PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between ange fili (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Zhitnik (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zhitnik comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Metallica - Leper Messiah kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Igor Zhitnik has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

fili
vs
Zhitnik

190 cm
19
270 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

191 cm
22
280 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

Good wrestler
Brawler
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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, ange fili!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Igor Zhitnik!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Illya Tyunina and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
fili shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Zhitnik but Zhitnik pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Zhitnik feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Zhitnik is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
fili wants to sweep but no luck.
Zhitnik with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Zhitnik loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
fili is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Zhitnik is controlling him.
Zhitnik postures up and lands a big shot to fili's brow.
Zhitnik works over fili with some ground and pound from guard.
Zhitnik stands up over fili, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Zhitnik's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

fili is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Zhitnik is in close to fili's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
fili controls Zhitnik momentarily but Zhitnik frees himself.
Zhitnik trying to control the position from guard on top but fili is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zhitnik must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Zhitnik landing with the ground and pound.
fili has momentary wrist control but Zhitnik slips an elbow through the middle.

fili is looking for a triangle but Zhitnik pushes his legs off easily.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Zhitnik's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Zhitnik makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Zhitnik postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
fili has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Zhitnik has passed into side control.
Zhitnik lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear fili down.

fili is rocked!
fili is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zhitnik wants to lay and pray for a moment but fili keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
fili is trying to improve his position.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Zhitnik wants to lay and pray for a moment but fili keeps working.
fili can't do much from the bottom here.
Zhitnik landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Zhitnik cracks fili with a big elbow.
fili taking punishment in the form of punches.
fili is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Zhitnik's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Zhitnik drops an elbow to the side of fili's head.
Zhitnik working over fili with some ground and pound. fili looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Well, if Zhitnik 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 fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhitnik is looking to take a break and control but fili is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are battling for position here. fili manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Zhitnik trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

fili is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
fili trying to control the position.

fili has his foot on Zhitnik's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Zhitnik works his way back into a safe position though.
Zhitnik lands a couple of elbows.
Zhitnik trying to control the position from guard on top but fili is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zhitnik stays in close to fili's body and controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zhitnik tries to free his leg and advance position but fili is retaining full guard.

fili looking for a guillotine here but Zhitnik defends easily.
fili tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Zhitnik works over fili with some ground and pound from guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Zhitnik's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

fili looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zhitnik seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Zhitnik dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Zhitnik.
Zhitnik cracks fili with a big right hand but fili just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
fili is trying to get back to half guard.
Zhitnik taking a breather here.
fili is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
fili works his way to full guard. Good work.
Zhitnik trying to control but fili is working from the bottom.
Zhitnik content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Zhitnik trying to control but fili is working from the bottom.
Igor Zhitnik has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
fili manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Zhitnik manages to get himself to full guard.
Zhitnik is breathing heavily.
Zhitnik preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
fili trying to control but Zhitnik is working from the bottom.
fili is really struggling to control Zhitnik but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Zhitnik thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Zhitnik is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
fili postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Zhitnik throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Zhitnik is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Zhitnik avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
fili shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Zhitnik counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in fili's guard now.
Zhitnik seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Let's hope that Zhitnik 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.
fili looking to control.
Zhitnik looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
fili keeping moving, preventing Zhitnik from controlling successfully.
Zhitnik scoring with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
fili bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Zhitnik's guard.
fili has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Zhitnik is proving hard to escape from.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zhitnik looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Zhitnik manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. fili manages to get himself to full guard.
fili wants to get back to his feet but Zhitnik is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Zhitnik won't allow fili to sweep him here.

Zhitnik avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Zhitnik trying to control but fili is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Zhitnik working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Zhitnik scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Zhitnik's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Zhitnik thows a big elbow that misses.
Zhitnik passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Zhitnik wants to control but fili is keeping him busy.
Zhitnik lands some shots froms side control.
fili is pushing Zhitnik's head away, looking to escape. Zhitnik manages to hold on to the position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Zhitnik 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! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Zhitnik doesn't succeed with the takedown

and fili counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
fili frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Zhitnik sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Zhitnik is looking for a sweep. fili is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Zhitnik is trying to maintain the position but fili is very close to passing his half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Zhitnik can do anything to dispel that myth.
fili wants to stand up but Zhitnik has a hold of him and won't allow it.
fili passes the guard and advances to mount!
Zhitnik keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
fili breaks from Zhitnik's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zhitnik tries to lock up and control but fili gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
A nice elbow there by fili.
fili landing strikes, looking to finish!
Zhitnik tries to reverse the position but fili maintains control.

fili looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Zhitnik has given up his back here. Will fili look for the submission or keep pounding away?

fili is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Zhitnik is defending well though. fili let's go of the attempt for now.
Zhitnik turns into fili and is now in his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zhitnik throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
fili is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Zhitnik preventing the sweep.
Zhitnik postures up and lands a big shot to fili's brow.
Zhitnik working some strikes from top position.
fili keeping moving, preventing Zhitnik from controlling successfully.

fili had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Zhitnik is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. fili Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Zhitnik's back instead.
fili doesn't have the hooks in and Zhitnik manages to turn into his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhitnik scoring with punches to the head and body.
Zhitnik is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Zhitnik postures up in fili's guard and throws a big left but fili blocks it.
Zhitnik working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

fili looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Zhitnik is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
fili is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Zhitnik postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Zhitnik tries to free his leg and advance position but fili is retaining full guard.
Zhitnik working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

fili looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
fili avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
fili keeping moving, preventing Zhitnik from controlling successfully.

fili has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Zhitnik can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Zhitnik landing some decent shots from guard.
fili wants to sweep but no luck.
Igor Zhitnik is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
fili is looking to stand up but Zhitnik isn't so interested in that idea.
Zhitnik lands a couple of digs.
ange fili has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Zhitnik wants to control from the top but fili keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
ange fili showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Zhitnik has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Igor Zhitnik!