PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vlad Vodka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Poddubny (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Vodka might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Alcohol. Poddubny is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Champion Of The Champions. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Vodka
vs
Poddubny

190 cm
21
275 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

185 cm
20
275 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Experienced

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Good gas tank

Kobra Clothing Inc.

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vlad Vodka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Poddubny!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Vladimir Khabensky and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Poddubny drives through with a takedown into Vodka's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Vodka keeping moving, preventing Poddubny from controlling successfully.
Poddubny trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Poddubny trying to control the position from guard on top but Vodka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Poddubny throwing strikes but missing.
Poddubny slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Ivan Poddubny hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Poddubny throws a wild body kick that Vodka sees coming a mile off.
Poddubny tries to clinch but Vodka moves out of range.
Poddubny moves in looking to clinch but Vodka pushes him off.

Poddubny manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Vodka on his heels. He'll look to pass Vodka's guard now, I'm sure.
Poddubny trying to control the position from guard on top but Vodka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Vodka kicks Poddubny off and gets to his feet.
Poddubny wants to clinch up but Vodka keeps it at a distance.

Poddubny closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Vodka did well to prevent Poddubny getting side control.
Poddubny has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Poddubny throwing shots but Vodka is blocking nicely.
Vodka could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Vodka avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Poddubny.
Vodka keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Poddubny thows a huge punch but Vodka dodges it nicely.

Poddubny is working for a submission of some sort.
Vodka on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Vodka tries to get out of the position.
Poddubny seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poddubny not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Poddubny sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Vodka defending well though.
Poddubny wants to lay and pray for a moment but Vodka keeps working.
Poddubny thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Vodka's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poddubny not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Poddubny thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Vodka's head.
Vodka is trying to stand up here but Poddubny is controlling him well.
Poddubny is keen to just control but Vodka is a slippery customer.
Poddubny is controlling the pace.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Poddubny looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Poddubny dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Poddubny fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Vodka to the ground. Poddubny is now in Vodka's guard.

Vodka pushes Poddubny off and scrambles back to his feet.
Poddubny tries to clinch there but Vodka circles away.
Poddubny fails to land the takedown.
Poddubny looks for a takedown but Vodka sprawls well.
Poddubny misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Vodka.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poddubny looks to score with a jab to the body but Vodka is just out of range.
Poddubny throws a sloppy head kick and Vodka moves out of range easily.

Poddubny closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Vodka did well to prevent Poddubny getting side control.
Poddubny throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Poddubny performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Poddubny throwing shots but Vodka is blocking nicely.
Poddubny throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poddubny thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Poddubny stalling.
Vodka is refusing to be controlled, as Poddubny sits in half guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Poddubny sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Vodka defending well though.
Still in half guard, Poddubny seems content to control.
Poddubny trying to control the action but Vodka is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ivan Poddubny was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Poddubny shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Vlad Vodka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Poddubny.
Vodka uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Poddubny.
Poddubny misses with a hook.
Poddubny tries to clinch up.
Poddubny misses with a straight right.
No luck for Vodka with that takedown attempt.

Poddubny fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Vodka to the ground. Poddubny is now in Vodka's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vodka preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Poddubny trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Vodka avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Vodka is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Poddubny in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Poddubny is looking to work some ground and pound but Vodka has wrist control.
Vodka keeping moving, preventing Poddubny from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Poddubny showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Nice takedown defense from Vodka. No joy for Poddubny on that attempt.
Poddubny looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Vodka is fending him off so far but Poddubny persists. Nope, Vodka circles away and we're back to standing.

Poddubny fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Vodka to the ground. Poddubny is now in Vodka's guard.
Poddubny postures up in Vodka's guard and throws a big left but Vodka blocks it.

Poddubny is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Vodka is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Vodka has escaped and now he's on top!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Poddubny keeping moving, preventing Vodka from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poddubny wants to stand up but Vodka is controlling him.
Poddubny is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Poddubny is controlling Vodka's posture.
Vodka trying to control but Poddubny is working from the bottom.
Vodka is in close to Poddubny's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Vodka is looking to work some ground and pound but Poddubny has wrist control.
Ivan Poddubny is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poddubny is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Vodka postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ivan Poddubny was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Poddubny misses with a straight right.
Poddubny fails with a takedown attempt.
Vlad Vodka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Poddubny.
Poddubny takes a swing at Vodka's ribcage but misses.
Vodka closes this distance looking for a takedown but Poddubny circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vodka fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Poddubny sprawls well initially but Vodka persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Vodka is keen to just control but Poddubny is a slippery customer.
Vodka lands strikes from half guard.
Poddubny is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Vodka throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Poddubny to regain full guard.
Vodka in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Vodka is working Poddubny over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Vodka trying to control but Poddubny is working from the bottom.
Vodka is in close to Poddubny's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vodka throws a big right hand that misses.
Poddubny wants to sweep here but Vodka controlling him for the moment.
Vodka looking to sit in guard and control but Poddubny gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Vodka being controlled here, momentarily.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Vlad Vodka.
Well Poddubny has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ivan Poddubny!
Ivan Poddubny bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.