PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Xue Sheng James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Harrison Ovaltine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Sheng James
vs
Ovaltine

165 cm
22
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

166 cm
21
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight 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, Xue Sheng James!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Harrison Ovaltine!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Sergei Dronov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ovaltine looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

James shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. James showed some decent athleticism there.
James wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ovaltine keeps working.
Ovaltine works his way to full guard. Good work.

Ovaltine is working an open guard so James takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
James tries to close the distance and clinch but Ovaltine swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ovaltine with a poor takedown

and James counters with a single leg into guard. Ovaltine didn't expect that.
James pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ovaltine is keeping the position for now.

James decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Ovaltine counters with a lovely straight right hand!
James looks to clinch

and Ovaltine counters by moving into the clinch.
Ovaltine controlling the action here for a moment.

Ovaltine breaks from the clinch.
James tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Ovaltine counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in James's guard now.
Ovaltine wants to control from the top but James keeps moving.
Ovaltine looking to pass the guard.
Ovaltine working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James wants to sweep but no luck.
James looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
James wants to stand but Ovaltine is controlling the position.
James trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
James is breathing heavily.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
James with a poor takedown

and Ovaltine counters with a shoot takedown. James fights it but they end up in guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ovaltine trying to control but James is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ovaltine in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ovaltine trying to control but James is working from the bottom.
Ovaltine forces his way into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
James desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Ovaltine slows the pace down in half guard.
James is not content to let Ovaltine control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ovaltine wants to pass to mount but James is defending the position.
James tries to roll over but Ovaltine keeps him under control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
James tries to kick Ovaltine off but Ovaltine keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harrison Ovaltine dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

James fails with the takedown

and Ovaltine counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in James's guard now.
Ovaltine throwing strikes but missing.
James wants to stand up but Ovaltine is controlling him.
Ovaltine landing with the ground and pound.
Ovaltine tries to free his leg and advance position but James is retaining full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

James has his foot on Ovaltine's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ovaltine works his way back into a safe position though.
Ovaltine trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

James uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck for Ovaltine with that takedown attempt.
Ovaltine shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has James pinned against the cage. James gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Ovaltine has closed the distance and engaged James in a clinch.

Ovaltine pulls guard.

Ovaltine had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. James is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Ovaltine Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take James's back instead.
James trying to get back to his feet but Ovaltine is in full control for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ovaltine is looking to control James but James is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Ovaltine not allowing James to control his hands.

Ovaltine looking for the RNC.
Ovaltine misses with punches from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ovaltine tries to get the hooks in deep but James pushed the leg off.
James wants to control his opponent's hands but Ovaltine gets his hands free.
Ovaltine wants to control but James is keeping busy.
James holding both Ovaltine 's hands and preventing any damage.
Ovaltine scores with punches from the back.
Ovaltine tries to keep control of the position but James is staying busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Ovaltine not allowing James to control his hands.
A lull in the action here.
Ovaltine lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Ovaltine.
Ovaltine is hanging on to James's back as he tries to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

James manages to escape to his feet.
Ovaltine doesn't manage to clinch there - James circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harrison Ovaltine 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!

Ovaltine looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
James working a defensive guard here.

James is working an open guard so Ovaltine takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Ovaltine shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with James but James pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ovaltine throws a head kick that misses

and James counters by clinching up.

Ovaltine ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Ovaltine no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Ovaltine trying to control the position.
Ovaltine is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
James wants to get up but he can't break Ovaltine's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James stops Ovaltine from standing up.

Ovaltine looking for a guillotine here but James defends easily.
James scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
James controls from within his opponent's guard.
James stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ovaltine swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
James lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Ovaltine backs up against the cage.
Ovaltine wants to clinch

and James counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Ovaltine changes levels and goes for a takedown here. James fights it off and pushes away nicely.
A punch combination from James misses.

James gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Ovaltine wants to control from the top but James keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

James had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Ovaltine is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. James Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Ovaltine's back instead.
Ovaltine looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Ovaltine has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from James.
Xue Sheng James has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ovaltine trying to control the action but James just sinks the hooks in.
Ovaltine avoids the strikes from James.
James has the hooks in. Ovaltine is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
James is trying to stick to Ovaltine's back but Ovaltine is turning into James. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in James's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Ovaltine.
Ovaltine must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Ovaltine trying to control the position from guard on top but James is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Ovaltine fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. James sprawls well initially but Ovaltine persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Ovaltine is tying to control. James wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harrison Ovaltine comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ovaltine 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harrison Ovaltine!