PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Povetkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lorenzo Valenta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alexander Povetkin had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Povetkin
vs
Valenta

185 cm
37
178 lbs
28 - 13 - 1

179 cm
30
169 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

VIRAL COMBAT
Bad Man Clothing

Bad Man Clothing (Nothing over 40$)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the super heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 28 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Alexander Povetkin!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Lorenzo Valenta!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Roger Salmon and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Povetkin throws a left and a right that both miss

and Valenta counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Valenta.
Valenta connects with a couple of short punches.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Valenta accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Valenta postures up in Povetkin's guard and throws a big left but Povetkin blocks it.
Povetkin keeping moving, preventing Valenta from controlling successfully.
Valenta throws a strike but Povetkin rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Povetkin wants to stand but Valenta has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Valenta wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Valenta looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Povetkin trying to control but Valenta is working from the bottom.

Valenta looking for subs off his back but Povetkin has passed one foot through into half guard.
It looks like Povetkin is going to stand back up.
Valenta is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valenta gets back to full guard.
Valenta has a closed guard, preventing Povetkin from standing up.
Valenta has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Valenta controls Povetkin momentarily but Povetkin frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valenta wants to sweep here but Povetkin controlling him for the moment.

Povetkin gets to his feet - Valenta follows without any prompting.
Povetkin misses with a wild body shot.
Valenta throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Povetkin blocks a head kick by Valenta.
Povetkin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Valenta swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Povetkin.
Povetkin fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Valenta has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Valenta fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Povetkin looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valenta ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Povetkin moves away.
Valenta dodges the punch combination from Povetkin.
Povetkin lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Povetkin keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Povetkin swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Povetkin lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Valenta circles away quickly and effectively.
Povetkin shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Povetkin scores with a leg kick.
Valenta lands with a good body shot.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Valenta slips under a jab from Povetkin.
Povetkin seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Povetkin moves out of range as Valenta strikes.
Povetkin throws a right and a left that both miss.
Povetkin chopping away at his opponent's legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Lorenzo Valenta will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Povetkin looks to land a right hand but Valenta moved out of range.

Valenta closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Povetkin is trying to break the clinch but Valenta has him pressed against the cage.
Povetkin avoiding damage as Valenta throws knees to the body.
Valenta scores with a hook to the body.
Valenta blocks a body shot from Povetkin.
Valenta throws a punch but it's blocked by Povetkin.

Povetkin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Povetkin throws a series of punches but Valenta avoids them all with ease.
Valenta swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Povetkin connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Valenta pivots, looking for a leg kick but Povetkin is out of range and Valenta settles back down.
Povetkin throws a left and a right that both miss
and Valenta counters with a nice low kick that buckles Povetkin's knee momentarily.
Povetkin rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Valenta counters by clinching up.
Povetkin wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Valenta has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valenta crunches a lovely knee into Povetkin's ribcage.
Valenta misses with a knee strike.
Valenta can't find room to land a body shot as Povetkin controls the action.
Valenta works on Povetkin's body with a couple of short punches.
Valenta with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Povetkin is trying to break free.
Povetkin scores with a hook to the body.
Valenta misses with a hook from the clinch.
Valenta with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Povetkin working hard to break the clinch.
Valenta lands a nice shot to the body.
Valenta is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Povetkin is defending well for now.
Valenta fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Povetkin wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Valenta has him pressed against the cage.
Povetkin tries to break free but Valenta pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Povetkin wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Valenta.
Povetkin is trying to break the clinch but Valenta is controlling him.
Valenta lands a body shot in the clinch.
Valenta unloads a knee to the mid-section.

Povetkin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Valenta.
Valenta jabs at Povetkin's body.
A nice inside leg kick there by Valenta. That's going to slow Povetkin down.
Povetkin avoids the body shot from Valenta.
Povetkin throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Valenta connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Povetkin's hands.
Alexander Povetkin is winning the standup battle so far.
Valenta scores with a jab. Povetkin acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Valenta feints and then cracks Povetkin's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Povetkin down.
A low kick from Povetkin misses
and Valenta counters with a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Povetkin lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Povetkin.
Valenta jabs at Povetkin's body.
Povetkin throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Povetkin throws a hook to the side of Valenta's head but Valenta sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Valenta lands with an overhand left.
Valenta connects with a jab.
Valenta shoots for a double leg takedown but Povetkin sprawls well. He's pushed Valenta's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Alexander Povetkin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Povetkin defending well as Valenta loads up on a big left hand.
Valenta is looking to score with low kicks.
Valenta misses with a wild body shot.
A lazy left from Povetkin finds it's target.
A slow jab from Povetkin misses its intended target.
Povetkin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valenta checks a low kick from Povetkin.
Povetkin goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Povetkin misses with a body shot.
Valenta fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Valenta punishes Povetkin's body with a nice straight punch.
Povetkin fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Valenta is out of range.
Valenta lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Valenta bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Povetkin's head.
Valenta tries to clinch up.
Alexander Povetkin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Valenta throws a half hearted mid kick.
Valenta misses with a leg kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Povetkin takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Povetkin misses with a hook to the body
and Valenta counters with an outside leg kick.
Valenta throws a right hand that Povetkin ducks under and follows up with a left that Povetkin also avoids with ease.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lorenzo Valenta showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action!

Valenta scores with a jab to the jaw.
Povetkin throws a right hand that misses

and Valenta counters with a takedown into side control.
Valenta throws a strike aimed at the side of Povetkin's head but Povetkin avoids it well.
Valenta working the ground and pound but Povetkin is defending the strikes.
Povetkin dodges the ground and pound from Valenta.

Povetkin explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Povetkin lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Valenta just misses with a punch to the body.
Povetkin throws a combination that misses
and Valenta counters with a good, hard body kick but Povetkin shrugs it off.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Povetkin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Valenta moves away.
Povetkin lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Valenta circles away quickly and effectively.
Valenta slips a jab and a cross from Povetkin.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Povetkin slips under a jab from Valenta.
Valenta connects with a good right hand that stumbles Povetkin. Povetkin circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Povetkin thows a body shot but no joy.
Povetkin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Valenta moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Povetkin misses with a double jab
and Povetkin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Povetkin misses the jab.
Valenta tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Povetkin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Povetkin throws a shot from downtown. Valenta moves away and avoids it.
Valenta throws a nice outside leg kick.
Povetkin throws an off balance right hand

and Valenta counters with a nice double leg into side control. Povetkin won't be happy with that.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Valenta working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Valenta is looking to take a break and control but Povetkin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Valenta creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Povetkin sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valenta tries to score with some ground and pound. Povetkin controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Valenta wants to control but Povetkin is keeping him busy.
Valenta tries to score with some ground and pound. Povetkin controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Povetkin regains half guard there - taking advantage of Valenta's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.

Valenta seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Povetkin is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Lorenzo Valenta!
Lorenzo Valenta is the new super heavyweight champion!
In his post fight interview, Lorenzo Valenta started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.