PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brock Holder (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fedor Verhovon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Verhovon has chosen LAST EMPERORS MARCH-by NILE as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Holder
vs
Verhovon

200 cm
24
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
25
268 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Brock Holder!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Fedor Verhovon!
The judges for this bout are Winston Alpacca, Sandra Marshall and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Verhovon feints and then cracks Holder's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Holder down.
Verhovon moves in looking to clinch but Holder pushes him off.
Verhovon fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Verhovon plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Holder's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Verhovon connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Holder scrambles back to his feet.
Verhovon tries a head kick but it misses.
Holder changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Verhovon scores with a spinning back kick!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Verhovon throws a head kick that misses.
Verhovon throws a head kick but Holder moves out of range.
Holder feinted with a counter takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Verhovon swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Holder feinted with a counter takedown.
Verhovon throws a series of punches but Holder moves out of range.
Verhovon throws a good cross that connects.
Verhovon throws a sloppy head kick and Holder moves out of range easily.
Verhovon thows a body kick. Holder tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Holder blocks a head kick by Verhovon.
Holder takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Verhovon looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holder takes a kick to the side of the head.
Verhovon wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Verhovon 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.
Verhovon looks winded!
Verhovon swings for the body but Holder moves out of range.
Holder is looking for a counter combo.
Verhovon pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Verhovon throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Verhovon has eaten all the pies!
Verhovon pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Holder appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Verhovon misses with a combination

and Holder counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Holder.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holder sitting in guard here, content to control.
Holder sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Verhovon's guard.
Holder is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Verhovon!
Holder looking to control and managing it successfully.
Verhovon taking shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holder scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Holder with the ground and pound from mount.
Holder landing shots from mount.
Holder fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

Verhovon is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Holder takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Holder has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Fedor Verhovon will probably get the nod.
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.

Verhovon throws a head kick that misses

and Holder counters with a nice double leg into side control. Verhovon won't be happy with that.
Holder controlling the position.
Holder seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Verhovon for as long as he can get away with.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holder in side control, throwing shots but Verhovon defends.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Verhovon wants to get back to his feet but Holder is dominant here and he's now got Verhovon's back!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Verhovon is trying to stand back up.
Holder trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Verhovon doesn't escape.
Holder will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Verhovon trying to control the hands but Holder breaks the grip.
Holder just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Holder scores with punches to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Verhovon wants to control his opponent's hands but Holder gets his hands free.
Verhovon is breathing heavily.
Holder scores with punches to the body.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Holder here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Good control from Holder.
Holder struggling to keep hold of the position.
Verhovon is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Holder lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Holder really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Verhovon.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holder is landing with strikes. Verhovon can't take much more of this.
Verhovon really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Holder. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Good control from Holder.
Holder gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Can Verhovon hold on?! Holder is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Brock Holder overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Holder is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Verhovon. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Holder controlling the positon.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holder is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Verhovon is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Holder trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Verhovon takes a big shot to the side of the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Holder really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Verhovon.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brock Holder dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Verhovon lunges at Holder with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Holder's hand.
Verhovon scores with a head kick. Holder tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Verhovon dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A nice inside leg kick there by Verhovon. That's going to slow Holder down.
Verhovon lands with a slapping head kick.
Brock Holder is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Holder takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Verhovon takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Verhovon misses with a head kick.
Verhovon throws a shot to the body.
Verhovon throws a sloppy head kick and Holder moves out of range easily.
Verhovon bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Verhovon connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Holder avoids the head kick by Verhovon.
Holder appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Verhovon tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Holder is able to avoid easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Verhovon looks to land a body kick but Holder moved away.
Holder feinted with a counter takedown.
Verhovon tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Holder seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Verhovon tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Holder feinted with a counter takedown.
Verhovon throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Holder throws a big counter combination but Verhovon scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Verhovon takes a swing at Holder's ribcage but misses.
Holder tries to counter with a takedown but Verhovon is quick to defend against it.
Holder avoids the head kick by Verhovon.
Verhovon pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Holder appears to be looking for a big counter.
Verhovon is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Holder rather than just go for the knockout.
Verhovon fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Holder manages to avoid it.
Holder attempts a counter takedown but Verhovon avoids it well and moves away.
Fedor Verhovon is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verhovon tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Holder was well out of range. Poor timing from Verhovon.
Holder attempts a counter takedown but Verhovon avoids it well and moves away.
Holder avoids the head kick by Verhovon.
Holder appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Verhovon wants to clinch.
Holder attempts a counter takedown but Verhovon avoids it well and moves away.
Verhovon tries to clinch up.
Holder drops down looking for a counter takedown but Verhovon sprawls and moves away.
Verhovon looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
A lazy body kick from Verhovon

and Holder counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Verhovon!
Holder trying to control the action but Verhovon is working from the bottom.
Verhovon trying to remain calm as Holder controls from the top position.
Holder moves into full mount!
Holder looking to control and managing it successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Verhovon is in a horrible position here. Holder smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fedor Verhovon comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Verhovon 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 Winston Alpacca scores the fight 28:28
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 28:28
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:28

The fight is ruled a draw!