PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marco Polo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kosta Ivanoff (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Polo
vs
Ivanoff

194 cm
22
245 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
20
225 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Marco Polo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kosta Ivanoff!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Dmitry Maklakov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Polo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ivanoff swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Polo fails in his attempt to clinch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Polo.

Polo stands up.
Polo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ivanoff swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Polo moves in looking to clinch but Ivanoff pushes him off.
Polo moves in looking to clinch but Ivanoff pushes him off.
Polo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Polo is looking to clinch but Ivanoff is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivanoff stuffs the takedown attempt from Polo. Polo gets slowly back to his feet.
Ivanoff throws a right hand that Polo ducks under and follows up with a left that Polo also avoids with ease.
Polo shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Polo doesn't manage to clinch there - Ivanoff circles away.
Polo tries to close the distance and clinch but Ivanoff swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Polo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Polo looks for a takedown but Ivanoff sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marco Polo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ivanoff pushes Polo up against the cage in a clinch.

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.
Polo tries to land a knee to the head but Ivanoff blocks with his arms.

Ivanoff's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Polo has a takedown stuffed.
Polo closes the distance looking to clinch

and Ivanoff decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Polo's guard.

Polo is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ivanoff defends well.
Polo is breathing heavily.
Polo looking to control.
Ivanoff seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanoff trying to control the position from guard on top but Polo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Polo is looking for a triangle but Ivanoff pushes his legs off easily.
Polo wants to stand and escape but Ivanoff is having none of it.

Polo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ivanoff can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ivanoff decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Polo, up you get!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Ivanoff closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Ivanoff scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Polo to see if he's OK.
Polo is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Ivanoff asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Polo can't do much from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kosta Ivanoff dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Polo tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Ivanoff counters with a shoot takedown. Polo fights it but they end up in guard.

Polo is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ivanoff is aware though and is defending well.
Ivanoff wants to control from the top but Polo keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ivanoff throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Polo works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ivanoff stops Polo from standing up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Polo pushes Ivanoff off and scrambles back to his feet.
Ivanoff shoots in for a takedown but Polo shows good takedown defense.
Polo looks to clinch

and Ivanoff counters with a single leg into guard. Polo didn't expect that.
Polo trying to keep a closed guard but Ivanoff is proving a slippery customer.
Ivanoff won't allow Polo to get back to his feet.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ivanoff working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Polo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ivanoff.
Polo trying to strike off his back.

Polo throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Polo trying to keep a closed guard but Ivanoff is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ivanoff is trying hard to land a takedown here. Polo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Polo fails with the takedown

and Ivanoff counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Polo wants to get back to his feet.
Ivanoff is nestled in close to Polo, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Polo is looking to get back to full guard here but Ivanoff has managed to pass to side control instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Polo is working to get back to half guard.
Kosta Ivanoff has got the better of the ground game so far.
Polo wants to get back to his feet.
Ivanoff tries to control but Polo wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kosta Ivanoff showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Polo lands a head kick!
Polo tries to clinch but Ivanoff is having none of it.
Polo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ivanoff swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Polo fails in his attempt to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Polo fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ivanoff avoids it really well and circles away.
Ivanoff shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Polo defends it nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Polo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Polo looks to clinch

and Ivanoff counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Polo!
Polo is trying to escape the mount.
Polo manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Polo is trying to maintain the position but Ivanoff is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Polo pushes Ivanoff off looking to stand but Ivanoff dives back in and keeps control.
Ivanoff prevents Polo from improving his position.

Polo looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ivanoff working the head and body with strikes.
Polo is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanoff prevents Polo from standing back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Polo clinches but Ivanoff breaks the clinch

and Ivanoff counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Polo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ivanoff doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ivanoff manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Ivanoff sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivanoff trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Polo keeping moving, preventing Ivanoff from controlling successfully.

Polo has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Ivanoff off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Polo closes the distance but Ivanoff moves to the side

and Ivanoff decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Polo's guard.
Marco Polo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Polo throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ivanoff trying to control the position from guard on top but Polo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kosta Ivanoff comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ivanoff winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kosta Ivanoff!