PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Choco Martin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maxim Ivanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Martin
vs
Ivanov

189 cm
25
213 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

189 cm
25
215 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Choco Martin!
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, Maxim Ivanov!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Aleksandr Martynov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Martin closes the distance and clinches.
Martin lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Ivanov breaks from the clinch.
Ivanov throws a leg kick but Martin checks it.

Martin instigates a clinch.
Martin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ivanov.
Martin pushes off an throws an elbow but Ivanov leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Martin takes a knee right on the jaw!

Martin breaks the clinch.
A nice inside leg kick there by Ivanov. That's going to slow Martin down.

Martin has closed the distance and engaged Ivanov in a clinch.
Martin is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Ivanov is defending well for now.
Martin is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Ivanov is defending well for now.
Martin pushes off an throws an elbow but Ivanov leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Martin working hard to break the clinch.

Martin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ivanov misses with a low kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Ivanov moves into the clinch.
Martin pushes off an throws an elbow but Ivanov leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Ivanov avoids a wild elbow strike from Martin.
Martin tries a knee to the head but Ivanov blocks it.

Ivanov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Martin with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Martin is looking to land body kicks.

Ivanov gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Martin throws an elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivanov lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Ivanov dodges an elbow strike from Martin.
Ivanov looking to throw knees to the head but Martin is blocking nicely.

Martin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Martin moves into the clinch.

Martin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Martin closes the distance and pushes Ivanov back into the cage.
Martin blocks an elbow strike.
Ivanov with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A frustrated look appears on Ivanov's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Martin blocks an elbow strike.
Martin pushes off an throws an elbow but Ivanov leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Martin breaks the clinch.

Martin has closed the distance and engaged Ivanov in a clinch.
Ivanov lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Ivanov breaks from the clinch.
Martin throws a solid leg kick but Ivanov takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Martin.

Ivanov closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ivanov with a knee to the head.
Martin trying to land knees to the body.
Martin lands a damaging elbow.
Ivanov lands an elbow just above Martin 's eye.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov managing to block the knees to the body from Martin.
Martin with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Ivanov connects with a knee to the head.

Ivanov manages to break the clinch.

Martin rushes Ivanov and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Martin just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ivanov's brow.

Ivanov breaks the clinch.

Martin rushes Ivanov and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Ivanov misses with a knee strike.

Ivanov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ivanov fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Martin checks it well.

Ivanov closes the distance and pushes Martin back into the cage.
Ivanov avoiding damage as Martin throws knees to the body.
Martin throws an elbow that misses.
Ivanov is trying to break free.
Ivanov wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Martin creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Ivanov throws a knee to the head but misses.
Martin pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Ivanov avoids a wild elbow strike from Martin.
Ivanov tries to throw a body punch but Martin avoids it by throwing Ivanov back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov tries to land knees in the clinch but Martin avoids the damage to the body.
Ivanov with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Martin throws an elbow that misses.
Ivanov misses with a knee strike.
Martin throws an elbow but it misses.
Ivanov tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ivanov landing knees to the head.
Ivanov managing to block the knees to the body from Martin.
Ivanov avoids a wild elbow strike from Martin.
Martin wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Martin missing with knees to the body.
Ivanov has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Martin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Ivanov rushes Martin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Ivanov creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Martin avoids the elbow strike from Ivanov, against the cage.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Ivanov obliges.

Martin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Martin has managed to clinch.
Martin creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ivanov with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov missing with knees to the body.

Martin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Martin lands a leg kick that knocks Ivanov off balance momentarily.

Martin has closed the distance and engaged Ivanov in a clinch.
Martin wants to get back to striking at distance but Ivanov won't allow it.
Ivanov dodges an elbow strike from Martin.
Martin looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Ivanov dodges an elbow strike from Martin.
Martin lands an elbow inside that Ivanov shrugs off.
Martin blocks a body shot from Ivanov.
Ivanov misses with a knee to the head.
Martin misses with a knee strike.
A frustrated look appears on Martin's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ivanov blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Ivanov manages to break the clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ivanov throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

Ivanov pushes Martin up against the cage in a clinch.
Martin is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Ivanov is defending well for now.
Martin looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Martin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
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 Choco Martin will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Martin lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

Martin darts in and clinches Ivanov up against the cage.
Ivanov misses with an elbow strike.
Ivanov tries to land a knee to the head but Martin blocks with his arms.
Ivanov lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Martin throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Ivanov is leaning against Martin and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Ivanov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ivanov tries a knee to the head but Martin blocks it.

Martin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Martin clinches with his opponent.

Ivanov breaks from the clinch.
Good work by Ivanov as he checks the leg kick.

Martin drives through and clinches with Ivanov against the cage.

Ivanov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ivanov has managed to clinch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Ivanov lands a nice knee to the body.
Ivanov looking to throw knees to the head but Martin is blocking nicely.

Martin breaks from the clinch.
Ivanov misses with a kick to the body.

Martin drives through and clinches with Ivanov against the cage.
Ivanov blocks the elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Martin breaks from the clinch.

Ivanov moves into the clinch.
Martin throws an elbow but it misses.
Martin lands an elbow inside.
Ivanov crunches a lovely knee into Martin's ribcage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ivanov tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ivanov lands a nice uppercut.
Ivanov keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Martin's efforts to push away.
Ivanov lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Martin tries to circle away but Ivanov has him pinned against the cage.
Martin takes a knee right on the jaw!

