PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Nik Volkov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikel Skiel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Nik Volkov has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Volkov
vs
Skiel

176 cm
22
140 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

155 cm
27
140 lbs
4 - 3 - 1

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nik Volkov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mikel Skiel!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Igor Prikhodko and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Volkov gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Skiel trying to control but Volkov is working from the bottom.
Skiel loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Volkov has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Skiel can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Skiel stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Volkov swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Skiel with a nice head shot there.

Skiel is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Volkov is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Volkov has escaped and now he's on top!
Skiel preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Skiel keeping moving, preventing Volkov from controlling successfully.
Volkov chips away with some ground and pound.
Skiel is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Skiel pulls Volkov in close to his closed guard and prevents Volkov from doing any damage or advancing position.
Volkov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Skiel is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Skiel trying to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Skiel trying to control the position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Mikel Skiel hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Volkov has his takedown stuffed

and Skiel counters with a takedown into side control.

Skiel goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Volkov has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Skiel but great work by Volkov.

Volkov is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Skiel knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Volkov will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Skiel wants to control but Volkov postures up.
Skiel looks gassed!
Skiel takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skiel stops Volkov from passing to mount.
Volkov lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Skiel is trying to get back to his feet.
Skiel takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Skiel is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Skiel is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Volkov lands an elbow.
Volkov working the ground and pound.
You can see the frustration on Skiel's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Volkov trying to control the action but Skiel is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skiel takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Volkov trying to control the position but Skiel is working away.
Volkov working the ground and pound from side control.
Volkov has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Check out the look on Volkov's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Volkov in side control lands a decent elbow.
Volkov creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Skiel takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nik Volkov dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Volkov has his takedown stuffed

and Skiel counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Skiel.
Skiel trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Volkov controls Skiel momentarily but Skiel frees himself.
Skiel trying to control but Volkov is working from the bottom.
Volkov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Skiel.
Skiel trying to control but Volkov is working from the bottom.
Skiel looking to sit in guard and control but Volkov gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Skiel is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Skiel has momentary wrist control but Volkov slips an elbow through the middle.
Volkov throws a big right hand that misses.
Volkov content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Volkov advances position into side control!
Volkov lands a nice forearm strike.

Volkov tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Skiel holds on to Volkov's head and controls the position momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skiel is not content to let Volkov control the position.
Skiel wants to control but Volkov postures up.
Volkov landing strikes.
Volkov slows the pace down.
Volkov lands a nice forearm strike.
Volkov scores with punches from side control.
Skiel is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skiel is trying to work for a sweep but Volkov has mounted him!
Volkov lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Skiel hang on?
Volkov wants to control the pace but Skiel is squirming around nicely.
Volkov with a couple of short strikes.
Volkov connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A nice elbow there by Volkov.

Volkov working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Volkov has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Skiel's face.
Volkov connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Volkov putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Volkov postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Skiel looks a forlorn figure.
Volkov putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Volkov raining down hammerfists from mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Volkov cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Volkov lands a heavy elbow.
Volkov landing strikes from the mount and Skiel is in trouble!
Skiel wants to hold on but Volkov pushes him away.
Volkov tries to control but Skiel wriggling away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Volkov controlling the position easily from mount.
Volkov working away from the top, dropping strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nik Volkov dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Volkov shoots in looking for a takedown. Skiel tries to sprawl out of it but Volkov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Skiel manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Volkov fails with the takedown

so Skiel counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Skiel postures up.
Volkov pulls Skiel in close to his closed guard and prevents Skiel from doing any damage or advancing position.
Volkov is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Skiel takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Volkov wants to stand up but Skiel is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Nik Volkov.

Volkov gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Volkov avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Skiel postures up.
Volkov seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Volkov is trying to keep Skiel in close.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Skiel working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Volkov preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Skiel landing some decent shots from guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Volkov wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Nik Volkov just wasn't active enough.
Volkov shoots and misses

and Skiel counters with a shoot takedown. Volkov fights it but they end up in guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nik Volkov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Volkov is controlling Skiel's posture.
Skiel trying to move into half guard but instead Volkov has managed to sweep!
Volkov content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Volkov preventing the sweep.
Volkov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Volkov is looking to work some ground and pound but Skiel has wrist control.
Skiel is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Volkov postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Volkov trying to control but Skiel is working from the bottom.
Volkov is in close to Skiel's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Volkov trying to control the position from guard on top but Skiel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Skiel has momentary wrist control but Volkov slips an elbow through the middle.

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.
Volkov trying to control but Skiel is working from the bottom.
Volkov in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Volkov trying to control but Skiel is working from the bottom.
Volkov is pushing down on Skiel's leg trying to pass to half guard. Skiel is fighting to maintain full guard but Volkov has managed to sneak the leg through.
Volkov slips a nice elbow through Skiel's hands, connecting with Skiel's forehead.
Ground and pound from Volkov.
Volkov not doing much here.
Volkov wants to take a breather but Skiel is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mikel Skiel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Volkov 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nik Volkov!