PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mykhailo Yakovenko (ranked 4010 p4p, 3535 weight class) and Abdullah Keita (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Yakovenko
vs
Keita

175 cm
25
158
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
157
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mykhailo Yakovenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Abdullah Keita!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, David Schapiro and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Keita misses with a wild combination.
Keita misses with a double jab

and Yakovenko counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Yakovenko.
Keita is trying to break the clinch but Yakovenko has him pressed against the cage.
Yakovenko has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Keita after a bit of a struggle.

Yakovenko gets control of Keita's arms and successfully pulls guard. Yakovenko will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Keita wants to stand but Yakovenko has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Yakovenko holds on and takes a little breather.
Keita wants to get up but he can't break Yakovenko's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Yakovenko is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Keita is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Yakovenko's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Yakovenko's back!
Keita nearly escaped from the position there.

Keita gets to his feet and calls for his opponent to stand and trade! Heeeere we go!
Yakovenko fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Abdullah Keita is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keita throws a right and a left that both miss.
Keita swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Keita looks winded!
Yakovenko dodges the punch combination from Keita.
Nice straight punches there by Keita. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Keita.
Yakovenko throws a right and a left that Keita avoids nicely.
Keita throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Yakovenko shoots in but Keita avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mykhailo Yakovenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Keita throws a left and a right that both miss

and Yakovenko moves into the clinch.
Yakovenko softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Yakovenko tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Keita avoids it.
Keita is pressed up against the cage. Yakovenko has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Keita down to the mat. Keita avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Keita throws a series of punches but Yakovenko moves out of range.
Keita misses with a few strikes there.
Yakovenko shoots for a takedown but Keita saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Yakovenko shoots in for a takedown but Keita shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Yakovenko shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Keita but Keita pushes him off and we're back to square one.
It seemed like Keita was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Yakovenko dives in and grabs Keita's left leg, looking for a takedown. Keita pushes down on Yakovenko's head and hops out.
Keita misses with the combination.
Yakovenko will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Keita displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Yakovenko lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Yakovenko tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Keita swivels and escapes.
Yakovenko pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Keita looks to land a combination but Yakovenko avoids it well.
Yakovenko changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Keita tries to avoid it but Yakovenko manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Keita to the ground. Keita escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Keita misses with a jab, cross combination.
Yakovenko throws a chopping leg kick but Keita manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keita stuffs the takedown attempt from Yakovenko. Yakovenko gets slowly back to his feet.
Keita lands with an uppercut that bounces Yakovenko off the cage and back into range.
Keita tries to bum rush Yakovenko with a series of wild strikes but Yakovenko uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Yakovenko.
Keita scores with a jab to the head.
Keita misses with a jab, cross combination.
Keita is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Keita stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Keita wants it to stay on the feet.
Yakovenko slips a jab and a cross from Keita.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Yakovenko is defended easily by Keita.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Keita tries to land a front kick but Yakovenko steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
As Keita tries to get set, Yakovenko tries to push him back and clinch up but Keita manages to avoid the attempt.
Keita scores with a punch to the head.
Yakovenko scores with a nice strike.
A head kick misses from Yakovenko.
Keita misses with a straight left.
Yakovenko went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Yakovenko tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Keita swivels and escapes.
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!
Keita fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Yakovenko on the side of the head.
Keita connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

Yakovenko moves into the clinch successfully.
Keita is looking to break free of the clinch but Yakovenko has double underhooks.
Yakovenko wants a takedown but no success here.

Yakovenko breaks the clinch.

Yakovenko moves into the clinch successfully.
Yakovenko tries to break free but Keita pushes him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abdullah Keita dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Keita connects with a crisp jab.
Yakovenko throws a sloppy head kick and Keita moves out of range easily.

Yakovenko forces Keita back against the cage and clinches.
Keita wants to break free but Yakovenko has control.
Keita is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Yakovenko escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Yakovenko misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Yakovenko will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Keita has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

Keita gets tackled into the cage by Yakovenko. Yakovenko maintains the clinch.

