PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Yegor Pokrovskii (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pari Jakh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Pari Jakh was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Pokrovskii
vs
Jakh

190 cm
20
250 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
27
220 lbs
0 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Yegor Pokrovskii!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Pari Jakh!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Ivan Kurochkin and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jakh fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Pokrovskii shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Jakh holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Pokrovskii has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Jakh uses from the top position.

Pokrovskii pushes Jakh off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Pokrovskii tries to land a leg kick but Jakh saw it coming and moves away.
Jakh shoots for a double leg takedown but Pokrovskii sprawls well. He's pushed Jakh's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Nice takedown defense from Jakh. No joy for Pokrovskii on that attempt.

Jakh shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Pokrovskii's guard.

Pokrovskii has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Jakh has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Jakh's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pokrovskii will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yegor Pokrovskii. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Pokrovskii clinches up with Jakh and pushes him back against the cage.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pokrovskii shoots for a takedown but Jakh saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Nice takedown defense from Jakh. No joy for Pokrovskii on that attempt.

Jakh moves into range and clinches up with Pokrovskii.
Jakh lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Yegor Pokrovskii has been cut.
Jakh blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Jakh escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pokrovskii slaps away a takedown attempt from Jakh, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Jakh looks for a takedown but Pokrovskii sprawls well.
Jakh tries to clinch there but Pokrovskii circles away.
Pokrovskii tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Jakh manages to circle out of the way.
Pokrovskii could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Jakh gets a double leg takedown into Pokrovskii's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jakh trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Jakh being controlled here momentarily.
Pokrovskii looking for a sweep. Not yet Pokrovskii, not yet.
Jakh trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Pokrovskii looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Jakh scoring with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jakh is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Pokrovskii is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Pokrovskii has escaped and now he's on top!

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Pokrovskii decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Jakh closes the distance and clinches up with Pokrovskii, looking for a takedown. Jakh pushes Pokrovskii against the cage but Pokrovskii circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Pokrovskii drops down looking for a counter takedown but Jakh sprawls and moves away.
Pokrovskii avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Jakh fails with a takedown attempt.
Jakh tries to clinch up but Pokrovskii circles away and keeps his distance.
Jakh stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Jakh wants it to stay on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pokrovskii shoots in looking for a takedown. Jakh tries to sprawl out of it but Pokrovskii keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Jakh manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Jakh fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Pokrovskii forces Jakh back against the cage and clinches.

Pokrovskii pulls guard effortlessly.
Jakh with a flurry of punches that miss.
Jakh won't allow Pokrovskii to sweep him here.
Jakh throwing strikes but missing.
Jakh stopping the sweep attempt from Pokrovskii.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yegor Pokrovskii dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Yegor Pokrovskii's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Pokrovskii wants to clinch
and Jakh counters with a one-two to the body.
Jakh looks for a takedown but Pokrovskii sprawls well.
Pokrovskii swats away the attempt to clinch by Jakh.

Jakh moves into the clinch.

Jakh breaks from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

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

Pokrovskii gets control of Jakh's arms and successfully pulls guard. Pokrovskii will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Jakh tries to free his leg and advance position but Pokrovskii is retaining full guard.
Jakh wants to control from the top but Pokrovskii keeps moving.
Jakh must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pokrovskii wants to sweep here but Jakh controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pokrovskii is working hard here to advance position.

Pokrovskii escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Jakh gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Pokrovskii keeping moving, preventing Jakh from controlling successfully.
Pokrovskii working a defensive guard here.

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

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.
Jakh has a takedown stuffed.
Pokrovskii stuffs the takedown.
Yegor Pokrovskii has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pari Jakh.
Jakh is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Pokrovskii with a lazy takedown attempt
and Jakh counters with a three punch combo that has Pokrovskii backing up. Pokrovskii nods at Jakh to acknowledge the strikes.
Pokrovskii looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Jakh is fending him off so far but Pokrovskii persists. Nope, Jakh circles away and we're back to standing.
Pari Jakh seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A low kick from Pokrovskii misses
and Jakh counters with a stiff right hand.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pokrovskii misses with a takedown attempt - Jakh sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Jakh misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Jakh tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pokrovskii stuffs the takedown.
Jakh's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Jakh duly obliges.
Pokrovskii connects with a high kick.
Jakh fails with a takedown attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Jakh.
Pokrovskii tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Jakh defends well and Pokrovskii ends up having to push Jakh into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Pokrovskii circles away from the clinch attempt.
Jakh just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromPokrovskii.
Jakh shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Pokrovskii sprawls well. Pokrovskii wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Jakh gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jakh doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Pokrovskii closes the distance and clinches up with Jakh, looking for a takedown. Pokrovskii pushes Jakh against the cage but Jakh circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Jakh throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Pokrovskii's waist but Pokrovskii gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Jakh off to one side.
Pokrovskii dives in for a single leg takedown but Jakh sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pokrovskii misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Jakh shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Pokrovskii napping and manages to drive through into side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pari Jakh showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Yegor Pokrovskii's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Jakh tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pokrovskii swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Pokrovskii leaves Jakh with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Pokrovskii dives in and grabs Jakh's left leg, looking for a takedown. Jakh pushes down on Pokrovskii's head and hops out.
Jakh leaves Pokrovskii with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
As Pokrovskii backs off Jakh throws a huge counter combo but Pokrovskii manages to avoid it all.
Jakh tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pokrovskii paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Jakh looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Pokrovskii!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jakh in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Yegor Pokrovskii overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pokrovskii is looking to regain half guard here but Jakh keeps moving and retains side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jakh stands up.
Jakh fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Jakh shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Pokrovskii tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Jakh manages to move to mount!
Pokrovskii regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pokrovskii wants to control but Jakh is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Pokrovskii has one foot on Jakh's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Yegor Pokrovskii is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Pokrovskii moves into the clinch.
Jakh is pressed up against the cage. Pokrovskii has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Jakh down to the mat. Jakh avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yegor Pokrovskii. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Pokrovskii tries to keep at a distance but Jakh has taken the fight into the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Still in the clinch, Jakh scores with a nice short uppercut.
Jakh tries to pull guard but Pokrovskii won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pokrovskii jumps guard but Jakh turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Pokrovskii has Jakh pressed against the cage, preventing Jakh from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Jakh is trying to pull guard but Pokrovskii turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Jakh tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Jakh lands a body shot.

Jakh pulls Pokrovskii into guard.
Pokrovskii throwing strikes but missing.
Jakh bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Pokrovskii's guard.

Jakh engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pokrovskii is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Jakh wants to get up but he can't break Pokrovskii's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Pokrovskii looking for subs off his back but Jakh has passed one foot through into half guard.
Jakh thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pari Jakh comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Jakh 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight for Pari Jakh!
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight for Pari Jakh!
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight for Pari Jakh!

Pari Jakh wins by unanimous decision!