PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Ho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Kovalev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Ho
vs
Kovalev

180 cm
21
184 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

180 cm
22
180 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Balco Boys - Hilo
Balco Boys Battle Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ricky Ho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ivan Kovalev!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ho tests Kovalev's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Kovalev misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Kovalev dives in and grabs Ho's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ho pushes down on Kovalev's head and hops out.
Ho throws a right and a left that both miss.
Kovalev shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ho as he jumps to the side.
Ricky Ho has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Kovalev.
Kovalev takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Ho swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Kovalev feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Kovalev slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Ho bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kovalev's guard.

Kovalev is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ho defends well.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Ho engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kovalev is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ho is aware though and is defending well.

Kovalev is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Kovalev had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ho defends it easily.

Kovalev is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ho is aware though and is defending well.
Ho showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Ho avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ho pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kovalev is keeping the position for now.
Ho throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Kovalev had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ho defends it easily.
Kovalev can't keep his opponent in guard - Ho advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Kovalev looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Ho pushes past his half guard into mount!
Kovalev is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ho trying to control but Kovalev is having none of it.
Kovalev can't escape the position.
Kovalev is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

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.
Kovalev bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Kovalev trying to control the position from guard on top but Ho is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ho is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Kovalev is controlling him.
Ho being controlled here, momentarily.
Ho is pulling down on Kovalev's head to control his posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ivan Kovalev will probably get the nod.
That's time! Ho's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Ho misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ho with a hook.
Kovalev moves out of range of the body kick from Ho.
Ho moves out of range of the strikes.

Kovalev drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Kovalev is stalling in the full guard.
Kovalev wants to control from the top but Ho keeps moving.

Kovalev drops back, looking for a kneebar! Ho looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Ho looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Ho!
Kovalev tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Ho presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ho takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kovalev sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Kovalev is trying to get back to full guard.

Kovalev is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ho pulls his head out easily.

Kovalev looking for submissions off his back.
Ho is taking a breather. Kovalev 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.

That's two 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.
Ho is looking to advance position but Kovalev won't allow it.

Kovalev is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ho pulls his head out easily.
Kovalev is looking to improve his position.

Kovalev looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ho is looking to advance position but Kovalev won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kovalev looking for submissions off his back.

Kovalev looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Kovalev is breathing heavily.

Ho moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Kovalev.
Ho trying to control the position but Kovalev is working away.
Kovalev is looking to reverse the position.

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.
Ho gets to mount! Kovalev was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Ho looking to control but Kovalev is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Kovalev is wriggling around trying to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
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 Ricky Ho will probably get the nod.
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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Kovalev shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Ho but Ho pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ho fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ho throws a series of strikes that have Kovalev backpedaling.

Kovalev looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Ho!
Kovalev can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ho is looking to escape.
Ho tries to hold on but Kovalev pushes him away.

Kovalev with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

Kovalev is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Ho has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Ho!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kovalev looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Kovalev is looking for a triangle but Ho pushes his legs off easily.

Kovalev has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ho can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Kovalev had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ho defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Kovalev looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Ho has picked Kovalev up and slammed him! Kovalev can't keep hold of the triangle and Ho manages to pass to side control!
Kovalev is trying to improve his position.
Kovalev looks to move to half guard but instead Ho has passed into mount! Damn!
Kovalev is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kovalev is squirming around, avoiding Ho's attempts to control the action.
Kovalev is looking to improve his position but Ho isn't that keen on the idea.
Ho can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kovalev is looking to escape.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Kovalev sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's four 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.
Kovalev tries to roll over but Ho keeps him under control.

We're going to have a standup here because Ricky Ho wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Kovalev closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Ho quickly recovers to half guard.

Kovalev is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Kovalev is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Kovalev 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.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ivan Kovalev comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kovalev 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight for Ivan Kovalev!
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight for Ivan Kovalev!
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight for Ivan Kovalev!

Ivan Kovalev wins by unanimous decision!