PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Drago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Zhitnik (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Drago kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genuis that is National Anthem of Sovietunion. The crowd seem to be enjoying Zhitnik's choice of entrance music: Metallica - Leper Messiah. The key to victory for Ivan Drago has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Drago
vs
Zhitnik

195 cm
22
260 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

191 cm
22
280 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Drago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Igor Zhitnik!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Sergei Dronov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drago looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Zhitnik is fending him off so far but Drago persists. Nope, Zhitnik circles away and we're back to standing.
Drago looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!

Zhitnik shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Zhitnik showed some decent athleticism there.
Zhitnik is controlling the pace.
Zhitnik trying to pass the guard but Drago defending well.
Still in half guard, Zhitnik seems content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drago on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Drago tries to get to full guard but Zhitnik has control of the leg.
Zhitnik looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Drago with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Drago taking some punishment here, with Zhitnik in his half guard.
Ground and pound from Zhitnik.
Zhitnik controlling the action here.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Zhitnik connects with a nice short shot to Drago's temple.
Zhitnik lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Zhitnik should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Zhitnik decides to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zhitnik lands a head shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Drago gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Zhitnik working some strikes from top position.
Drago keeping full guard, as Zhitnik tries to pass.
Zhitnik lands a couple of digs.
Zhitnik pushing down on Drago's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Zhitnik is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Zhitnik decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zhitnik gets the takedown into side control.

Zhitnik has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Drago gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Zhitnik counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Drago wants to control but Zhitnik is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Drago on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Zhitnik decides to stand up.
Zhitnik takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zhitnik tries to close the distance and clinch but Drago swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Zhitnik misses the shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zhitnik gets a takedown into half guard.
Zhitnik stops Drago from getting back to his feet.
Nice strikes from Zhitnik there.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Zhitnik connects with a nice short shot to Drago's temple.
Zhitnik prevents Drago from standing back up.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Zhitnik lands a nice short elbow.
Nice strikes from Zhitnik there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Drago trying to control but Zhitnik postures up.
Drago on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Zhitnik dominated that round.
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 fight moves into the clinch position.

Zhitnik has picked Drago up - he's going for a ride! Zhitnik dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Drago is trying to control but can't.
Zhitnik takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Let's hope that Zhitnik has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Drago is in trouble now - Zhitnik has advanced to mount!
Zhitnik breaks from Drago's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Zhitnik lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Igor Zhitnik has got the better of the ground game so far.
Zhitnik dominating with strikes here.
Zhitnik lands a nice shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drago tries to hold on but Zhitnik postures up.
Zhitnik takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Zhitnik putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Zhitnik lands a heavy elbow.
Drago keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Zhitnik has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
BOOM! Zhitnik connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Zhitnik can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Drago is looking to escape.
Drago takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Zhitnik scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Zhitnik landing strikes from the mount and Drago is in trouble!
Zhitnik has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Drago's face.
Drago tries to reverse the position but Zhitnik maintains control.
Zhitnik lands a big elbow.
Zhitnik dominating with strikes here.
Drago tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Zhitnik postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Drago looks a forlorn figure.
Drago takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
A nice elbow there by Zhitnik.
Zhitnik has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Drago's face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhitnik lands with some strikes.
Zhitnik landing punches.
Zhitnik controlling from the full mount.
Drago is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Drago tries to hold on but Zhitnik pushes him away.
Zhitnik punishing his opponent with strikes.
Zhitnik has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Drago's face.
Drago is working to get back to half guard.
Zhitnik working the ground and pound effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Zhitnik has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Drago's face.
Drago keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Zhitnik landing strikes from the mount and Drago is in trouble!
Drago throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Drago tries to lock up and control but Zhitnik gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Zhitnik controlling the position easily from mount.
Drago slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Zhitnik working over Drago with some ground and pound. Drago looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Zhitnik showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Zhitnik gets the takedown into side control.
Zhitnik in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Drago can't do much from the bottom here.
Zhitnik working the ground and pound.
Zhitnik in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Drago on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Zhitnik working the head with strikes.
Zhitnik content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Zhitnik working away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drago is looking for a sweep.
Zhitnik trying to control the action but Drago is working from the bottom.
Zhitnik is chipping away with strikes.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Drago is looking for a sweep.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Zhitnik looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Drago!
Drago tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Drago is working hard here to advance position.
Zhitnik is landing with some decent strikes but Drago is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zhitnik with good strikes from the mount here!
Zhitnik lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Drago tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Zhitnik landing strikes, looking to finish!
Zhitnik unloading with bombs!
Drago is bucking up trying to escape but Zhitnik cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Zhitnik controlling from the full mount.
Zhitnik is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Drago tries to reverse the position but Zhitnik maintains control.
Zhitnik scoring with strikes but Drago is staying in there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhitnik prevents Drago from getting the reversal.
Zhitnik sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Drago is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Zhitnik looking to finish Drago with some ground and pound. This is bad for Drago!
Ivan Drago has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Zhitnik avoids the attempt from Drago to control.
Zhitnik working Drago over with strikes here.
Zhitnik working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Zhitnik has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Drago's face.
Zhitnik lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Igor Zhitnik is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four 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.
Drago tries to hold on but Zhitnik pushes him away.
Zhitnik is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Drago can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Drago flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Drago manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Zhitnik blocks the strikes from Drago.
Zhitnik working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Drago is looking to escape.
Zhitnik working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Zhitnik controlling the pace.
Drago flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Igor Zhitnik comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Zhitnik 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 26:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 26:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Igor Zhitnik!