PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Yossi Avitan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ilya Dragunov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yossi Avitan has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Avitan
vs
Dragunov

191 cm
30
203 lbs
23 - 4 - 0

185 cm
29
194 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Perkele!

Conviction
Perkele!

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 23 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Yossi Avitan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ilya Dragunov!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Arvi Lind and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dragunov with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Dragunov throws a lazy head kick
and Avitan counters with a slapping leg kick.
Avitan throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Dragunov counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Avitan drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Avitan connects with a leg kick. Dragunov looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Dragunov displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Avitan throws out the jab.
Avitan takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Avitan checks a low kick from Dragunov.
Dragunov avoids the body shot from Avitan.
Dragunov ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Dragunov wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Dragunov attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dragunov misses with a right hand
and Avitan counters with a nice low kick that buckles Dragunov's knee momentarily.
Dragunov connects with a right hand. Avitan shakes it off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dragunov throws a low kick but Avitan avoids it.
Dragunov is looking to clinch but Avitan is avoiding it.
Avitan misses with a wild body shot.
Avitan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Dragunov swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Avitan.
Avitan misses with a double jab.
Avitan wants to slow Dragunov down by chopping away at his legs.
Avitan throws a chopping leg kick but Dragunov manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Avitan looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Avitan comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Dragunov throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Avitan throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Dragunov dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Dragunov dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Avitan. That did some damage!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Avitan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Dragunov moves away.
Dragunov on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Dragunov works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Avitan misses with a body punch
and Dragunov makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Dragunov waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Avitan.
Avitan throws out a loose jab but Dragunov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ilya Dragunov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Avitan throws a low kick but Dragunov moves out of range easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dragunov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Avitan takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Dragunov connects with a body shot that sends Avitan's belly button to the back.
Avitan checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Nice straight punches there by Dragunov. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Dragunov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Avitan throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Dragunov blocks a head kick by Avitan.
Dragunov lands with a thumping leg kick.
A low kick from Dragunov misses
and Avitan counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Dragunov tries to score with a low kick but Avitan moves his leg out of the way.
Dragunov shoots in for a double leg but Avitan sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Avitan circles away from the clinch attempt.
Dragunov throws a low kick but Avitan avoids it.

Dragunov moves into the clinch.
Avitan blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Dragunov is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Dragunov displaying some good clinch control by pressing Avitan up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Avitan struggles to land a body shot inside as Dragunov controls his hands.
Dragunov struggles to land a body shot inside as Avitan controls his hands.
Dragunov scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Avitan is trying to break the clinch but Dragunov is controlling him.
A frustrated look appears on Avitan's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Avitan stalling.
Avitan lands a left hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Avitan blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A short uppercut from Dragunov.
Dragunov blocking some punches.
A nice right hand lands inside from Avitan.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Avitan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Avitan is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Dragunov.
Avitan throws a leg kick
enabling Dragunov to counter with a crisp jab.
Dragunov blocks a jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilya Dragunov dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Avitan throws a hook to the side of Dragunov's head but Dragunov sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Avitan is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Dragunov.
Avitan avoids the body shot from Dragunov.
Dragunov is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Avitan.
Dragunov throws a leg kick
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Avitan takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Avitan misses the shot to the body.
Avitan lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Avitan connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Avitan takes one to the chin there.
Dragunov scores with a nice right hand.
Dragunov connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Dragunov throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dragunov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Avitan.
Dragunov thumps Avitan with a low kick.
Avitan with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Dragunov displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Avitan throws out the jab.
Dragunov lands a nice looking body shot.
Avitan misses the shot to the body.
Good shot there by Dragunov.
Avitan misses with a body shot.
Dragunov lands with a thumping leg kick.
Avitan slips a jab and a cross from Dragunov.
Avitan checks a low kick from Dragunov.
Avitan walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Dragunov checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dragunov throws a push kick but Avitan slaps the foot to one side.
Dragunov misses with a wild body shot.
Dragunov misses with a hook to the body
and Avitan counters with a stiff right hand.
Dragunov throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
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!
A head kick misses from Dragunov.
Dragunov lands a head shot.
Avitan misses with a low kick.
Avitan plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Dragunov tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Dragunov throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Avitan cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Avitan.
Avitan swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dragunov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Avitan scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Avitan throws a solid leg kick but Dragunov takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Avitan.
Ilya Dragunov seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Dragunov throws a nice outside leg kick.
Avitan slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Avitan tried to score with a low kick but Dragunov checks it.
Avitan scores with a jab. Dragunov acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Dragunov throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Avitan counters with a thumping low kick.
Nice shot lands for Avitan.
Avitan cracks Dragunov with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
That kick from Avitan tenderised Dragunov's leg. Dragunov is trying to keep his angry face on.
Avitan misses with a low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dragunov drives through and clinches with Avitan against the cage.
Avitan wants to get back to striking at distance but Dragunov won't allow it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dragunov makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Avitan tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Avitan takes a shot to the head.
Nice body punch from Dragunov - that landed with a thud.
Avitan tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Avitan softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Avitan wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Dragunov's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Dragunov lands with a right to the head.

Dragunov jumps guard.
Dragunov wants to control the position but Avitan says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Dragunov tries to roll over but Avitan keeps him under control.

Dragunov actively working from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ilya Dragunov will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Dragunov uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Avitan.
Avitan just misses with a punch to the body.
Dragunov works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Avitan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A lazy left from Avitan finds it's target.
Dragunov fails with an attempt to clinch.
Avitan attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Dragunov fails with an attempt to clinch.
A telegraphed right hand from Avitan misses the target.
Dragunov scores with a hook to the body. Avitan takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Avitan fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Dragunov checks it well.
Avitan tries to score with a low kick but Dragunov moves his leg out of the way.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Avitan misses with a wild body shot.
Dragunov slips under a jab from Avitan.
Avitan checks a low kick from Dragunov.
Dragunov throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Dragunov scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Avitan managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Dragunov.

Dragunov swings around for an armbar but Avitan sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Dragunov's guard.

Dragunov throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Avitan escapes and throws Dragunov's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Avitan working away.
Yossi Avitan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Avitan wants to stand but Dragunov has his arm trapped.
Avitan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dragunov keeps working.
Dragunov is trying to control Avitan's posture but Avitan avoids it.
The ground and pound from Avitan seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

Avitan working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dragunov dodges the ground and pound from Avitan.
Dragunov gets back to half guard.

Dragunov looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Avitan is working for a submission of some sort.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dragunov tries to roll over but Avitan keeps him under control.

Avitan moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Dragunov.
Dragunov tries to improve position but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ilya Dragunov.
Well Dragunov 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ilya Dragunov!
Ilya Dragunov really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Perkele! logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.