PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Shelton Harrell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Yakovchenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Harrell's entrance music is Ellie Goulding - Burn. A fine choice. Yakovchenko has chosen Kenny Loggins - Danger Zone as his entrance music. Shelton Harrell has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Harrell
vs
Yakovchenko

180 cm
37
160 lbs
32 - 16 - 3

177 cm
28
175 lbs
18 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

GREEN!160
Affordable Quality + Reliable Laundry

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 32 - 16 - 3, fighting out of New York, Shelton Harrell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Igor Yakovchenko!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Steve Montenegro and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slow jab from Harrell misses its intended target.
Yakovchenko wants to clinch.
Shelton Harrell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Harrell lands a jab to the nose.
Yakovchenko looks to land a body kick but Harrell moved away.
Harrell misses with a jab, cross combination.
Harrell throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Harrell lands a nice looking body shot.
Harrell tries to land a leg kick but Yakovchenko saw it coming and moves away.
Harrell looks to land a combination but Yakovchenko avoids it well.
A looping hook to the body misses from Yakovchenko. Harrell does a little dance to reset his feet.
Yakovchenko moves out of range of the body kick.
Yakovchenko avoids the head kick by Harrell.
Yakovchenko takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harrell lands a head kick. Yakovchenko smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Harrell tries to land a leg kick but Yakovchenko saw it coming and moves away.
Yakovchenko ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
A swing and a miss from Harrell.
Yakovchenko throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Harrell moves into the clinch.
Harrell working aggressively here.
A shot in the inside from Yakovchenko.
Harrell swings wildly with an uppercut but Yakovchenko uses good head movement to avoid it.
Harrell lands an uppercut.
Yakovchenko blocking some punches.
Harrell tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Harrell is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Yakovchenko with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Harrell.
Yakovchenko lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Yakovchenko blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Yakovchenko blocks a body shot from Harrell.
Yakovchenko lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Harrell or not.
I was talking to Harrell's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Harrell blocking some punches.
Yakovchenko scores with a shot to the side of Harrell's head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Yakovchenko.
Yakovchenko lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Harrell.
Yakovchenko throws a punch but it's blocked by Harrell.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Yakovchenko misses with a punch to the body.
Harrell throws a head punch that misses.
Harrell prevents a body shot from Yakovchenko.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Harrell scores with a nice short uppercut.
A nice right hand lands inside from Harrell.
Harrell fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Yakovchenko tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Harrell's elbow.
Yakovchenko is leaning against Harrell and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Harrell blocks an uppercut.
Harrell lands an uppercut.
Harrell tries to throw a body punch but Yakovchenko avoids it by throwing Harrell back against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Yakovchenko scores with a nice short uppercut.
A shot in the inside from Yakovchenko.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Harrell.
Yakovchenko tries to throw a body punch but Harrell avoids it by throwing Yakovchenko back against the cage.
Yakovchenko tries to work over Harrell's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Harrell gets through Yakovchenko's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yakovchenko lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Harrell backwards.
The referee calls for Harrell to work.
Harrell tries to work over Yakovchenko's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Yakovchenko as Harrell tries to tie him up.
Harrell misses with a punch on the inside.
Yakovchenko pushes Harrell back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Harrell tries a body shot but Yakovchenko blocks it.
Yakovchenko tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Harrell misses with a hook from the clinch.
Harrell lands a hook that snaps the head of Yakovchenko backwards.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Harrell lands a right hand.
Harrell lands with a right to the head.
Harrell holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Yakovchenko misses with a punch to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shelton Harrell dominated that round.
That's time! Harrell's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Harrell moves in looking to clinch but Yakovchenko pushes him off.
Yakovchenko swats away the attempt to clinch by Harrell.
Yakovchenko swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Shelton Harrell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Yakovchenko just misses with a punch to the body.
Harrell throws a sloppy head kick and Yakovchenko moves out of range easily.
Harrell misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Yakovchenko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Harrell fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Yakovchenko on the side of the head.
Yakovchenko thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Harrell if he has to take too many more of those.
Good work by Yakovchenko as he checks the leg kick.
Harrell uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Yakovchenko has time to react.
Yakovchenko closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
That kick from Yakovchenko tenderised Harrell's leg. Harrell is trying to keep his angry face on.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yakovchenko wants to slow Harrell down by chopping away at his legs.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Yakovchenko.
Harrell scores with a head kick.
Yakovchenko punishes Harrell's body with a nice straight punch.
Harrell misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Yakovchenko.
Yakovchenko uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Harrell.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Harrell.
Harrell throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Yakovchenko.
Harrell avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Harrell swats away the attempt to clinch by Yakovchenko.
Harrell throws a head kick that misses.
Harrell throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harrell closes the distance looking to clinch

