PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steve Austin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexandr Vatin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Austin
vs
Vatin

192 cm
28
245 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

187 cm
27
220 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Steve Austin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexandr Vatin!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Sergei Dronov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Vatin.
Austin swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Vatin throws a head kick that misses.
A combination from Austin does no damage.
Austin fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Alexandr Vatin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Vatin lets loose with a powerful body kick. Austin will feel that in the morning.
Vatin slips a jab from Austin.
Vatin tries to bum rush Austin with a series of wild strikes but Austin uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Austin moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Vatin throws a good cross that connects.
Austin missing with a left hand there. Vatin was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Vatin lands a lovely overhand right.
Austin throws a right and a left that Vatin avoids nicely.
Vatin connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Austin scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

Vatin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Vatin blocks the elbow strike.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Vatin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Austin blocks it with crossed arms.
Vatin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Austin blocks it with crossed arms.
Vatin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Vatin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Vatin connects with a nasty looking knee right to Austin's face.

It looks like Steve Austin has been cut.
Austin just leaning against Vatin, taking a breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vatin takes a shot to the head.

Austin wants the takedown. Vatin is fighting it off but Austin persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Vatin's guard against the cage.
Vatin is controlling Austin's posture.
Austin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Vatin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Vatin looking to control.

Vatin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Austin gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Austin gets to his feet. Vatin looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Vatin gets a clinch.
Vatin tries to stall but Austin uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Vatin scores with a hook to the body.
Austin is breathing heavily.
Vatin is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Austin managing to block the knees to the body from Vatin.
Vatin is trying to stall.
Vatin blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vatin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Vatin obliges.
Austin blocks an elbow strike.
Vatin's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Vatin continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Austin tries to land a knee to the head but Vatin blocks with his arms.
Vatin tries to stall but Austin uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Alexandr Vatin.
Vatin with a nice cross.
Vatin misses with a two punch combination.

Austin gets a clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Austin digs a right hand into Vatin's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Vatin's gas tank.
Vatin misses with a knee strike.
Vatin is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Austin throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Vatin blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Vatin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Austin.
A hook to the body from Austin.
Vatin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Austin.
Vatin misses with a knee strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Austin scores with a shoulder strike.
Austin is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Vatin is defending well for now.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Austin lands with a left to the head.

Austin has clasped his hands together around Vatin's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vatin gets back to half guard.
Austin passes to side control.
Austin cracks Vatin with a big right hand but Vatin just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Vatin is looking for a sweep.
Austin throws a strike aimed at the side of Vatin's head but Vatin avoids it well.
Vatin is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Austin's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Vatin is trying to maintain the position but Austin is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Austin escapes and gets back to his feet.
Vatin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Austin moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Vatin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Austin connects with a body shot.
Alexandr Vatin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Vatin tries to keep at a distance but Austin has taken the fight into the clinch.
Austin blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Austin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Vatin prevents the takedown attempt.
Austin goes for a takedown attempt but Vatin pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Vatin throws a head kick but Austin moves out of range.
Austin lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Vatin backs up against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vatin buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Austin throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Vatin on the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Vatin throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Vatin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Austin.
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 Steve Austin will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Steve Austin's cut.
That's time! Austin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Some wild striking there from Austin.

Vatin instigates a clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Vatin misses with a hook to the ribs.
Austin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Vatin.
Vatin blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Vatin looking to slow down the pace here.
Austin lands a right hand that snaps the head of Vatin backwards.
Austin tries a body shot but Vatin blocks it.
Vatin wants to stall.
Austin lands a right hand that snaps the head of Vatin backwards.
Austin scores with a hook to the body.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Vatin creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Austin fails to land.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Vatin wants to stall.
The referee calls for Vatin to work.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Austin as Vatin tries to tie him up.
Austin drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Vatin gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vatin blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Vatin avoids a wild elbow strike from Austin.
Austin fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Austin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Austin blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Austin.
Vatin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Vatin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Vatin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Austin blocks it with crossed arms.
Vatin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Austin blocks it with crossed arms.

Austin successfully pulls guard.
Vatin throwing strikes from guard but Austin blocks nicely.
Vatin postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Vatin trying to control the position from guard on top but Austin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Vatin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Vatin trying to control the position from guard on top but Austin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.

