PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Andrei Zharkov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kirill Koltsov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kirill Koltsov has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Zharkov
vs
Koltsov

183 cm
18
182 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
18
175 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andrei Zharkov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kirill Koltsov!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Russell Pearce and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zharkov moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Zharkov lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Koltsov misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Zharkov throws a right and a left that Koltsov avoids nicely.
Koltsov shoots in and drives through. Zharkov sprawls well.
Koltsov tries to clinch up but Zharkov circles away and keeps his distance.

Koltsov moves into range and clinches up with Zharkov.
Koltsov keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Zharkov's efforts to push away.
Koltsov has a couple of punches blocked by Zharkov.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Koltsov misses with a hook from the clinch.
Zharkov is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Koltsov has Zharkov pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Koltsov pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Zharkov tumbling to the mat - Koltsov dives into Zharkov's guard.
Zharkov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Koltsov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koltsov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Koltsov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Zharkov has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Koltsov is in close to Zharkov's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Koltsov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Zharkov wants to stand up but Koltsov is controlling him.
Zharkov preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Koltsov chips away with some ground and pound.
Zharkov not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Koltsov with a nice head shot there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zharkov is trying to keep Koltsov in close.
Zharkov keeping moving, preventing Koltsov from controlling successfully.
Koltsov prevents Zharkov from getting back to his feet.
Zharkov is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Zharkov wants to sweep here but Koltsov controlling him for the moment.
Koltsov wants to pass the guard but Zharkov is keeping the position.
Koltsov cracks Zharkov with a solid left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koltsov is in close to Zharkov's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Zharkov wants to stand and escape but Koltsov is having none of it.
Zharkov is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Zharkov working for a triangle but Koltsov defends it easily.
Koltsov trying to control the position from guard on top but Zharkov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Koltsov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zharkov is keeping the position for now.
Koltsov preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koltsov is pushing down on Zharkov's leg trying to pass to half guard. Zharkov is fighting to maintain full guard but Koltsov has managed to sneak the leg through.
Koltsov trying to control the action but Zharkov is working from the bottom.
Zharkov is looking to improve his position.
Koltsov throwing shots but Zharkov is blocking nicely.
Koltsov thows a huge punch but Zharkov dodges it nicely.
Zharkov avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Koltsov.
Koltsov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zharkov is looking to control Koltsov's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Zharkov avoid being mounted?
Zharkov is in trouble now - Koltsov has advanced to mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kirill Koltsov 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.

Koltsov shoots in and bounces Zharkov off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Koltsov looking to pass the guard.

Zharkov is looking for a triangle but Koltsov pushes his legs off easily.
Koltsov with a flurry of punches that miss.
Koltsov throws a big right hand that misses.
Koltsov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Koltsov sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Zharkov's guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Koltsov in particular looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zharkov is trying to maintain the position but Koltsov is very close to passing his half guard.
Koltsov is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Zharkov!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Koltsov looking to control but Zharkov is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Koltsov working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Koltsov lands a couple of good shots and Zharkov has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Koltsov connects with a big shot to the side of Zharkov's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zharkov manages to reverse the position and now he's in Koltsov's guard. Nice work there by Zharkov.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Koltsov is on top in guard.
Koltsov is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Koltsov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zharkov manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Zharkov avoids the attempt from Koltsov to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koltsov sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Zharkov looks to land a strike but Koltsov avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Koltsov seems keen to control Zharkov's posture.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Koltsov can do anything to dispel that myth.
Zharkov wants to pass the guard but Koltsov is keeping the position.
Koltsov wants to sweep here but Zharkov controlling him for the moment.
Zharkov trying to control but Koltsov is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zharkov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Koltsov wants to sweep here but Zharkov controlling him for the moment.
Kirill Koltsov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Koltsov keeping moving, preventing Zharkov from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Andrei Zharkov just wasn't active enough.
Koltsov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Koltsov throws a right hand that misses
and Zharkov counters with a solid body kick.
Koltsov has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Zharkov rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Koltsov moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kirill Koltsov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Zharkov avoids a punch combination nicely.
Koltsov throws a right hand that misses
and Zharkov counters with a two punch combo.
Koltsov throws a sloppy body shot
and Zharkov counters with a nice uppercut.
Zharkov misses with a double jab.
Zharkov punishes Koltsov's body with a nice straight punch.
Koltsov looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Koltsov throws a shot from downtown. Zharkov moves away and avoids it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Koltsov throws a right and a left that both miss.
Koltsov looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Koltsov throws a right hand that misses
and Zharkov counters with a one-two to the body.
Andrei Zharkov is winning the standup battle so far.
Koltsov wants to clinch up but Zharkov keeps it at a distance.

Koltsov clinches with his opponent.
Koltsov prevents Zharkov from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zharkov is trying to force a seperation but Koltsov has the dominant position.
Come on Koltsov - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Koltsov fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Koltsov swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Zharkov wants to break the clinch but can't.
Come on Koltsov - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Koltsov is working for takedown but Zharkov is calmly controlling the position for now.
Koltsov stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Koltsov misses with a punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Koltsov takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Koltsov throws a punch but it's blocked by Zharkov.
Zharkov being controlled against the cage.
Koltsov swings wildly with an uppercut but Zharkov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Koltsov swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Zharkov tries to circle away but Koltsov has him pinned against the cage.
Zharkov blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Zharkov blocks the elbow strike.
Koltsov keeps control of Zharkov as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zharkov is trying to break free.
Koltsov prevents Zharkov from breaking the clinch.
Zharkov is trying to break the clinch but Koltsov is controlling him.
Koltsov slowing the pace effectively.
Koltsov prevents a takedown attempt there.
Zharkov working hard to break the clinch.
Koltsov is pressed up against the cage. Zharkov has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Koltsov down to the mat. Koltsov avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Koltsov scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Zharkov is trying to maintain the position but Koltsov is very close to passing his half guard.
Koltsov throwing shots but Zharkov is blocking nicely.
Zharkov is staying active underneath Koltsov, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Koltsov there.
Koltsov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Koltsov looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Zharkov keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Zharkov is looking for a sweep. Koltsov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zharkov wants to control but Koltsov is keeping busy.
Zharkov on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Koltsov wants to control but Zharkov is keeping him busy.
Koltsov prevents Zharkov from standing back up.
Andrei Zharkov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Koltsov scoring with strikes to the body and head.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kirill Koltsov.
I've got Koltsov winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kirill Koltsov!