and Yakovchenko counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Harrell!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Harrell gets back to half guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Yakovchenko wants to control but Harrell is keeping him busy.
Yakovchenko controlling the action here.
Harrell is looking to control Yakovchenko's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Harrell avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harrell wants to get back to full guard.
Yakovchenko is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Harrell wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Yakovchenko throwing strikes from guard but Harrell blocks nicely.
Harrell is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harrell can't keep his opponent in guard - Yakovchenko advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ground and pound from Yakovchenko.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yakovchenko is pressing down on Harrell's thigh, looking to free his foot. Harrell is holding on for now.
Yakovchenko is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Harrell blocking the ground and pound attempt from Yakovchenko.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Yakovchenko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Yakovchenko takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Yakovchenko takes a swing at Harrell's ribcage but misses.
Harrell lands a leg kick that knocks Yakovchenko off balance momentarily.
Harrell circles away from the clinch attempt.
Harrell throws a lazy head kick

so Yakovchenko counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Harrell looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Harrell pulls Yakovchenko in close to prevent any damage.
Harrell can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Yakovchenko controls the pace.
Yakovchenko trying to control but Harrell is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Yakovchenko trying to move into half guard but instead Harrell has managed to sweep!
Harrell engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Yakovchenko looking to land some kicks to the body here.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Harrell here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Yakovchenko fails in his attempt to clinch.
Harrell is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Harrell lands with a shot to the body.
Nice cross by Yakovchenko.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harrell jabs Yakovchenko right on the nose. Yakovchenko blinks but takes it well.
Yakovchenko is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Yakovchenko uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Harrell.
Shelton Harrell is winning the standup battle so far.
Harrell wants to clinch up but Yakovchenko keeps it at a distance.

Harrell tries to keep at a distance but Yakovchenko has taken the fight into the clinch.
Harrell will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Yakovchenko up against the cage.
A left hand lands to the body for Yakovchenko.
Yakovchenko makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Yakovchenko gets through Harrell's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Shelton Harrell has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harrell working aggressively here.
Yakovchenko cracks Harrell with a nice body shot.
Yakovchenko lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Yakovchenko tries to work over Harrell's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Yakovchenko lands a right hand.
Harrell softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Yakovchenko lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Harrell can't find room to land a body shot as Yakovchenko controls the action.
Harrell stalling.
Harrell lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Yakovchenko lands a nice uppercut.
Still in the clinch, Harrell scores with a nice short uppercut.
Yakovchenko tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Harrell's elbow.
Harrell fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Yakovchenko misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yakovchenko presses Harrell against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Harrell is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Yakovchenko is keeping busy.
Yakovchenko misses with a punch to the body.
Harrell misses with a punch on the inside.
Harrell just leaning against Yakovchenko, taking a breather.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Harrell.
Yakovchenko tries to throw a body punch but Harrell avoids it by throwing Yakovchenko back against the cage.
Harrell lands a body shot.
Yakovchenko misses with a hook to the ribs.
Harrell lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Yakovchenko backwards.
Harrell is looking to control Yakovchenko's arms but Yakovchenko gets an underhook and turns him. Now Harrell has his back to the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Yakovchenko swings wildly with an uppercut but Harrell uses good head movement to avoid it.
Yakovchenko working some nice short punches in the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Igor Yakovchenko comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Yakovchenko has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Igor Yakovchenko!
Igor Yakovchenko decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.