PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between James Jakovik (ranked 5736 p4p, 266 weight class) and Slava Kychenkov (ranked 5771 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Jakovik
vs
Kychenkov

164 cm
18
141 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
24
140 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Experienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, James Jakovik!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Slava Kychenkov!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Valeri Chadov and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jakovik swings for the body but Kychenkov moves out of range.

Kychenkov bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Jakovik is looking for a sweep.
Kychenkov lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Jakovik is trying to get back to half guard.
Jakovik is trying to escape the position but Kychenkov is controlling the position.
Kychenkov tries to move to mount but Jakovik blocks the move with his legs.
Kychenkov takes a little break here. Jakovik wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kychenkov tries to move to mount but Jakovik blocks the move with his legs.
Jakovik is letting Kychenkov control him for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jakovik takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Jakovik is letting Kychenkov control him for a moment.
Kychenkov connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Jakovik some visible discomfort.
Kychenkov lands a decent elbow from side control.
Kychenkov moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Let's hope that Kychenkov 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kychenkov working the head with strikes.
Jakovik taking punishment in the form of punches.
Kychenkov remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Jakovik throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Jakovik is pushing Kychenkov's head away, looking to escape. Kychenkov manages to hold on to the position though.
Kychenkov is staying tight to Jakovik's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Kychenkov connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Jakovik some visible discomfort.
Jakovik is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Jakovik on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kychenkov remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Kychenkov has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Jakovik!
Kychenkov takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kychenkov working Jakovik over with strikes here.
Kychenkov takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Jakovik is bucking up trying to escape but Kychenkov cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Kychenkov controlling from the full mount.
Jakovik is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kychenkov tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Kychenkov pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Kychenkov content just to control the position here.
Kychenkov in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Kychenkov landing strikes from the mount.
Kychenkov raining down hammerfists from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jakovik keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kychenkov controlling from the full mount.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kychenkov raining down shots from the mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Slava Kychenkov dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Kychenkov shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Jakovik has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kychenkov is working away from the top position though.
Kychenkov is controlling the pace.
Kychenkov wants to pass the guard but Jakovik is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kychenkov perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Kychenkov seems to be working for a kimura but Jakovik defends the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kychenkov works his way into full mount!
Jakovik keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Kychenkov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kychenkov landing punches.
Kychenkov postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Jakovik looks a forlorn figure.
Kychenkov controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kychenkov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The referee warns Jakovik that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Slava Kychenkov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kychenkov controlling his opponent.
Jakovik is trying desperately to improve position.
Kychenkov controlling his opponent.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Kychenkov.
Kychenkov with a couple of short strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kychenkov scoring with strikes but Jakovik is staying in there.
Kychenkov raining down shots from the mount!
Kychenkov landing strikes from the mount.
Kychenkov landing strikes, looking to finish!
Kychenkov fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Kychenkov is landing with some decent strikes but Jakovik is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

Jakovik is rocked!
Kychenkov takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Jakovik is wriggling around trying to escape.
Kychenkov scoring with strikes but Jakovik is staying in there.
Kychenkov controlling the position easily from mount.
Jakovik can't escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kychenkov controlling from mount.
Kychenkov is continuing to stall.
Kychenkov is landing with some decent strikes but Jakovik is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
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!
Kychenkov punishing his opponent with strikes.
Kychenkov controlling from the full mount.
Kychenkov with a couple of short strikes.
Kychenkov takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kychenkov lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Oh Jakovik is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Kychenkov landing punches.
BOOM! Kychenkov connects with a massive shot to the dome!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Slava Kychenkov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Kychenkov shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Jakovik's guard.
Kychenkov sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Jakovik seems to have got his legs back now.
Kychenkov sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Jakovik's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kychenkov seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kychenkov passes to side control.
Kychenkov advances to mount.
Kychenkov working the ground and pound effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kychenkov has hold of Jakovik's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Jakovik manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Kychenkov lands a big elbow.
Jakovik is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Kychenkov takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kychenkov lands a heavy elbow.
Kychenkov controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jakovik tries to reverse the position but Kychenkov maintains control.
Kychenkov content just to control the position here.
Jakovik is bucking up trying to escape but Kychenkov cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Kychenkov looking to finish Jakovik with some ground and pound. This is bad for Jakovik!
Kychenkov controlling his opponent.
Kychenkov unloading with bombs!
Kychenkov loads up on a couple of big shots to the head that have Jakovik scrambling to escape. He can't get free though and several more unanswered shots from Kychenkov land to the head. The referee has no choice but to stop the fight. Kychenkov stands and salutes the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Slava Kychenkov!