PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Yuri Klitschko (ranked 2683 p4p, 3839 weight class) and Olan Zapina (ranked 219 p4p, 296 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Klitschko
vs
Zapina

178 cm
26
150
4 - 4 - 0

174 cm
29
150
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Powerful

Silverguard Outfitters 🛡
Furnace Performance 🔥

Silverguard Outfitters 🛡

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Yuri Klitschko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Olan Zapina!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Vladimir Khabensky and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Klitschko throws a hook but Zapina blocks it.
Klitschko looks to land a left hand but Zapina moved out of range nicely.
Klitschko looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
A swing and a miss from Klitschko.
That kick from Zapina tenderised Klitschko's leg. Klitschko is trying to keep his angry face on.
Zapina plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Zapina with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Klitschko throws a hook but Zapina blocks it.
Zapina lands with a nice body kick.
Klitschko looks to land a right hand but Zapina moved out of range.
Zapina throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Klitschko swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Zapina counters with a head kick that drops Klitschko - he's looking to finish, following his stunned foe to the ground!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Klitschko wants to improve his position but Zapina is controlling well.

Klitschko actively working from the bottom here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Klitschko is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Zapina pulls his head out easily.

Klitschko actively working from the bottom here.
Zapina sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Zapina wants to stand up but Klitschko is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Klitschko gets full guard.
Klitschko is trying to keep Zapina in close.
Zapina has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Brooklyn Mixed Martial Arts. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.

Klitschko had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Zapina defends it easily.

Klitschko is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Zapina defends well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zapina got a little sloppy there for a moment and Klitschko has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Zapina has managed to get both his arms back between Klitschko's legs - danger averted.
Zapina's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Zapina pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Klitschko is keeping the position for now.

Klitschko looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Zapina avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Klitschko looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Zapina avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zapina is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Olan Zapina dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Zapina lands a nice looking body kick.
Klitschko throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Klitschko moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromZapina.
Zapina has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A low kick lands for Zapina.

Zapina clinches with his opponent.
Klitschko misses with a punch on the inside.
Zapina blocks a body shot from Klitschko.
Klitschko fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Klitschko tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Klitschko throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Zapinas head.
Klitschko lands a body punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zapina creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Klitschko's defenses.
A head punch on the inside from Klitschko fails to land.
Zapina presses Klitschko against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Zapina blocking some punches.
Zapina lands an elbow that stopped Klitschko in his tracks for a moment.
Zapina creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Klitschko's defenses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zapina lands a left hand.
Zapina lands an elbow that stopped Klitschko in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like Yuri Klitschko has been cut.
Zapina pushes Klitschko back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Klitschko.
Zapina lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Zapina lands a nice shot to the body.
Klitschko swings wildly with an uppercut but Zapina uses good head movement to avoid it.
Klitschko fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Zapina lands a damaging elbow.
Zapina comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Zapina lands an elbow that stopped Klitschko in his tracks for a moment.
Klitschko takes an elbow to the temple.

Klitschko is rocked!
Olan Zapina seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zapina lands with a left to the head.
Oh Klitschko is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Klitschko misses with some punches.
Zapina gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Zapina tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Klitschko tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Klitschko throws a head punch that misses.
Klitschko seems to have got his legs back now.
Zapina lands a damaging elbow.
Klitschko misses with a hook from the clinch.
Klitschko misses with a punch on the inside.
Klitschko takes an elbow to the temple.
Zapina lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Zapina scores with a shoulder strike.
Zapina gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Zapina lands a right hand.
Klitschko tries to work over Zapina's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Klitschko throws a head punch that misses.
Klitschko takes an elbow to the forehead.
Nice elbow from Zapina.
Klitschko lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Zapina lands a body punch.
Zapina lands a body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zapina presses Klitschko against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Zapina blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Zapina scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Klitschko swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Klitschko fails to land.
Zapina digs a right hand underneath Klitschko's ribcage. Klitschko let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Zapina lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Zapina lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Zapina lands a nice elbow.
Zapina lands an elbow just above Klitschko 's eye.
Zapina creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Klitschko's defenses.
Klitschko misses with a punch to the body.
Zapina lands a nice uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zapina creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Klitschko's defenses.
Zapina lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Klitschko or not.
Come on Zapina - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Zapina digs a right hand into Klitschko's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Klitschko's gas tank.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zapina lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Zapina scores with a nice hook to the head.

Zapina drops his opponent with a massive elbow! Klitschko is holding on for dear life.
Zapina wants to stand but Klitschko has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Zapina slows the pace down in half guard.

Zapina stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Klitschko to get to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zapina thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Klitschko if he has to take too many more of those.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Olan Zapina showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Yuri Klitschko's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Zapina bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Zapina slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Zapina with the inside leg kick.
Zapina throws a nice inside leg kick.
Zapina lands a monster head kick that reverborates around the arena! The crowd goes wild as Klitschko crumples to the floor! Zapina milks the crowd's applause and if that isn't knockout of the night, I will be very surprised!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Olan Zapina!
A victorious Olan Zapina thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.