PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Volkov (ranked 737 p4p, 471 weight class) and Ameri Can (ranked 93 p4p, 64 weight class). Can comes into a darkened arena with his song building. For Heavy Metal we will die! kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Volkov
vs
Can

175 cm
30
154
13 - 10 - 0

173 cm
37
151
20 - 8 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Vegan Gains

SynCity Fightwear
Brooklyn Apothecary

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Volkov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ameri Can!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Colin Fotheringham and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Can slaps away a takedown attempt from Volkov, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Can throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
As Can tries to get set, Volkov tries to push him back and clinch up but Can manages to avoid the attempt.
Volkov throws a good cross that connects.
Volkov tries to move into range but Can moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Ivan Volkov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Can throws a jab when Volkov was well out of range.
Can lands with a cross.
Can dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Volkov. That did some damage!
Can thows a leg kick but Volkov checks it

and Volkov counters with a single leg into guard. Can didn't expect that.
Can is wriggling around but Volkov manages to pass to half guard.

The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Can gets back to full guard.
Can is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Volkov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Can wants to sweep but no luck.
Can trying to control the position here.
Volkov wants to control from the top but Can keeps moving.
Can looking to hit a scissor sweep but Volkov is one step ahead there.
Volkov lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Can is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Volkov is controlling him.
Volkov trying to control but Can is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Volkov being controlled here momentarily.
Can 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.
Volkov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Can is keeping the position for now.
Volkov cracks Can with a solid left hand.
Volkov is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Volkov is looking to work some ground and pound but Can has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Volkov throwing strikes from guard but Can blocks nicely.
Can 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.
Can trying to keep a closed guard but Volkov is proving a slippery customer.
Volkov trying to control the position from guard on top but Can is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Can looking for a sweep. Not yet Can, not yet.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Volkov clinches up with Can and pushes him back against the cage.
Can blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Volkov takes a shot to the head.
Can tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Volkov blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Can prevents the takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Volkov fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Volkov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Can connects with a body shot.
Volkov swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Can.
Ameri Can is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Can tries to sprawl but Volkov drives through with a takedown into half guard.
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!
Volkov throwing shots but Can is blocking nicely.
Can tries to roll over but Volkov keeps him under control.
Can wants to get back to his feet.
Can is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ivan Volkov 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.

Can throws a nice head kick!
Can cracks Volkov with a right hand to the side of the head.
Volkov scores with a nice strike.
Can throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Can throws a body shot but no joy.
Volkov lands a nice looking body shot.
Volkov looks to land a left hand but Can moved out of range nicely.
Can throws a jab when Volkov was well out of range.

Volkov closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Can goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Volkov goes for a takedown in the clinch but Can prevents it.
Volkov tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Can's elbow.
Can misses with a punch on the inside.
Can misses with a punch on the inside.
Volkov scores with an uppercut up the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Can just misses with a elbow thrown towards Volkov's brow.
Can is leaning against Volkov and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
A bit of stalling here from Volkov.
Volkov is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Can pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Volkov struggles to land a body shot inside as Can controls his hands.
Volkov scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Volkov tries a body shot but Can blocks it.

Can breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Can throws a looping overhand right but Volkov ducks down to avoid it.
Can throws a shot from downtown. Volkov moves away and avoids it.
We've been told by Volkov's head coaches at St Petersburg MMA Gym that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Can misses with a body kick.
Can throws a leg kick

and Volkov counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Can pushes Volkov off and gets back to his feet.
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!
Volkov fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ivan Volkov. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Can uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Volkov.
Can misses with a body shot.
Volkov shoots in looking for a takedown. Can tries to sprawl out of it but Volkov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Can manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A left lands for Can.
Volkov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Can was well out of range. Poor timing from Volkov.
Can misses with a straight right.
Volkov takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Volkov throws a body shot but no joy.
Volkov closes the distance and clinches up with Can, looking for a takedown. Volkov pushes Can against the cage but Can circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Can lands with a slapping head kick.
Volkov smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Volkov scores with a punch to the head.
Can fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Volkov manages to avoid it.
Volkov throws a big shot that misses.
Can replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Volkov blocks it well.
Can ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Can scores with a jab to the body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Volkov.
Can lands a slapping body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Can. Volkov does a little dance to reset his feet.

Volkov throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Can was covering up waiting for the punch and Volkov finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Volkov trying to control the position from guard on top but Can is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Can wants to sweep but no luck.
Can trying to control the position here.
Can is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Volkov postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Can is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Volkov, into his guard.

Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Volkov 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.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ameri Can showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Can takes a swing at Volkov's ribcage but misses.
Can throws a low kick, looking for Volkov's leg but Volkov calmly moves out of range.
Can throws a shot to the body.

Volkov drives through and clinches with Can against the cage.
Can throws a punch but it's blocked by Volkov.
Can misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Volkov lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Can has one foot on Volkov's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Volkov shoots in but Can avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Can let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Volkov chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Can can pounce on him.
Volkov tries to clinch
and Can counters with a nice uppercut.
Can lands with a shot to the body.
Can throws a low kick, looking for Volkov's leg but Volkov calmly moves out of range.
Volkov drops down looking for a counter takedown but Can sprawls and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Can throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Volkov feinted with a counter takedown.
Can misses with a hook.
Can scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Can tries to keep at a distance but Volkov has taken the fight into the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Can as the two fighters clinch.

Can breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Can showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Volkov.
Can has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Can misses with a hook. Volkov ducked under it nicely.
Volkov tries to move into range but Can moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Volkov avoids a kick to the body.

Volkov scores with a takedown into Can's guard.
Can is pulling down on Volkov's head. It's preventing any offense from Volkov, at least for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Can 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.
Can keeping moving, preventing Volkov from controlling successfully.
Can tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Can manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Volkov manages to get himself to full guard.

Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Volkov is trying to control the position but Can postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Volkov keeping moving, preventing Can from controlling successfully.
Volkov 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.
Ivan Volkov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Can wants to get up but he can't break Volkov's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Can is stalling in the full guard.

Volkov working for a triangle but Can defends it easily.
Can is stalling in the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Volkov looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Volkov not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Ameri Can seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Volkov darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Volkov misses with a lunging right hand
and Can counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
A low kick from Can misses

and Volkov decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Can's guard.
Volkov trying to control but Can is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ameri Can comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Can 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ameri Can!
Ameri Can bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.