PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Esko Morko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stefan Ivanovich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Morko comes to the cage accompanied by Arch Enemy - Nemesis. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Morko
vs
Ivanovich

176 cm
20
190 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

188 cm
21
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Team S.W.A.T.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Esko Morko!
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, Stefan Ivanovich!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Konstantin Menshow and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morko attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Ivanovich is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Morko.

It looks like Stefan Ivanovich has been cut.
Morko throws a head kick that misses.
Morko cracks the inside of Ivanovich's front leg.
Morko throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Morko moves into the clinch successfully.
Ivanovich lands a nice shot to the body.
Ivanovich has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Morko is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Ivanovich controlling the action here for a moment.

Ivanovich jumps guard and drags Morko to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ivanovich is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Ivanovich working for a triangle but Morko defends it easily.
Morko slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Morko postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morko scoring with some ground and pound.
Morko trying to control but Ivanovich is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morko is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Ivanovich is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Morko drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Ivanovich dives on top into guard.
Ivanovich trying to control but Morko is working from the bottom.
Morko wants to stand but Ivanovich is controlling the position.
Morko looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Ivanovich puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Ivanovich stops Morko from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Morko tries to roll over but Ivanovich keeps him under control.
Ivanovich working over Morko with some ground and pound. Morko looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Ivanovich 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.
Morko wants to improve his position but instead Ivanovich has moved into half guard.
Morko wants to improve his position but Ivanovich is controlling well.
Morko is breathing heavily.
Morko wants to control but Ivanovich is keeping busy.

Ivanovich decides to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morko misses with a head kick.

Morko drives through with a takedown into guard.
Morko has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Ivanovich is proving hard to escape from.
Morko might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Morko trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Ivanovich manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Morko is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Ivanovich wants to control from the top but Morko keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morko trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Morko tries to strike from the bottom.
Ivanovich preventing the sweep.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Morko has clasped his hands together around Ivanovich's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Morko working away.
Morko creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Morko working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ivanovich manages to get back to half guard.
Ivanovich manages to get to full guard.
Ivanovich bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Morko's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esko Morko dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Stefan Ivanovich's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Morko avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Morko throws a sloppy head kick and Ivanovich moves out of range easily.
Ivanovich shoots in but no luck this time.
Morko throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ivanovich.
Ivanovich shoots in and drives through. Morko sprawls well.
Morko tries to clinch but Ivanovich moves out of range.
Ivanovich shoots for a takedown but Morko saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Esko Morko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stefan Ivanovich.
Ivanovich closes the distance but Morko moves to the side
and Morko counters with a slapping leg kick.
Esko Morko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ivanovich moves out of range of the strikes.
Ivanovich shoots in and drives through. Morko sprawls well.
Morko misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Morko has managed to clinch.

Morko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Morko misses with a low kick.
Morko buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Morko with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morko scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Morko uses his free foot to push down on Ivanovich's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Ivanovich.
Morko thowing shots but they're missing.
Ivanovich wants to control but Morko is having none of it.
Ivanovich is bucking up trying to escape but Morko cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Morko landing punches.

Morko working for a submission but Ivanovich is keeping him at bay.
Morko is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morko looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Ivanovich can't escape the position.
Morko is landing with some decent strikes but Ivanovich is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Morko lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Morko cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Ivanovich wants to hold on but Morko pushes him away.
Ivanovich gets back to half guard.
Morko is thwarting Ivanovich's attempts to control the position.

Ivanovich kicks Morko off and gets back to his feet.

Ivanovich closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Morko to the mat! Morko manages to get full guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ivanovich with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Ivanovich wants to control from the top but Morko keeps moving.
Ivanovich preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanovich passes Morko's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Ivanovich trying to control from half guard but Morko is working away.
Ivanovich seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Ivanovich passes the guard and advances to mount!
Morko wants to hold on but Ivanovich pushes him away.
Morko is looking to improve his position but Ivanovich isn't that keen on the idea.
Ivanovich cracks Morko with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Morko is in all sorts of trouble here.
Morko tries to buck Ivanovich off but he can't manage it.
Morko working to try and regain half guard.

Ivanovich throws some shoulder strikes here and then postures up. Oh, he's gone for an armbar! Morko has his hands clasped together but Ivanovich breaks the hold and Morko is forced to tap! This one is aaaaaaaaaaall over! That was lightning fast by Ivanovich!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Stefan Ivanovich!