PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Vladimir Zenin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vincent Volkov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zenin comes to the cage accompanied by Helloween - Power. The crowd seem to be enjoying Volkov's choice of entrance music: The Trooper by Iron Maiden. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Zenin
vs
Volkov

172 cm
36
186 lbs
25 - 15 - 1

180 cm
35
182 lbs
34 - 22 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Vladimir Zenin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 34 - 22 - 1, fighting out of London, Vincent Volkov!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yukihiro Shimada and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Volkov looks to land a right hand but Zenin moved out of range.

Zenin drives through and clinches with Volkov against the cage.
Zenin tries to work over Volkov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Zenin lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Zenin misses with a punch on the inside.
Volkov is working for takedown but Zenin is calmly controlling the position for now.

Volkov breaks from the clinch.
Zenin throws a body punch but Volkov moves out of range.
Vincent Volkov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Volkov throws a chopping leg kick but Zenin manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Volkov scores with a push kick.
Zenin moves away from the strike by Volkov.
Volkov lands with a thumping leg kick.
A big left from Zenin misses.

Volkov 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.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Volkov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Zenin looking to control.
Volkov controlling from the top position.
Volkov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Volkov must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Volkov being controlled here momentarily.
Zenin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Volkov is one step ahead there.
Volkov lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Zenin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Zenin keeping moving, preventing Volkov from controlling successfully.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Volkov scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Zenin wants to clinch up but Volkov keeps it at a distance.
Zenin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Volkov misses with a wild body shot.
Zenin shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Volkov but Volkov pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Zenin blocks a jab.
Volkov jabs Zenin right on the nose. Zenin blinks but takes it well.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Volkov.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Volkov throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Zenin doesn't manage to clinch there - Volkov circles away.
Volkov circles away from the clinch attempt.
Zenin takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Zenin fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vladimir Zenin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Volkov drives through with a takedown into guard.
Zenin working a defensive guard here.
Volkov throws a big right hand that misses.
Zenin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Volkov is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Volkov accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Zenin keeping moving, preventing Volkov from controlling successfully.
Volkov distracts Zenin with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Zenin controls Volkov momentarily but Volkov frees himself.
Zenin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Volkov.
Volkov not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zenin looking for a sweep. Not yet Zenin, not yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Volkov is looking to work some ground and pound but Zenin has wrist control.
Zenin is trying to keep Volkov in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Volkov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Volkov wants to control from the top but Zenin keeps moving.
Zenin is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Vladimir Zenin has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Zenin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Volkov tries to avoid it but Zenin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Volkov to the ground. Volkov escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Zenin looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Volkov is fending him off so far but Zenin persists. Nope, Volkov circles away and we're back to standing.
Zenin with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Volkov lands a lovely overhand right.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Volkov shoots in looking for a takedown. Zenin tries to sprawl out of it but Volkov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Zenin manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Volkov misses the shot to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Zenin closes the distance and clinches.
Volkov blocks an uppercut.
Zenin is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Volkov is defending well.
Zenin pushes Volkov back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vincent Volkov dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Zenin shoots in and drives through. Volkov sprawls well.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Volkov.
Zenin defending well as Volkov loads up on a big left hand.
Volkov misses with a head kick.
Volkov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Zenin closes the distance and pushes Volkov back into the cage.
Volkov missing with knees to the body.
Volkov is trying to break the clinch but Zenin has him pressed against the cage.
Zenin lands with a right to the head.
Volkov looking to slow down the pace here.
Volkov drops down looking for an ankle pick but Zenin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Volkov with a jab.
Volkov misses with a hook.
Zenin slips a jab and a cross from Volkov.
Vincent Volkov seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Volkov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Zenin moves away.
We've been told by Zenin's head coaches at Hate Made Me Asylum that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Volkov misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Vladimir Zenin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vincent Volkov.
Volkov finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Volkov thuds his shin into the meat of Zenin's side.
A nice inside leg kick there by Volkov. That's going to slow Zenin down.
Zenin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nice shot lands for Zenin.
Volkov keeps the fight on the outside.
Volkov misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zenin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Volkov sizes up Zenin with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Volkov scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zenin thuds his right hand into Volkov's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Volkov scores with the left hand. Zenin knows he should have avoided that one.
Zenin connects with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick from Volkov lands but Zenin takes it in his stride.

It looks like Vladimir Zenin has been cut.
Zenin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Volkov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Zenin. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Zenin slips a straight right by Volkov.
Zenin scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
A jab from Volkov does it's job there.
Zenin is looking to clinch but Volkov is avoiding it.
Volkov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Volkov takes a swing at Zenin's ribcage but misses.
Zenin doesn't manage to clinch there - Volkov circles away.
Zenin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Zenin moves out of range of the leg kick from Volkov.

Zenin moves into the clinch.
Volkov drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Volkov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zenin on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Volkov. Volkov obviously looking to wear him down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zenin tries to clinch but Volkov is having none of it.
A nice leg kick lands there from Volkov.

Zenin closes the distance and clinches.
Volkov wants to break the clinch but can't.
Volkov wants to get back to striking at distance but Zenin won't allow it.

Zenin is trying to trip Volkov. He has hold of a leg but Volkov is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Zenin persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Volkov is trying to keep Zenin in close.
Zenin works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Volkov tries to get to full guard but Zenin has control of the leg.
Zenin works his way into side control.
Zenin trying to control the action but Volkov is working from the bottom.
Volkov tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zenin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Volkov keeps working.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zenin happy to just control the position for now.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Vladimir Zenin.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Volkov lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Zenin has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Zenin and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
A cross from Zenin lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Vincent Volkov will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Vladimir Zenin's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Volkov scores with a nice strike.
Volkov misses with a straight left.
Volkov takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Zenin is looking to clinch.
Zenin shoots in for a takedown but Volkov shows good takedown defense.
Zenin tries to close the distance and clinch but Volkov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Volkov closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Volkov lands in his opponent's guard.
Volkov lands a couple of elbows.
Zenin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zenin trying to control the position.
Zenin keeping moving, preventing Volkov from controlling successfully.
Volkov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Zenin controls Volkov momentarily but Volkov frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zenin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Volkov throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zenin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Volkov trying to control the position from guard on top but Zenin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Volkov won't allow Zenin to sweep him here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Volkov pivots, looking for a leg kick but Zenin is out of range and Volkov settles back down.
Zenin throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Zenin tries to clinch but Volkov is having none of it.
Volkov looks to land a left hand but Zenin moved out of range nicely.
Zenin slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Zenin throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Volkov's waist but Volkov gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Zenin off to one side.
Volkov throws out a leg kick but Zenin moves out of range and Volkov only half commits.
Volkov lands a head shot.
Zenin tries to close the distance and clinch but Volkov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Volkov cracks Zenin with an open hand slap.

Zenin is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Volkov sees an opening and throws a straight punch right through Zenin's defenses. It connects perfectly with Zenin's jaw and knocks him out cold! Wow - that's a contender for knockout of the year - absolutely brutal!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:09 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Vincent Volkov!
Vincent Volkov took his opportunity to call for a title shot in his post fight interview.