Austin working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Vatin doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Vatin manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Austin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Austin pulls Vatin in close to his closed guard and prevents Vatin from doing any damage or advancing position.
Vatin wants to control from the top but Austin keeps moving.
Austin bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Vatin's guard.
Austin trying to control but Vatin is working from the bottom.
Vatin wants to stand up but Austin is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Austin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Vatin has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Austin has managed to get both his arms back between Vatin's legs - danger averted.
Vatin looking for a sweep. Not yet Vatin, not yet.
Vatin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Austin is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Austin pushes down on Vatin's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Austin stalling.

Austin is trying to work for a kimura but Vatin is defending well.
Austin not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vatin slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Austin lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Vatin trying to keep a closed guard but Austin is proving a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Austin wants to control from the top but Vatin keeps moving.
Austin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Austin landing with the ground and pound.
Vatin is trying to control the position but Austin postures up.

Austin stands up from Vatin's guard - Austin perhaps looking for a knockout.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Austin dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Steve Austin's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Vatin lands a glancing blow to the side of Austin's head.

Austin moves into range and clinches up with Vatin.
Vatin is trying to maintain a safe position but Austin gets an underhook and turns Vatin into the cage.
Austin lands a right hand that snaps the head of Vatin backwards.
Austin misses with a body punch.
Vatin misses with a knee strike.
Austin fails to pull guard.
Vatin lands a knee to the head.
Austin goes for a takedown in the clinch but Vatin prevents it.
Vatin tries to land a knee to the head but Austin blocks with his arms.
Austin lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Austin can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Austin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Austin lands with a light punch inside.
Vatin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Austin managing to block the knees to the body from Vatin.
Austin working aggressively here.
Austin throws a punch but it's blocked by Vatin.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Vatin tries to land a knee to the head but Austin blocks with his arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vatin manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Austin looking to throw knees to the head but Vatin is blocking nicely.
Austin is working for takedown but Vatin is calmly controlling the position for now.
Vatin landing knees to the head.
Vatin putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Austin in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Vatin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Vatin throws an elbow but it's blocked.
A short right from Vatin on the inside.
Vatin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Vatin trying to control the position but instead, Austin has worked for underhooks and has pushed Vatin into the cage.
Vatin blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Austin drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Austin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Vatin landing knees to the head.
Austin tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vatin avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vatin scores a nice knee to the body.
Vatin trying to control the position but instead, Austin has worked for underhooks and has pushed Vatin into the cage.
Vatin lands a body shot.
Vatin cracks Austin with a nice body shot.
Vatin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Vatin is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Austin is keeping busy.
Austin works on Vatin's body with a couple of short punches.
Austin is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Vatin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Austin looking to stall.
Vatin is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Austin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Austin has a couple of punches blocked by Vatin.
Vatin blocks an elbow strike from Austin.
Austin drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Vatin gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Austin is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vatin is looking to control Austin's arms but Austin gets an underhook and turns him. Now Vatin has his back to the cage.
Austin is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Vatin pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Austin doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Vatin wants to stall.
Austin misses with a punch to the body.
Vatin is trying to stall.
Austin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Vatin looking to throw knees to the head but Austin is blocking nicely.
Vatin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Austin.
Vatin trying to control the position but instead, Austin has worked for underhooks and has pushed Vatin into the cage.
Austin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Austin working aggressively here.
Vatin lands an uppercut.
Vatin with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Vatin's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Vatin tries a body shot but Austin blocks it.
Austin is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Vatin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Alexandr Vatin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Vatin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Austin blocks it with crossed arms.

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.
Vatin misses with a knee strike.
Vatin is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Austin tries for a takedown. No joy.
A bit of stalling here from Vatin.
Austin lands a hook that snaps the head of Vatin backwards.
Austin has Vatin pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Vatin manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Vatin takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Austin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Vatin is fighting off a takedown attempt but Austin is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Vatin to the mat. Vatin regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Austin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Vatin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Vatin is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Austin is controlling him.
Austin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Vatin wants to improve his position but instead Austin has moved into half guard.
Steve Austin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Austin winds up and cracks Vatin with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Alexandr Vatin.
I think Austin 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Austin!