PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sly James (ranked 4564 p4p, 4758 weight class) and Barislav Ivan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

James
vs
Ivan

178 cm
25
170
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
175
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Sly James!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Barislav Ivan!
The judges for this bout are Bart Greer, Sandra Marshall and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
James swats away the attempt to clinch by Ivan.
Ivan shoots in for a takedown but James shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
James went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Horrible takedown attempt by Ivan or perhaps it was just good defense by James, which made it look bad.
James throwing a counter right hand but Ivan manages to avoid it.

Ivan clinches up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ivan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ivan doesn't manage to clinch there - James circles away.
James throwing a counter right hand but Ivan manages to avoid it.
Ivan throws a solid leg kick but James takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Ivan.
James throwing a counter right hand but Ivan manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivan is looking to clinch.
James was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Ivan tries to clinch but James moves away
enabling James to counter with a crisp jab.

Ivan clinches up against the cage.
Ivan is looking for a takedown.
Sly James has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Barislav Ivan.
Ivan is trying to pull guard but James turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
James tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
James tries to land a knee to the head but Ivan blocks with his arms.
James with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
James misses with a knee strike.

Ivan breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ivan misses with a takedown
and James counters with a nice uppercut.
Ivan wants to clinch.
Ivan tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but James defends well and Ivan ends up having to push James into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
A little feinted left hand from James on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Ivan shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. James defends it nicely.
A little feinted left hand from James on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivan wants to clinch up but James keeps it at a distance.

Ivan pushes James up against the cage in a clinch.
James blocks a body shot from Ivan.

Ivan's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ivan works James's body with a nice hook.
Ivan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? James is fending him off so far but Ivan persists. Nope, James circles away and we're back to standing.
It looked like James wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Ivan shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says James as he avoids it easily.
A little feinted left hand from James on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
James slaps away a takedown attempt from Ivan, before circling back to the center of the mat.
James throwing a counter right hand but Ivan manages to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivan tries to clinch up but James circles away and keeps his distance.
Ivan tries to clinch but James is having none of it.
An attempted straight right counter from James misses the target.
James takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Ivan tries to score a power double leg takedown but James sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Ivan somewhat.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ivan tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. James manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A little feinted left hand from James on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Ivan tries to score with a low kick but James moves his leg out of the way.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sly James dominated that 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.

Ivan tries to clinch up but James circles away and keeps his distance.
Ivan tries to score a power double leg takedown but James sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Ivan somewhat.
Ivan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ivan fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but James is out of range.
Barislav Ivan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
James uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ivan.
James swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Ivan shoots for a takedown but James saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
As Ivan looks to move away, James throws a big counter combo but Ivan just gets out of the way.
Ivan fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. James looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivan pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ivan shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with James but James pushes him off and we're back to square one.
James is looking to counter punch.
Sly James has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Barislav Ivan.
James avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
It looked like James wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
James avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
James was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Ivan fails with the takedown
and James counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
James is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ivan can do to turn this around?
Ivan fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ivan shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as James sprawls well. James wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ivan gets slowly back to his feet.
An attempted straight right counter from James misses the target.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Ivan.
James is looking to counter punch.
Ivan throws a head kick but James moves out of range.
James defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ivan.
An attempted straight right counter from James misses the target.
James avoids the head kick by Ivan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivan misses with a takedown
and James counters with a straight right hand.
Ivan tries to land a front kick but James steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
James is looking to counter punch.
Ivan closes the distance and clinches up with James, looking for a takedown. Ivan pushes James against the cage but James circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
James keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
James was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Ivan is breathing heavily.
Ivan looks for a takedown but James sprawls well.
James swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James stuffs the takedown attempt from Ivan. Ivan gets slowly back to his feet.
James swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Ivan shoots and misses
and Ivan takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ivan looks for a takedown but James sprawls well.
Ivan misses with a takedown
and James counters with a straight right hand.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ivan tries to clinch there but James circles away.
James throwing a counter right hand but Ivan manages to avoid it.
Ivan shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with James but James pushes him off and we're back to square one.
James swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sly James dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ivan moves to clinch but James breaks away
and James counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ivan throws the kick towards the body but James avoids it.
Ivan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but James moves away.
An attempted straight right counter from James misses the target.
Ivan shoots and misses
and James cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Ivan tries to score a power double leg takedown but James sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Ivan somewhat.
James is looking to counter punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ivan throws a sloppy head kick and James moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivan throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and James counters with a stiff right hand.
Sly James is winning the standup battle so far.
A clash of legs there as James blocks the low kick.
Ivan shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with James but James pushes him off and we're back to square one.
As Ivan looks to move away, James throws a big counter combo but Ivan just gets out of the way.
Sly James has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Barislav Ivan.
Ivan shoots in for a takedown but James shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Ivan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ivan shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts James as he jumps to the side.
James throwing a counter right hand but Ivan manages to avoid it.
Ivan fails with the takedown
and James counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ivan doesn't manage to clinch there - James circles away.
It looked like James wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Ivan goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Ivan misses with a takedown
and James cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Ivan.
An attempted straight right counter from James misses the target.
Ivan throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
James is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Ivan shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as James sprawls well. James wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ivan gets slowly back to his feet.
James throwing a counter right hand but Ivan manages to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivan throws a left and a right that both miss
and James counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Ivan misses with a hook to the body
enabling James to counter with a crisp jab.
Ivan doesn't succeed with the takedown
and James counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Barislav Ivan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ivan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Ivan with that takedown attempt.
A little feinted left hand from James on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Ivan with a lazy takedown attempt
and James counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ivan doesn't manage to clinch there - James circles away.
It looked like James wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ivan.
James throwing a counter right hand but Ivan manages to avoid it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ivan shoots and misses
and James counters with a three punch combo that has Ivan backing up. Ivan nods at James to acknowledge the strikes.
Barislav Ivan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ivan throws a head kick that misses
and Ivan takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sly James showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for James, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Bart Greer scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 30:27
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sly James!