Ivanov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Ivanov has managed to clinch.
Martin throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Ivanov tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Martin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Martin blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
With the fighters up against the cage, Martin throws an elbow but misses.
Martin pushes off an throws an elbow but Ivanov leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Martin is trying to break the clinch but Ivanov is controlling him.
Ivanov blocks an elbow strike from Martin.
Ivanov wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Martin has him pressed against the cage.
Ivanov with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ivanov misses with a punch to the body.
Ivanov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Martin pushes off an throws an elbow but Ivanov leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Martin creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Ivanov's defenses.
Ivanov tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Ivanov breaks the clinch.
Martin looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Ivanov has managed to clinch.
Ivanov lands a knee to the head.
Martin pushes off an throws an elbow but Ivanov leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Martin lands a damaging elbow.
Ivanov pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Ivanov avoids a wild elbow strike from Martin.
Martin has Ivanov pressed against the cage, preventing Ivanov from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Ivanov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov misses with a head kick.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Ivanov closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Ivanov avoids the elbow strike from Martin, against the cage.
Ivanov tries a knee to the head but Martin blocks it.
Ivanov managing to block the knees to the body from Martin.
Ivanov looking to throw knees to the head but Martin is blocking nicely.
Ivanov swings wildly with an uppercut but Martin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ivanov is trying to break the clinch but Martin is controlling him.

Martin breaks from the clinch.
Ivanov misses with a low kick.
Ivanov tried to score with a low kick but Martin checks it.

Martin fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ivanov, pushing him back against the cage.
Martin pushes off an throws an elbow but Ivanov leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Ivanov throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Ivanov blocks the elbow strike.
Martin throws a knee to the head but misses.
Martin misses with a knee strike.
Martin trying to land knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov unloads a knee to the mid-section. Martin lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Martin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Good work by Martin as he checks the leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Ivanov darts in and clinches Martin up against the cage.
Martin throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Martin creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Martin gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Ivanov throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Martins head.
Martin looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Martin is trying to break the clinch but Ivanov has him pressed against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Martin throws an elbow but misses.
Ivanov lands a nice knee to the body.
Ivanov gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Ivanov with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Ivanov breaks from the clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Ivanov gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Martin avoiding damage as Ivanov throws knees to the body.
Ivanov with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ivanov misses with a punch on the inside.

Martin manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maxim Ivanov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Martin uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Ivanov.

Martin takes the fight into the clinch.
Ivanov looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Ivanov avoids a wild elbow strike from Martin.
Ivanov blocks the elbow strike.
Martin looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Martin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ivanov.
Ivanov is trying to break the clinch but Martin has him pressed against the cage.
Martin throws an elbow that misses.
Martin misses with a knee strike.
Ivanov misses with a short punch on the inside.
Martin pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Martin gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Ivanov misses with the head strike.
Martin pushes off an throws an elbow but Ivanov leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Martin just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ivanov's brow.
Ivanov lands a damaging elbow.
Ivanov wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ivanov dodges an elbow strike from Martin.

Martin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Martin fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ivanov, pushing him back against the cage.
Good body shot from Ivanov.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Martin takes a knee to the side of the body.
Martin wants to break free but Ivanov has control.

Ivanov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Ivanov clinches up against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Martin just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ivanov's brow.
Ivanov throws a punch but it's blocked by Martin.
Martin is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Ivanov is defending well for now.
Maxim Ivanov seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Ivanov tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Ivanov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Martin fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ivanov, pushing him back against the cage.
Ivanov working some nice short punches in the clinch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Martin tries to break the clinch but Ivanov is controlling the position.
Ivanov misses with a knee to the head.
Ivanov with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Ivanov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Martin on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Ivanov. Ivanov obviously looking to wear him down.

Ivanov closes the distance and clinches.
Good body shot from Ivanov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin is trying to force a seperation but Ivanov has the dominant position.
Ivanov avoids the elbow strike from Martin, against the cage.
Martin blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Martin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Martin creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Ivanov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ivanov forces Martin back against the cage and clinches.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Martin just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ivanov's brow.
Ivanov landing knees to the head.
Ivanov tries a body shot but Martin blocks it.
Martin lands a damaging elbow.
Ivanov misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ivanov throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Ivanov tries to work over Martin's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Martin keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ivanov's efforts to push away.

Ivanov breaks the clinch.

Martin moves into the clinch successfully.
Ivanov has had enough of the clinch but Martin keeps him there for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Martin blocks the elbow strike.
Martin avoiding damage as Ivanov throws knees to the body.
Ivanov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Martin breaks from the clinch.

Martin has managed to clinch.
Martin lands a nice elbow.
Martin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Ivanov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ivanov lands a front kick.

Ivanov clinches with his opponent.
Ivanov is trying to force a seperation but Martin has the dominant position.
Ivanov with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Ivanov tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Martin breaks from the clinch.

Martin rushes Ivanov and presses him up against the cage.
Martin blocks a body shot from Ivanov.

Ivanov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Martin closes the distance and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A head punch on the inside from Ivanov fails to land.
Ivanov scores with a knee to the head.
Ivanov misses with an elbow over the top.

Martin breaks from the clinch.
An inside leg kick from Ivanov misses.

Martin has Ivanov up against the cage in a clinch.

Martin breaks the clinch.
Ivanov takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Martin moves out of range of the leg kick from Ivanov.

Ivanov moves into the clinch successfully.
Martin throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Martin throws an elbow but it misses.
Ivanov is trying to break the clinch but Martin is controlling him.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ivanov blocks an elbow strike from Martin.

Martin breaks the clinch.

Martin gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Martin wants to get back to striking at distance but Ivanov won't allow it.
Martin dodges an elbow strike from Ivanov.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Maxim Ivanov.
I think Ivanov 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maxim Ivanov!