PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Aleksei Ivanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Cabrera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ivanov
vs
Cabrera

183 cm
21
184 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

178 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Aleksei Ivanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Alex Cabrera!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Marco Blurström and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cabrera tries to clinch up but Ivanov circles away and keeps his distance.

Ivanov shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Cabrera is trying to defend but Ivanov finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Cabrera blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ivanov.
Ivanov content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Cabrera keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Cabrera avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ivanov.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Ivanov connects with a nice short shot to Cabrera's temple.
Ivanov trying to control the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cabrera is looking for a sweep. Ivanov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Cabrera looks gassed!
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Ivanov lands a nice short elbow.
Ivanov slows the pace down in half guard.
Cabrera blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ivanov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov is taking a breather. Cabrera says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Ivanov looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Cabrera with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Ivanov connects with a nice short shot to Cabrera's temple.
Cabrera tries to roll over but Ivanov keeps him under control.
Ivanov is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Aleksei Ivanov just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Ivanov rushes Cabrera and presses him up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Cabrera drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ivanov gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Cabrera avoiding damage as Ivanov throws knees to the body.
Ivanov using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Ivanov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Ivanov clinches.

Ivanov has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Cabrera clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Ivanov really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Cabrera.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ivanov is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Cabrera just trying to survive but Ivanov is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Ivanov lands strikes to the head.
Ivanov is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Cabrera prevents Ivanov from getting a body triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksei Ivanov dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cabrera has taken the fight to the clinch.

Ivanov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ivanov wants to clinch.

Ivanov throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Cabrera was covering up waiting for the punch and Ivanov finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Ivanov tries to free his leg and advance position but Cabrera is retaining full guard.
Ivanov showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cabrera 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivanov works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Ivanov not doing much here.
Ivanov has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Cabrera flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Ivanov working over Cabrera with some ground and pound. Cabrera looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Ivanov is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Cabrera is trying to control but can't.

That's two 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.
Cabrera is not content to let Ivanov control the position.

Ivanov looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Ivanov controlling the pace.

Ivanov is looking for a kimura but Cabrera is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Ivanov to get the leverage.
Ivanov seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Cabrera does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Ivanov winds up and cracks Cabrera with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Cabrera tries for a takedown but Ivanov circles away easily
and Ivanov makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Cabrera really felt that one!
Cabrera moves in looking to clinch but Ivanov pushes him off.
Ivanov slaps away a takedown attempt from Cabrera, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Ivanov wants to clinch up but Cabrera keeps it at a distance.
Cabrera walks into a stiff left hand from Ivanov.

Ivanov closes the distance and clinches.
Ivanov drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Cabrera gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Cabrera fails to pull guard.
Aleksei Ivanov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Cabrera.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov working Cabrera over with knees to the body.
Cabrera tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ivanov just stands there and leans against the cage.

Ivanov decides to pull guard.
Ivanov can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Cabrera controls the pace.
Ivanov looking to control.
Ivanov looking for a sweep. Not yet Ivanov, not yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ivanov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cabrera.
Cabrera trying to control the position from guard on top but Ivanov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Ivanov holds on and takes a little breather.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksei Ivanov dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ivanov shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Ivanov trying to pass the guard but Cabrera defending well.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Ivanov connects with a nice short shot to Cabrera's temple.
Ivanov looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Ivanov frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Cabrera wants to hold on but Ivanov pushes him away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cabrera can't escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cabrera tries to lock up and control but Ivanov gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Ivanov working for a submission but Cabrera is keeping him at bay.
Ivanov scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Ivanov sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ivanov trying to control but Cabrera is having none of it.
Ivanov putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's two 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.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Ivanov cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Cabrera in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Ivanov controlling the position easily from mount.
Ivanov trying to control but Cabrera is having none of it.
Cabrera tries to hold on but Ivanov postures up.
Cabrera tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Ivanov working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Cabrera is bucking up trying to escape but Ivanov cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Cabrera in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Ivanov unloading with bombs!
Ivanov landing shots from mount.
Ivanov content just to control the position here.
Ivanov lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Cabrera wants to hold on but Ivanov pushes him away.
Cabrera is squirming around, avoiding Ivanov's attempts to control the action.
The referee warns Cabrera that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cabrera wants to hold on but Ivanov pushes him away.
Ivanov raining down shots from the mount!
Alex Cabrera has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Aleksei Ivanov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ivanov landing strikes from the mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aleksei Ivanov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ivanov has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:26
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:26
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aleksei Ivanov!