PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ife Edwards (ranked 230 p4p, 472 weight class) and Yevgeny Ignatov (ranked 35 p4p, 69 weight class). Edwards comes to the cage accompanied by Damian Marley - Road to Zion. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Edwards
vs
Ignatov

189 cm
35
209
32 - 18 - 0

189 cm
28
194
16 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Heavy handed

Shadow Realm Apparel
Akuma Wear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 32 - 18 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ife Edwards!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Yevgeny Ignatov!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Edwards scores with a decent looking hook.
Edwards has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Casa Steel in the buildup to the fight.
Edwards looks to throw a body kick
and Ignatov counters with a body kick.
Edwards waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ignatov.
Ignatov throws a right hand that misses
and Edwards counters with a stiff right hand.
Edwards slips a straight right by Ignatov.
Edwards is looking to counter with a body kick.
Ignatov lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ignatov moves out of range of the strikes.
It seemed like Ignatov was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Ignatov moves out of range of the body kick from Edwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ignatov goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Edwards throws a leg kick but Ignatov sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Ignatov doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Edwards throws a push kick but Ignatov slaps the foot to one side.
Ignatov now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Edwards attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Ignatov wants to clinch up but Edwards keeps it at a distance.
Edwards dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Ignatov moves out of range of the body kick from Edwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ignatov throws a half hearted mid kick.
As Ignatov backs away, Edwards returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.

Ignatov instigates a clinch.
Ignatov softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Edwards softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Ignatov swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Edwards is trying to break free.
Edwards blocks an uppercut.
Ignatov lands an uppercut.
Ignatov lands a body punch in the clinch.

Edwards breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ignatov connects with a leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Edwards throws a low kick but Ignatov avoids it.
Ignatov doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ignatov throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Edwards sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Edwards takes one to the chin there.
Ignatov throws an off balance right hand
and Edwards counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Edwards misses the jab.
Edwards throws a wild body kick that Ignatov sees coming a mile off.
Ignatov throws out a counter right but Edwards avoids it with no problem.
Ignatov throws a front kick that sends Edwards stumbling back into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ignatov slips under a jab.
Ignatov blocks a low kick nicely.
A jab from Edwards finds it's way through Ignatov's defenses.
Edwards misses the shot to the body.
Ignatov moves out of range of the body kick.
Edwards with a nice calf kick.
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 Ife Edwards will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Ignatov getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Ignatov blocks the body kick.
Ignatov raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Edwards connects with a body shot.
Edwards lands an overhand right.
Edwards moves out of range as Ignatov strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ignatov throws a head kick but Edwards moves out of range.
Ignatov has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Edwards loads up on a big right hand but Ignatov slips the punch.
Ignatov doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edwards looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Edwards moves out of range of the body kick.
Edwards throws a solid leg kick but Ignatov takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Edwards.
Edwards misses with a body shot.
Ignatov cracks Edwards with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Edwards dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Ife Edwards is winning the standup battle so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ignatov gets a clinch.
Edwards is trying to push Ignatov away but Ignatov has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Ignatov can't find room to land a body shot as Edwards controls the action.

Edwards manages to break the clinch.
Ignatov loads up on a big right hand but Edwards slips the punch.
Edwards misses with an uppercut
and Ignatov counters with a good low kick that Edwards was not able to check.
Edwards gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Edwards uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ignatov.
Edwards is looking to counter punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edwards throws a lazy uppercut
and Ignatov counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

It looks like Ife Edwards has been cut.
Ignatov misses with a body kick.
Edwards throws a chopping leg kick but Ignatov manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Ignatov takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Edwards misses the shot to the body.
Edwards misses with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Edwards moves out of range of the body kick.
As Ignatov backs away, Edwards returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Edwards thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Ignatov if he has to take too many more of those.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Ignatov in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Ignatov takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
A decent looking cross lands there for Edwards.
Ignatov looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Edwards throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Ignatov counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ife Edwards will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ife Edwards's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Edwards tries to land a front kick but Ignatov steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Yevgeny Ignatov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ignatov throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Edwards looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Edwards moves out of range of the body kick.
Edwards throws a counter high kick but Ignatov was just alert enough to avoid it.
Edwards steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Ignatov.
Edwards lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Edwards scores with a shot to the body.
A low kick from Edwards is predictable there
and Ignatov counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edwards scores with a hook to the body. Ignatov takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Ignatov takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Ignatov misses with a body kick.
Edwards throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ignatov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Edwards.
Ignatov throws out a counter right but Edwards avoids it with no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Edwards throws a body shot but no joy.
Edwards throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
It seemed like Ignatov was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Ignatov takes one on the button.

Ignatov closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Edwards working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Edwards escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Edwards pushes Ignatov away with a front kick.
Edwards scores with a nice right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edwards scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Edwards slips under a jab from Ignatov.
Edwards slips under a jab from Ignatov.
Edwards slips a jab from Ignatov.
Ignatov thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Edwards if he has to take too many more of those.
Edwards connects with a solid leg kick.
Ife Edwards is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Edwards uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ignatov.
Ignatov fails in his attempt to clinch.
Edwards missing with a left hand there. Ignatov was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A little jabbing left from Ignatov on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Edwards lands with a nice body kick.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ignatov tries to clinch but Edwards moves out of range.
And Edwards counters with a quick kick to the body but Ignatov blocks it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ife Edwards showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Edwards, 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Ife Edwards!
Post fight, Ife Edwards took to the microphone: 'I heard his skull fracture- hope he’s ok.'.