PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ej Tap (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aleksey Ivanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tap's entrance music is Pop Lock and Drop It. A fine choice. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Tap
vs
Ivanov

170 cm
30
180 lbs
15 - 12 - 0

180 cm
23
173 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

ADCC Champion
Good kicks
Powerful

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 15 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ej Tap!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Aleksey Ivanov!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Alec Ball and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ivanov misses with a wild body shot.
Tap takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Tap on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Tap fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ivanov manages to avoid it.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Tap.
Ivanov wants to control but Tap postures up.
An elbow from Tap crashes against the mat.
Ivanov is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Tap is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Ivanov tries to hold on but Tap pushes him away.
Tap thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tap controlling the position easily from mount.
Ivanov tries to hold on but Tap postures up.
Ivanov holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Tap tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tap throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Ivanov because Tap loaded up on that one.
Ivanov wants to control but Tap is having none of it.

Tap goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Ivanov turns into him and now he's in Tap's guard.
Ivanov trying to control but Tap is working from the bottom.
Ivanov won't allow Tap to sweep him here.
Ivanov trying to control but Tap is working from the bottom.

Tap is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ivanov is aware though and is defending well.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Ivanov wants to control from the top but Tap keeps moving.
Ivanov passes into half guard.
Ivanov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tap trying to hold on to Ivanov's head to control him but Ivanov postures up.

Ivanov is looking for a kimura here.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Tap is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ivanov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Ivanov scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Tap wants to improve his position but Ivanov is controlling well.
Tap is looking to control Ivanov's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Tap avoid being mounted?
Tap wants to get back to full guard but Ivanov has mounted him!
Ivanov landing punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov lands a heavy elbow.

Ivanov moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Tap has worked his arm free - good work by Tap!
Tap tries to bench press Ivanov off him but Ivanov keeps the position.
You can see the frustration on Tap's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Ivanov in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Tap takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

Ivanov is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Tap has escaped the position, nice work there.
Ivanov working the body and head with strikes.
Ivanov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ivanov connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Tap some visible discomfort.
Tap is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Ivanov lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Tap gets back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tap has momentary wrist control but Ivanov slips an elbow through the middle.

Tap throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

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

Tap is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Tap is breathing heavily.

Ivanov working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Tap doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Tap manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Ivanov looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksey Ivanov dominated that round.
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.

Ivanov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tap moves away.

Tap gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Ivanov is pushing down on Tap's leg trying to pass to half guard. Tap is fighting to maintain full guard but Ivanov has managed to sneak the leg through.
Ivanov trying to control from half guard but Tap is working away.
Aleksey Ivanov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ivanov is nestled in close to Tap, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Ivanov scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Ivanov is looking for a kimura but Tap is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Ivanov to get the leverage.
Ivanov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tap keeps working.
Ivanov is thwarting Tap's attempts to control the position.
Ivanov is trying to control the action in half guard but Tap is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ivanov uses his free foot to push down on Tap's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Tap.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ivanov wants to finish this one by submission but Tap is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Ivanov.

Ivanov looking to secure an arm triangle but Tap defends it well.
Tap manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Tap is looking for a sweep. Ivanov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Ivanov is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Tap wants to control the action here but instead Ivanov manages to pass to full mount!
Ivanov with shots to the head and body - Tap looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ivanov jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Tap manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Tap is trying to get back to half guard.
Ivanov works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Ivanov looks up at the clock and then as Tap takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Ivanov smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ivanov working the head with strikes.

Ivanov has hold of Tap's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Tap seems comfortable defending it but Ivanov has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Tap is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Tap is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Ivanov couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:37 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Aleksey Ivanov!