PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rio Vargas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Petrov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Vargas
vs
Petrov

200 cm
25
250 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

187 cm
25
272 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very strong

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Sully's Bar & Grill

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rio Vargas!
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, Igor Petrov!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Konstantin Menshow and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Vargas has taken the fight to the clinch.

Vargas wants the takedown. Petrov is fighting it off but Vargas persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Petrov's guard against the cage.
Petrov wants to stand up but Vargas is controlling him.
Vargas will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Petrov is pulling down on Vargas's head. It's preventing any offense from Vargas, at least for the moment.
Vargas preventing the sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Petrov has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Vargas is pushing down on Petrov's leg trying to pass to half guard. Petrov is fighting to maintain full guard but Vargas has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrov tries to roll over but Vargas keeps him under control.
Vargas wants to free his trapped foot but Petrov is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Petrov is trying to maintain the position but Vargas is very close to passing his half guard.
Vargas stops Petrov from getting back to his feet.

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

Vargas looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petrov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Petrov is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Vargas presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

Vargas has clasped his hands together around Petrov's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Petrov tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Vargas wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vargas is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrov tries to escape but Vargas is in control.
Petrov tries to get back to half guard but can't.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Petrov can't do much from the bottom here.

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

Petrov changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Vargas looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vargas being controlled for a moment.
Petrov advances to mount.
Petrov looking to control and managing it successfully.
Vargas is trying desperately to improve position.
Petrov controlling the position easily from mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vargas can't escape the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Petrov lands a big shot there that rocks Vargas but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Petrov tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Igor Petrov will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Vargas closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Petrov did well to prevent Vargas getting side control.
Petrov wants to get back to his feet.
Vargas is figuring out what he wants to do next.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Petrov can do anything to dispel that myth.
Vargas trying to pass the guard but Petrov defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Petrov is trying to stand back up but Vargas is controlling him
Petrov is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Vargas closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Petrov is trying to stand.
Petrov regains full guard. Nicely done.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Petrov wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Vargas has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Vargas won't allow Petrov to get back to his feet.
Petrov has control of Vargas's left arm, preventing Vargas from doing any damage.

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

Vargas gets back to full guard.
Petrov slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Petrov trying to control the position from guard on top but Vargas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrov stays in close to Vargas's body and controls the position.

Vargas has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Petrov can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Petrov controls from within his opponent's guard.

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

Petrov gets a takedown into half guard.
We've been informed that Petrov has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

Vargas looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrov looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Petrov's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Vargas tries to get to full guard but Petrov has control of the leg.
Petrov seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Petrov controlling the action here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Petrov is trying to control the action in half guard but Vargas is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Igor Petrov will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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!

Petrov fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Vargas sprawls well initially but Petrov persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Vargas has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Petrov is working away from the top position though.

Vargas looking for submissions off his back.
Petrov sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Vargas is looking to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Petrov looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Vargas is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vargas looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Petrov with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Petrov passes the guard and advances to mount!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Petrov sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Petrov can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Vargas is looking to escape.
Vargas tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Petrov controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petrov can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Vargas is looking to escape.
Igor Petrov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Petrov avoids the attempt from Vargas to control.
Vargas tries to reverse the position but Petrov maintains control.
Petrov lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrov unloading with bombs!
Petrov lands a nice shot to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Petrov takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Petrov lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Petrov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Petrov controlling the pace for now.
Petrov lands with some strikes.
Petrov landing strikes from the mount.
Vargas is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Petrov controlling from mount.
Vargas wants to control but Petrov is having none of it.
Rio Vargas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrov controlling the pace for now.
Petrov dominating with strikes here.
Petrov with the ground and pound from mount.
Petrov controlling his opponent.
Petrov looking to finish Vargas with some ground and pound. This is bad for Vargas!
Igor Petrov is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Petrov looking to control and managing it successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Let's hope that Petrov 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.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Petrov.

And that's the end of the fight!
Igor Petrov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Petrov 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Igor Petrov!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Igor Petrov made sure he mentioned Sully's Bar & Grill, along with how happy he was to win his fight.