PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Marcos Rojas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sergei Ignatiev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rojas
vs
Ignatiev

168 cm
24
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
21
143 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite 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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Marcos Rojas!
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, Sergei Ignatiev!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Konstantin Menshow and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ignatiev throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rojas changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Ignatiev tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rojas paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ignatiev clobbers Rojas with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Ignatiev throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rojas sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Ignatiev pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ignatiev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rojas swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Ignatiev looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rojas trying to control from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ignatiev takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Rojas avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ignatiev.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rojas is trying to control but can't.
Ignatiev is taking a breather. Rojas says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Let's hope that Ignatiev has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
A bone on bone clash there as Rojas blocks the leg kick.

Ignatiev closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rojas changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Ignatiev fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Rojas darts in and clinches Ignatiev up against the cage.
Ignatiev wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rojas has him pressed against the cage.
Rojas fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Ignatiev turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Ignatiev tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Ignatiev tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Check out the look on Ignatiev's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Rojas manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Ignatiev content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Ignatiev has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Rojas works to full guard.
Ignatiev is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Ignatiev controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Ignatiev chips away with some ground and pound.
Rojas seems keen to control Ignatiev's posture.
Ignatiev distracts Rojas with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Rojas being controlled here, momentarily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergei Ignatiev dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Ignatiev gets a double leg takedown into Rojas's guard.
Ignatiev controlling from the top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ignatiev passes into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ignatiev is controlling the pace.
Ignatiev missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ignatiev trying to control the pace.
Ignatiev is looking to take a break and control but Rojas is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ignatiev blocks the strikes from Rojas.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Rojas enables Ignatiev to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Rojas manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Rojas can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ignatiev controls the pace.
Ignatiev is looking to work some ground and pound but Rojas has wrist control.
Rojas might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ignatiev controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Ignatiev makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Rojas keeping moving, preventing Ignatiev from controlling successfully.
Ignatiev throws a big right hand that misses.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Ignatiev has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ignatiev's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Rojas has Ignatiev up against the cage in a clinch.

Ignatiev works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Ignatiev wants to stand and escape but instead Rojas has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rojas is looking to work some ground and pound but Ignatiev has wrist control.
Rojas with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Ignatiev escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rojas gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Rojas lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Rojas throwing strikes but missing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rojas working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergei Ignatiev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ignatiev tries to clinch up
letting Rojas counter with a right hand.
Ignatiev wants to clinch up but Rojas keeps it at a distance.

Ignatiev closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Rojas quickly recovers to half guard.
Rojas is trying to stand up here but Ignatiev is controlling him well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ignatiev tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Rojas.
Ignatiev takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ignatiev's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Sergei Ignatiev has got the better of the ground game so far.

Ignatiev seems to be working for a kimura but Rojas defends the submission attempt.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ignatiev throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Ignatiev working the head and body with strikes.
Ignatiev not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ignatiev not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Well, if Ignatiev is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ignatiev scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Ignatiev controlling the position from side mount.
Ignatiev tries to stand but Rojas is controlling his head.
Ignatiev moves into full mount!
Ignatiev with the ground and pound from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ignatiev is working for a guillotine from mount but Rojas frees his head quite easily.

Ignatiev has isolated one of Rojas's arms. Rojas looking to fight him off but Ignatiev twists into an armbar. It's tight... Will he tap?? YES, he's tapped! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Sergei Ignatiev!