PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Irina Sakolevna (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kela Molotok (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kela Molotok acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Sakolevna
vs
Kela Molotok

181 cm
28
140 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

198 cm
18
132 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Irina Sakolevna!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kela Molotok!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Ivan Kurochkin and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Molotok has managed to clinch.
Molotok looking for a takedown.
Molotok drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Sakolevna gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Sakolevna tries for a takedown. No joy.
Sakolevna controlling the action here for a moment.
Molotok wants a takedown but no success here.
Irina Sakolevna has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kela Molotok.
Stalling in the clinch from Sakolevna.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sakolevna misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Molotok.
Molotok tries for a takedown. No joy.
The referee is keeping an eye on Sakolevna - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Sakolevna breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakolevna throws a head kick but Molotok moves out of range.

Molotok clinches.
Sakolevna prevents Molotok from breaking the clinch.
Sakolevna on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Sakolevna misses with a knee to the head.

Sakolevna manages to pull guard.
Molotok is stalling in the full guard.
Sakolevna looking to hit a scissor sweep but Molotok is one step ahead there.

Sakolevna is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Molotok is aware though and is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakolevna scores with a couple of body punches from the bottom.
Molotok looking to sit in guard and control but Sakolevna gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Sakolevna tries to free his leg and advance position but Molotok is retaining full guard.
Molotok working a defensive guard here.
Sakolevna prevents Molotok from getting back to his feet.
Molotok controls Sakolevna momentarily but Sakolevna frees himself.
Sakolevna wants to stand but Molotok is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakolevna trying to control the position from guard on top but Molotok is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sakolevna tries to free his leg and advance position but Molotok is retaining full guard.
Molotok has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Bobby B's. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Sakolevna trying to control but Molotok is working from the bottom.
Molotok is looking to sweep but instead, Sakolevna has passed into half guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Molotok is looking for a sweep. Sakolevna is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Sakolevna is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Sakolevna wants to take a breather but Molotok is having none of it.
Sakolevna wants to stand but Molotok has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Molotok tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Sakolevna defends well and Molotok ends up having to push Sakolevna into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sakolevna misses with a few strikes there.
Molotok wants to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sakolevna with a lazy takedown attempt

and Molotok counters by clinching up.

Sakolevna pulls guard successfully.
Molotok looking to pass the guard.
Molotok being controlled here momentarily.
Sakolevna not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sakolevna trying to strike off his back.
Sakolevna is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Molotok can do to turn this around?

Molotok drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Sakolevna dives on top into guard.

Sakolevna not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Molotok wants to sweep here but Sakolevna controlling him for the moment.
Molotok has a closed guard, preventing Sakolevna from standing up.
Sakolevna advances to half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Sakolevna in particular looking to stall.
Molotok slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Sakolevna wants to control from the top but Molotok keeps moving.

That's two 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.

Sakolevna drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Sakolevna jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Molotok not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sakolevna tries to free his leg and advance position but Molotok is retaining full guard.
Sakolevna trying to stand up but can't free himself from Molotok's guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Sakolevna avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sakolevna was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Molotok misses with a head kick.
Molotok is looking to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Molotok wants to clinch.
Sakolevna throws a low kick but Molotok moves out of range easily.
Molotok lands a jab to the head.
Sakolevna blocks a head kick by Molotok.
Sakolevna misses with a takedown attempt - Molotok sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Sakolevna shoots in and gets a takedown into Molotok's guard.
Molotok striking off his back but it's not causing Sakolevna any problems.

Sakolevna drops back looking for a leg! Molotok is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Molotok manages to kick Sakolevna off! Sakolevna jumps back into Molotok's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Molotok is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Molotok utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Molotok is adopting a defensive guard.
Sakolevna slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Irina Sakolevna dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sakolevna tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Sakolevna takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sakolevna takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Sakolevna shoots in and drives through. Molotok sprawls well.
Molotok steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sakolevna.
Molotok tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sakolevna appears to be looking for a big counter.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Molotok.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sakolevna looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Molotok is fending him off so far but Sakolevna persists. Nope, Molotok circles away and we're back to standing.
Sakolevna closes the distance looking to clinch
and Molotok counters with a left and a right that stings Sakolevna.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Decent striking displayed by Molotok there.

Molotok gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sakolevna drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Molotok gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Irina Sakolevna. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sakolevna fails to pull guard.
Molotok tries to pull guard but Sakolevna forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Sakolevna jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Molotok walks away with a smile on his face. Sakolevna gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Sakolevna jumps guard.
Sakolevna throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Sakolevna might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Molotok trying to control the position from guard on top but Sakolevna is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Molotok won't allow Sakolevna to sweep him here.
Molotok wants to pass the guard but Sakolevna is keeping the position.

Sakolevna is working an open guard so Molotok takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Molotok shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sakolevna as he jumps to the side.
Molotok shoots in and drives through. Sakolevna sprawls well.
Molotok takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Molotok stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Molotok wants it to stay on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sakolevna closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Molotok did well to prevent Sakolevna getting side control.
Sakolevna sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Molotok defending well though.
Molotok trying to control from the bottom.
Sakolevna stops Molotok from getting back to his feet.
Molotok is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Sakolevna jumps into side control!
Molotok is not content to let Sakolevna control the position.
Sakolevna is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

Sakolevna wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Molotok, who protects the arm well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sakolevna tries for a kimura but Molotok is defending well.
Sakolevna trying to control the action but Molotok is working from the bottom.
Kela Molotok has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Irina Sakolevna is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Molotok tries to buck Sakolevna off but Sakolevna is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kela Molotok.
I think Sakolevna has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Irina Sakolevna!