostenko tries to clinch up
and Hick counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hick tries to clinch up but Starostenko circles away and keeps his distance.
Hick slaps away a takedown attempt from Starostenko, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aleksandr Starostenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fight stays on the outside here - Starostenko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hick throws a head kick but Starostenko moves out of range.
Nice sprawl there from Hick as Starostenko shoots in.
Starostenko is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hick sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's two 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.
Starostenko tries to clinch but Hick moves out of range.
Starostenko tries to clinch up.
Hick wants to clinch but Starostenko slips to the side

and Starostenko counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hick's guard now.
Starostenko missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hick preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Starostenko throws a strike but Hick rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Hick is looking to stand up but Starostenko won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hick missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hick wants to pass the guard but Starostenko is keeping the position.
Hick wants to control from the top but Starostenko keeps moving.
Hick throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hick fails with a takedown attempt.
Starostenko fails with the takedown.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hick looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Starostenko is looking to clinch but Hick is avoiding it.
Aleksandr Starostenko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hick fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Starostenko avoids it really well and circles away.
Billy Bob Hick has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Aleksandr Starostenko is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Starostenko drives through and clinches with Hick against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aleksandr Starostenko showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Starostenko, 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:28
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aleksandr Starostenko!