PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Dragunov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matthew Janice (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dragunov's entrance music is Respirar você - Capital Inicial. A fine choice. Matthew Janice will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Dragunov
vs
Janice

188 cm
29
278 lbs
13 - 9 - 0

185 cm
22
257 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
World class MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ivan Dragunov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Matthew Janice!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Tarja Halkonen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dragunov swats away the attempt to clinch by Janice.
Dragunov checks a low kick from Janice.
Janice tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Janice ducks under a wild hook from Dragunov.
Janice misses with a hook.
A jab from Janice does it's job there.
Matthew Janice seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dragunov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Dragunov misses with an uppercut. Janice saw that one coming.
Dragunov on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Janice tries to close the distance and clinch up but Dragunov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Janice bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Janice.
Janice slips under a jab.
Dragunov takes a swing at Janice's ribcage but misses.
Janice lands with a kick to the temple. Dragunov shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Dragunov looks to score with a jab to the body but Janice is just out of range.
Janice tries to clinch there but Dragunov circles away.

Janice instigates a clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dragunov blocks an elbow strike from Janice.
Janice lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dragunov using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Janice has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Dragunov lands a body shot.
Janice using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Dragunov has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Janice pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Dragunov scores with a nice hook to the head.
Dragunov working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Janice tries to land a knee to the head but Dragunov blocks with his arms.
Dragunov lands a body punch.
Dragunov wants to break the clinch but can't.
Dragunov lands a right hand.
Janice lands an elbow inside that Dragunov shrugs off.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dragunov tries to throw a body punch but Janice avoids it by throwing Dragunov back against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Dragunov scores with a nice short uppercut.
Janice looks gassed!
Dragunov takes an elbow to the forehead.
Janice misses with an elbow strike.

Dragunov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dragunov tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Matthew Janice is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Dragunov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Janice swivels and escapes.
Dragunov connects with a body shot that sends Janice's belly button to the back.
Janice moves in looking to clinch but Dragunov pushes him off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dragunov looks to throw the jab but Janice is out of range.
Janice takes one to the side of the head.
A lazy left from Dragunov finds it's target.
Janice tries to clinch up.
No joy there for Dragunov, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Dragunov feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Dragunov drops back, looking for a kneebar! Janice looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Janice looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Janice!

Dragunov explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!

Dragunov feints and as Janice raises his hands in defense, Dragunov changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Dragunov lands a couple of elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dragunov not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Janice really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Dragunov. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Janice keeping moving, preventing Dragunov from controlling successfully.
Dragunov seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Janice working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Dragunov.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dragunov lands a couple of digs.
Janice keeping moving, preventing Dragunov from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Ivan Dragunov just wasn't active enough.
Janice displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Dragunov.
Janice throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Dragunov circles away from the clinch attempt.
Janice thuds his shin into the meat of Dragunov's side.
Janice closes the distance looking to clinch
and Dragunov counters with a stiff right hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Janice tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Janice.
Janice avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Janice wants to clinch up but Dragunov keeps it at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Dragunov dominated that round.
That's time! Dragunov's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Dragunov misses with a body shot.
Janice misses with a head kick.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Janice.
Dragunov misses with an uppercut. Janice saw that one coming.
Dragunov scores with a hook.
Janice connects with a high kick.
Janice wants to clinch up but Dragunov keeps it at a distance.
Janice doesn't manage to clinch there - Dragunov circles away.
Janice fails in his attempt to clinch.
Janice tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Dragunov misses with a two punch combination.
Janice fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Janice looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Janice tries to clinch
and Dragunov counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
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!
Janice doesn't manage to clinch there - Dragunov circles away.
Janice tries to close the distance and clinch but Dragunov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Janice tries to clinch
and Janice takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Janice is breathing heavily.
Janice keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Dragunov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Janice wants to clinch up but Dragunov keeps it at a distance.
Janice stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Janice wants it to stay on the feet.
Janice throws a sloppy head kick and Dragunov moves out of range easily.
Dragunov blocks the body kick.
Dragunov throws a big shot that misses.
Janice throws a sloppy head kick and Dragunov moves out of range easily.
Dragunov slips under a jab.
Janice throws a head kick that misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Janice looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Dragunov pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Janice moves to clinch but Dragunov breaks away
and Dragunov counters with a big right hand! Oh Janice is in trouble here! Dragunov follows up with more strikes and that's it! The ref has stopped it!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:48 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ivan Dragunov!