PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dennis Burlaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Sikorsky (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Igor Sikorsky is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Burlaka
vs
Sikorsky

187 cm
20
212 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

188 cm
19
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue 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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dennis Burlaka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Igor Sikorsky!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Valeri Chadov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sikorsky shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Burlaka tries to hold on but Sikorsky pushes him away.
Burlaka really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Sikorsky trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Sikorsky throwing strikes here but Burlaka is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Burlaka is working to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sikorsky looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Burlaka tries to lock up and control but Sikorsky gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Sikorsky working for a guillotine from mount but Burlaka is in no mood to give up.
Sikorsky avoids the attempt from Burlaka to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sikorsky throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burlaka is in all sorts of trouble here.
Sikorsky connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

It looks like Dennis Burlaka has been cut.
Burlaka is trying desperately to improve position.
Sikorsky is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Burlaka wants to hold on but Sikorsky pushes him away.
Sikorsky has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burlaka wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Sikorsky.
Sikorsky punishing his opponent with strikes.

Dennis Burlaka's cut is getting worse.
Burlaka can't escape the position.
Burlaka is working hard here to advance position.
Burlaka regains half guard.

Sikorsky looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sikorsky is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Burlaka sees it coming and defends easily.
Burlaka is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Sikorsky dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dennis Burlaka's cut.
That's time! Burlaka's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Sikorsky fails to land the takedown.
Sikorsky shoots for a double leg takedown but Burlaka sprawls well. He's pushed Sikorsky's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Burlaka with a lazy takedown attempt

and Sikorsky counters by clinching up.

Sikorsky breaks the clinch.
Sikorsky shoots in for a takedown but Burlaka shows good takedown defense.
Dennis Burlaka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Igor Sikorsky.
Sikorsky tries for a takedown but Burlaka circles away easily
and Burlaka counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A telegraphed right hand from Burlaka misses the target.
Sikorsky shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Burlaka counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Sikorsky's guard now.

Burlaka drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Sikorsky dives on top into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sikorsky stopping the sweep attempt from Burlaka.
Sikorsky is fighting to break Burlaka's control of his arms but Burlaka is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Sikorsky stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Burlaka swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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.
Sikorsky in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sikorsky trying to control the position from guard on top but Burlaka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Burlaka wants to sweep here but Sikorsky controlling him for the moment.
Sikorsky wants to stand but Burlaka has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Sikorsky pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Burlaka is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sikorsky throwing strikes from guard but Burlaka blocks nicely.
Burlaka keeping moving, preventing Sikorsky from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Igor Sikorsky.
No joy there for Burlaka, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sikorsky throws a right hand that Burlaka ducks under and follows up with a left that Burlaka also avoids with ease.
Sikorsky fails with the takedown

so Burlaka counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Burlaka wants to control from the top but Sikorsky keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Burlaka has gone for a leg lock! Sikorsky slips out almost immediately though and dives into Burlaka's guard.
Sikorsky wants to pass the guard but Burlaka is keeping the position.
Burlaka is trying to keep Sikorsky in close.
Sikorsky won't allow Burlaka to sweep him here.
Burlaka is controlling Sikorsky's posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dennis Burlaka dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dennis Burlaka's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Sikorsky misses with an uppercut. Burlaka saw that one coming.
Burlaka gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Sikorsky counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Sikorsky throws a head kick that misses.
Burlaka doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Sikorsky counters with a takedown into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Burlaka is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Sikorsky seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Burlaka does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Sikorsky controlling the action here.
Burlaka is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sikorsky wants to lay and pray for a moment but Burlaka keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Igor Sikorsky hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Sikorsky clinches but Burlaka breaks the clinch

and Burlaka counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Sikorsky has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Burlaka off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Sikorsky shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Burlaka pinned against the cage. Burlaka gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Burlaka stuffs the takedown attempt from Sikorsky. Sikorsky gets slowly back to his feet.

Sikorsky scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Burlaka controlling the position well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sikorsky is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Nice strikes from Sikorsky there.
Burlaka is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Burlaka looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sikorsky seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Burlaka does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's four 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.
Burlaka trying to control from the bottom.
Burlaka is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Burlaka tries to roll over but Sikorsky keeps him under control.
Sikorsky moves nicely into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Burlaka is not content to let Sikorsky control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Igor Sikorsky comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sikorsky has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Igor Sikorsky!