PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Miguel Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Volynkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Volynkin has chosen Ария - Встань, as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Alvarez
vs
Volynkin

180 cm
19
186 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
23
180 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Miguel Alvarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexander Volynkin!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Fedor Mirinova and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvarez misses with the combination.
Alvarez wants to clinch up but Volynkin keeps it at a distance.
Alvarez swinging wildly here.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Volynkin tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Alvarez smiles and moves away.
Alvarez tries to clinch up
and Volynkin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Alvarez stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Alvarez wants it to stay on the feet.
Alvarez tries to clinch but Volynkin moves away

and Volynkin counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Alvarez keeping moving, preventing Volynkin from controlling successfully.
Volynkin throws a big right hand that misses.
Alvarez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Volynkin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez keeping moving, preventing Volynkin from controlling successfully.
Alvarez is looking to stand up but Volynkin isn't so interested in that idea.
Volynkin throwing strikes but missing.
Alvarez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Volynkin is controlling him.
Volynkin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Alvarez works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Volynkin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

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.
Volynkin looking to sit in guard and control but Alvarez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Alvarez wanted to stand there but Volynkin had control of the position.
Alvarez stops Volynkin from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Alvarez stands and steps away. Volynkin gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Alvarez moves into the clinch successfully.
Alvarez is trying to maintain a safe position but Volynkin gets an underhook and turns Alvarez into the cage.
Come on Alvarez - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Alvarez misses with a knee strike.
Alvarez lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Volynkin tries a knee to the head but Alvarez blocks it.
Alvarez presses Volynkin against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Volynkin.
Volynkin looks gassed!
Alvarez connects with a nasty looking knee right to Volynkin's face.
Alvarez lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Alvarez landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Alvarez is pushing Volynkin up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Alvarez misses with a knee strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Miguel Alvarez 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.

Alvarez forces Volynkin back against the cage and clinches.
Alvarez pushes off an throws an elbow but Volynkin leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Alvarez with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Volynkin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Alvarez misses with a knee to the head.
Volynkin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A frustrated look appears on Volynkin's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Alvarez with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Alvarez has Volynkin pressed against the cage, preventing Volynkin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Alvarez trying to stall but Volynkin improves his position.
Alvarez misses with an elbow strike.
Alvarez using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Volynkin has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Alvarez stalling in the clinch but Volynkin improves position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Volynkin misses with some punches.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Alvarez trying to stall but Volynkin improves his position.
Volynkin swings wildly with an uppercut but Alvarez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Alvarez lands a hook that snaps the head of Volynkin backwards.
Volynkin tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Alvarez is fighting off a takedown attempt but Volynkin is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Alvarez to the mat. Alvarez regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Volynkin trying to control but Alvarez is working from the bottom.
Volynkin is looking to work some ground and pound but Alvarez has wrist control.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Volynkin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Volynkin postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Alvarez is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Volynkin, into his guard.

Alvarez stands up from Volynkin's guard - Alvarez perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez is looking to clinch.
Alvarez tries to clinch up.
Alvarez scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
No luck for Volynkin with that takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez tries to clinch up but Volynkin circles away and keeps his distance.
Volynkin takes one on the button.

Alvarez moves into the clinch.
Alvarez with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Alvarez is trying to maintain a safe position but Volynkin gets an underhook and turns Alvarez into the cage.
Alvarez using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Volynkin has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Alvarez with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Volynkin takes a shot to the head.
Alvarez stalling in the clinch but Volynkin improves position.
Alvarez stalling the fight.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Alvarez with a knee to the head.
Volynkin takes a knee right on the jaw!
Alvarez throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Stalling in the clinch from Alvarez.
Alvarez lands a shoulder strike.
A short right from Alvarez on the inside.
Alvarez throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Volynkin tries for a takedown but Alvarez manages to get underhooks.
Miguel Alvarez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Volynkin.
Alvarez pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Alvarez lands a right hand that snaps the head of Volynkin backwards.
Alvarez tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Alvarez looking to stall.
Knees to the body from Alvarez.
Alvarez with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Alvarez lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Volynkin jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Alvarez walks away with a smile on his face. Volynkin gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Alvarez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Alvarez tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Volynkin counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Volynkin.

Volynkin has gone for a leg lock! Alvarez slips out almost immediately though and dives into Volynkin's guard.
Volynkin lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Alvarez!
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 Miguel Alvarez will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Volynkin takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Alvarez tries to clinch up

and Volynkin counters with a nice double leg into side control. Alvarez won't be happy with that.
Alvarez is trying to buck Volynkin off.
Volynkin in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Alvarez is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Volynkin has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Volynkin is trying to get an arm triangle but Alvarez is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Volynkin postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Volynkin working the strikes but Alvarez uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

Alvarez manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Alvarez will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nice takedown defense from Alvarez. No joy for Volynkin on that attempt.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Alvarez just misses with a elbow thrown towards Volynkin's brow.
A short right from Alvarez.
Alvarez tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Alvarez throws a knee to the head but misses.
Alvarez throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Volynkin blocks it with crossed arms.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
A knee to the head by Alvarez.
Volynkin avoiding damage.
Alvarez is trying to stall.

Volynkin pulls guard.

Alvarez stands and steps away. Volynkin gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Volynkin swats away the attempt to clinch by Alvarez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Volynkin tries to keep at a distance but Alvarez has taken the fight into the clinch.
A knee to the head by Alvarez.
Alvarez connects with a knee to the head.
Alvarez works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Alvarez tries a knee to the head but Volynkin blocks it.
Alvarez is stalling here.
Alvarez connects with a nasty looking knee right to Volynkin's face.
Alvarez with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Volynkin tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Alvarez lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Alvarez scores with a shoulder strike.
Alvarez tries a knee to the head but Volynkin blocks it.
Alvarez scores with a nice hook to the head.

Volynkin gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Alvarez keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Alvarez kicks Volynkin off and gets back to his feet.
Volynkin tries to clinch but Alvarez moves away

and Alvarez holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Alvarez - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Alvarez tries a knee to the head but Volynkin blocks it.
Alvarez lands a knee to the head.
Volynkin lands a left hand.
Alvarez with a knee to the head.
Volynkin throws a knee to the head but misses.
Alvarez tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Alvarez tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Volynkin fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Miguel Alvarez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Volynkin.
Alvarez throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Volynkin blocks it with crossed arms.
Volynkin wants a takedown but no success here.
A left hand lands to the body for Alvarez.
Alexander Volynkin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Miguel Alvarez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Alvarez tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Alvarez unloads a knee to the mid-section.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Alexander Volynkin.
I think Alvarez has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Miguel Alvarez!