PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Voli Bear (ranked 4146 p4p, 429 weight class) and Demir Tskhadaia (ranked 4869 p4p, 488 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bear
vs
Tskhadaia

198 cm
19
265 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
232 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Basic striking
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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Voli Bear!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Demir Tskhadaia!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Daniel Franklin and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jab from Bear.
Tskhadaia shoots in but Bear avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Tskhadaia closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Tskhadaia trying to control the action but Bear is working from the bottom.
Bear trying to control but Tskhadaia postures up.
Bear is trying to get back to full guard.
Tskhadaia is looking to take a break and control but Bear is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bear wants to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bear manages to get to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bear is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Tskhadaia tries to roll over but Bear keeps him under control.
Tskhadaia is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Bear will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Bear landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Bear winds up and cracks Tskhadaia with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Bear lands with a punch from half guard.
Tskhadaia is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Bear has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Bear drops an elbow to the side of Tskhadaia's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tskhadaia tries to roll over but Bear keeps him under control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Tskhadaia can do anything to dispel that myth.
Bear controlling the action here.
Bear is nestled in close to Tskhadaia, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Tskhadaia wants to improve his position but Bear is controlling well.
Tskhadaia works his way to full guard. Good work.
Tskhadaia really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bear. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Tskhadaia trying to strike off his back.
Bear has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Bear keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Tskhadaia's head.
Bear 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.
Tskhadaia looking for a sweep. Not yet Tskhadaia, not yet.
Bear throws a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tskhadaia 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.
Bear showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Bear wants to control from the top but Tskhadaia keeps moving.
Bear is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Bear with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Bear landing with the ground and pound.
Tskhadaia looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bear tries to free his leg and advance position but Tskhadaia is retaining full guard.
Bear stands up over Tskhadaia, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Bear connects with a couple of short punches.
Bear stopping the sweep attempt from Tskhadaia.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bear postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Tskhadaia looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bear postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Bear postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Tskhadaia can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Bear controls the pace.
Bear slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Tskhadaia is trying to get back to half guard.
Bear cracks Tskhadaia with a big right hand but Tskhadaia just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Tskhadaia is looking for a sweep.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Bear tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Bear working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Voli Bear dominated that round.
That's time! Bear's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Tskhadaia gets a takedown into half guard.
Bear is trying to get back to full guard.
Bear is working hard here to advance position.
Bear moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Tskhadaia scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tskhadaia landing some decent shots from guard.
Tskhadaia trying to control but Bear is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bear looking for a sweep. Not yet Bear, not yet.
Tskhadaia throws a strike but Bear rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Bear content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Tskhadaia keeping moving, preventing Bear from controlling successfully.
Tskhadaia can't keep his opponent in guard - Bear advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Bear not doing much here.
Bear working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Bear landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Tskhadaia tries to roll over but Bear keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tskhadaia gets back to full guard.
Bear won't allow Tskhadaia to sweep him here.
Bear trying to control but Tskhadaia is working from the bottom.
Tskhadaia lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Tskhadaia keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Bear's head.
Tskhadaia throws a big elbow that misses.
Bear pulls Tskhadaia in close to prevent any damage.
Tskhadaia trying to control but Bear is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bear is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Tskhadaia is aware though and is defending well.
Tskhadaia must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Tskhadaia throws a strike but Bear rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Bear chips away with some ground and pound.
Tskhadaia punching from the bottom.
Tskhadaia looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Tskhadaia is still trying to improve position.
Tskhadaia keeping moving, preventing Bear from controlling successfully.
Tskhadaia wants to sweep but no luck.
Bear scoring with some ground and pound.
Tskhadaia wants to sweep but no luck.
Tskhadaia wants to improve his position but instead Bear has moved into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bear wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tskhadaia keeps working.
Tskhadaia moves into full guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Bear's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Voli Bear overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tskhadaia has momentary wrist control but Bear slips an elbow through the middle.
Bear pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tskhadaia is keeping the position for now.
Bear landing with the ground and pound.
Tskhadaia looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bear scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bear lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Tskhadaia wants to sweep here but Bear controlling him for the moment.
Bear is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Voli Bear dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Tskhadaia on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Tskhadaia throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Bear tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Tskhadaia is in Bear's guard.
Tskhadaia looking to sit in guard and control but Bear gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Bear scoring with punches to the head and body.
Bear working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Bear won't allow Tskhadaia to sweep him here.
Bear slips nicely into half guard.

Tskhadaia is looking to regain full guard. He's left an arm up in the air though and Bear has latched onto it... Big trouble! Bear pivots for an armbar - it's in tight and it Tskhadaia is tapping in no time flat! Great counter grappling there from Bear!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:48 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Voli Bear!
During a confident post fight interview, Voli Bear thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.