PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Vanko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan Starner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vanko comes to the cage accompanied by Oh No by Gogol Bordello. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Vanko
vs
Starner

175 cm
22
261 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

196 cm
19
265 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

LOD: Affordable Quality

Hellraiser FightGear

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 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ivan Vanko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ryan Starner!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Elvis Blanc and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Starner throws the left hand but Vanko avoids the punch easily.

Vanko darts in and clinches Starner up against the cage.

Vanko's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Starner looks to land a left hand but Vanko moved out of range nicely.
Vanko takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Starner is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Vanko.
Starner pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Starner fails to land with a series of punches.
Starner throws a looping overhand right but Vanko ducks down to avoid it.
Starner misses with a combination

and Vanko counters with a single leg into guard. Starner didn't expect that.
Starner keeping moving, preventing Vanko from controlling successfully.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Vanko drops back looking for a leg! Starner is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Starner manages to kick Vanko off! Vanko jumps back into Starner's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starner keeping moving, preventing Vanko from controlling successfully.
Vanko with a flurry of punches that miss.
Vanko pushes down on Starner's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Vanko sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Starner defending well though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Starner on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Starner blocking the ground and pound attempt from Vanko.
Starner trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Vanko manages to pass to mount!
Vanko punching from mount but Starner doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Starner tries to reverse the position but Vanko maintains control.
Vanko raining down hammerfists from mount.
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!
Vanko lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Starner tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Vanko lands a couple of good shots and Starner has given up his back, trying to escape the position!

It looks like Ryan Starner has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starner tries to break free.
Starner felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

Vanko looking for the choke but no joy.
Vanko missing with strikes from the back.
Vanko has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Vanko is hanging on to Starner's back as he tries to escape.
Starner controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Even with his hooks in, Vanko manages to miss with strikes from the back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Vanko's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Vanko is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Starner avoids the strikes from Vanko.
Vanko lands strikes to the head.

Vanko is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Vanko is persistently looking for the submission but Starner is defending it well.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Vanko punishes Starner with strikes from the back mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Vanko dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ryan Starner's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Starner misses with a wild body shot.
Starner rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Vanko moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Starner misses with a hook. Vanko ducked under it nicely.
Starner uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Vanko has time to react.
Vanko takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

It looks like Ivan Vanko has been cut.
Starner misses the shot to the body.
Vanko tries to clinch there but Starner circles away.
Starner thows a body shot but no joy.
Vanko showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Starner.
Starner misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Starner just misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starner misses with a wild combination.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Starner enables Vanko to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Starner manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Vanko pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Starner is keeping the position for now.
Vanko wants to control from the top but Starner keeps moving.
Starner 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.

Vanko drops back looking for a leg! Starner is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Starner manages to kick Vanko off! Vanko jumps back into Starner's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Starner wants to sweep here but Vanko controlling him for the moment.
Vanko content to stall in guard here.
Vanko tries to free his leg and advance position but Starner is retaining full guard.
Vanko distracts Starner with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vanko loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Vanko postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Vanko pushes down on Starner's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Vanko works his foot free and advances to mount.
Ivan Vanko overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Vanko in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

Starner is rocked!

That has opened up Ryan Starner's cut even more.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Ryan Starner's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Ivan Vanko!
Ivan Vanko thanked the fans post fight for their support.