Yakovenko has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Keita uses from the top position.
Keita wants to stand but Yakovenko is controlling his posture from full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yakovenko controls Keita momentarily but Keita frees himself.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Keita trying to stand up but can't free himself from Yakovenko's guard.

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

Yakovenko wants to free his trapped foot but Keita is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Keita wants to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yakovenko looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Keita keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yakovenko throwing shots but Keita is blocking nicely.
Keita has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Yakovenko wants to pass the guard but Keita is defending well.
Keita trying to hold on to Yakovenko's head to control him but Yakovenko postures up.
Yakovenko stalling.
Yakovenko not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Keita is positioning himself well to prevent Yakovenko advancing to mount.
Yakovenko looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Yakovenko is controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keita wants to get back to his feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Yakovenko shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Keita sprawls well. Keita wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Yakovenko gets slowly back to his feet.
Keita lands with a hook. Yakovenko tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Keita misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Keita falls off balance throwing a combination

and Yakovenko holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Keita tries to circle away but Yakovenko has him pinned against the cage.
Keita is trying to push Yakovenko away but Yakovenko has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Yakovenko decides to pull guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yakovenko bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Keita's guard.

Yakovenko looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Yakovenko has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Keita avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Keita is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Yakovenko pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Keita is keeping the position for now.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yakovenko prevents Keita from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mykhailo Yakovenko dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Yakovenko gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Keita tries to bum rush Yakovenko with a series of wild strikes but Yakovenko uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Keita rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Yakovenko moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Keita throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Yakovenko shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Keita but Keita pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Yakovenko pushes Keita up against the cage in a clinch.
Keita wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Yakovenko is trying to pull guard but Keita turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Keita is trying to break the clinch but Yakovenko is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Keita can't break the clinch.

Yakovenko pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Keita throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Yakovenko sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Yakovenko tries to counter with a takedown but Keita is quick to defend against it.
Yakovenko tries to score a power double leg takedown but Keita sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Yakovenko somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mykhailo Yakovenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keita misses with a series of wild punches.
Yakovenko tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Keita swivels and escapes.
Yakovenko swinging wildly here.
Keita throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Yakovenko counters with a one-two to the body.
Yakovenko shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Yakovenko slips a jab and a cross from Keita.
Nice uppercut there from Keita.
Mykhailo Yakovenko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Keita stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Keita wants it to stay on the feet.
Keita might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

Yakovenko shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Yakovenko wants to control from the top but Keita keeps moving.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Keita is looking to stand up but Yakovenko isn't so interested in that idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keita controls Yakovenko momentarily but Yakovenko frees himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yakovenko trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Mykhailo Yakovenko overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Keita can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Yakovenko controls the pace.
Yakovenko throws a big right hand that misses.
Yakovenko trying to control the position from guard on top but Keita is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Yakovenko drops back looking for a leg! Keita is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Keita manages to kick Yakovenko off! Yakovenko jumps back into Keita's guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Keita misses with a few strikes there.

Yakovenko takes the fight into the clinch.
Keita looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yakovenko is pushing Keita up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Keita wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Yakovenko manages to break the clinch.
Yakovenko tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Keita swivels and escapes.
Keita lands a jab.
Keita throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
As Keita tries to get set, Yakovenko tries to push him back and clinch up but Keita manages to avoid the attempt.

Yakovenko drives through and clinches with Keita against the cage.
Yakovenko has Keita pressed against the cage, preventing Keita from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Keita is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Yakovenko ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Yakovenko no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Keita has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Yakovenko is proving hard to escape from.
Yakovenko trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Keita stands and steps away. Yakovenko gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Keita getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Yakovenko shoots in but no luck this time.
Keita throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Yakovenko closes this distance looking for a takedown but Keita circles away.
Keita fails to land with a series of punches.
Abdullah Keita seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Keita misses with a few strikes there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Yakovenko darts in looking for a takedown but Keita gets double underhooks and turns Yakovenko into the cage.
Keita looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Yakovenko slips a jab and a cross from Keita.
Keita misses with a combination
and Yakovenko counters with a one-two to the body.
Yakovenko fails with the takedown.

And that's the end of the fight!
Abdullah Keita comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Keita 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Abdullah Keita!