PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rudolf Roman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vlad Povetkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Roman
vs
Povetkin

181 cm
24
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

188 cm
25
216 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rudolf Roman!
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, Vlad Povetkin!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Igor Prikhodko and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Povetkin shoots and misses

and Roman counters by moving into the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Roman pushes off an throws an elbow but Povetkin leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Povetkin blocks an elbow strike.
With the fighters up against the cage, Roman throws an elbow but misses.
Povetkin blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Roman slows down the pace here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Povetkin is trying to force a seperation but Roman has the dominant position.
Povetkin has had enough of the clinch but Roman keeps him there for the moment.
Roman misses with an elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Povetkin wants to get back to striking at distance but Roman won't allow it.
Roman is pushing Povetkin up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Roman misses with some punches.
Povetkin jumps guard but Roman stands there with Povetkin around his waist. Povetkin gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Povetkin is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Roman pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Rudolf Roman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vlad Povetkin.
Povetkin managing to block the knees to the body from Roman.
Povetkin tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Roman smiles and moves away.

Povetkin gets tackled into the cage by Roman. Roman maintains the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roman looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Roman is pushing Povetkin up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Povetkin tries to pull guard but Roman forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Roman effectively controlling the action here.
Roman changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Povetkin fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Povetkin dives in and grabs Roman's left leg, looking for a takedown. Roman pushes down on Povetkin's head and hops out.
Roman half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

Roman darts in and clinches Povetkin up against the cage.
Povetkin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Roman prevents the takedown attempt.
Roman could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Povetkin fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Roman pushes Povetkin back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Povetkin has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Roman avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Povetkin is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Roman pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Povetkin looks winded!
Povetkin is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Povetkin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Roman working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Roman lands a nice elbow.
Povetkin avoids the elbow strike from Roman, against the cage.

Roman pulls guard.
Roman is controlling Povetkin's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roman is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Roman working the head and body with strikes.
Roman looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Povetkin on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Roman decides to stand and escape the position.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Roman rushes Povetkin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Povetkin jumps guard but Roman stands there with Povetkin around his waist. Povetkin gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Roman lands a takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rudolf Roman dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Roman takes the fight into the clinch.
Povetkin jumps guard but Roman turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Roman displaying some good clinch control by pressing Povetkin up against the cage.
Povetkin tries to circle away but Roman has him pinned against the cage.
Roman has a couple of punches blocked by Povetkin.
Roman misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Povetkin.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee is keeping an eye on Roman - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Roman changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Povetkin fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Roman shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Povetkin pinned against the cage. Povetkin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Povetkin scores with a head kick.

It looks like Rudolf Roman has been cut.

Roman darts in and clinches Povetkin up against the cage.

Roman drags the fight down to the ground.
Roman is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Povetkin can do to turn this around?
Roman bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Povetkin's guard.

Roman working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Povetkin's head.
Roman landing with the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Roman accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roman is looking to work some ground and pound but Povetkin has wrist control.
Povetkin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Povetkin is breathing heavily.
Roman postures up and lands a big shot to Povetkin's brow.

Roman stands up from Povetkin's guard - Roman perhaps looking for a knockout.

Roman moves into the clinch.
Povetkin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Roman goes for a takedown in the clinch but Povetkin prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rudolf Roman. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roman lands a shot to the body.
Roman lands a left hand that snaps the head of Povetkin backwards.
Roman pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Roman creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Povetkin's defenses.
Roman landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Povetkin is trying to maintain a safe position but Roman gets an underhook and turns Povetkin into the cage.
Roman landing knees to the body.
Roman changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Povetkin fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Povetkin gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Roman decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Rudolf Roman is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Roman clinches.
Povetkin is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Roman makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Povetkin prevents the takedown attempt.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Roman lands a left hand that snaps the head of Povetkin backwards.
Rudolf Roman has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Roman is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Povetkin tries to score a body lock takedown but Roman shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rudolf Roman dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rudolf Roman's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Povetkin blocks an elbow strike from Roman.
Roman lands a nice elbow.
Roman lands a shoulder strike.
Roman has Povetkin pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Povetkin manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Roman is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Povetkin can't fight it off and eventually Roman manages to take the fight to the floor. Povetkin looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Povetkin is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Roman dives into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Roman lands some shots froms side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Roman decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Roman fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Povetkin is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Roman shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Povetkin counters with a head kick that drops Roman to the mat! Roman scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!

Roman is rocked!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rudolf Roman. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Roman wants to stay close but Povetkin steps back to make room for something. Roman seems frozen to the spot and bam! huge swing of the leg from Povetkin and Roman drops like he has been shot! A huge head kick and it's all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:29 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Vlad Povetkin!