PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alexey Bykov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yushin okami (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Bykov
vs
okami

186 cm
23
197 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

187 cm
23
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexey Bykov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Yushin okami!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Fedor Mirinova and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bykov shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as okami sprawls well. okami wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bykov gets slowly back to his feet.
Bykov wants to clinch up but okami keeps it at a distance.

okami looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
okami with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bykov throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Bykov keeping full guard, as okami tries to pass.
Bykov has control of okami's left arm, preventing okami from doing any damage.
Bykov keeping full guard, as okami tries to pass.
okami throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
okami looking to sit in guard and control but Bykov gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
okami wants to stand up but Bykov is controlling him.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bykov tries for a takedown but okami circles away easily
and okami counters with a lovely straight right hand!
okami tries a head kick but it misses.
Bykov misses with a takedown
and okami counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexey Bykov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bykov fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bykov throws a series of punches but okami avoids them all with ease.
Bykov lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but okami circles away quickly and effectively.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

okami jumps guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Bykov trying to control but okami is working from the bottom.
Bykov throwing strikes but missing.
Bykov wants to pass the guard but okami is keeping the position.

okami uses the ropes to get back to his feet.
okami misses with a double jab

and Bykov counters with a single leg into guard. okami didn't expect that.
okami wants to stand but Bykov is controlling the position.

Bykov thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Bykov postures up in okami's guard and throws a big left but okami blocks it.
Bykov 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
okami preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
okami has momentary wrist control but Bykov slips an elbow through the middle.
Bykov prevents okami from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
okami looks gassed!
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Bykov scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
okami takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Nice takedown defense from okami. No joy for Bykov on that attempt.

Bykov drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Bykov stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
okami falls off balance throwing a combination

and Bykov counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Bykov postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Bykov cracks okami with a solid left hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bykov works over okami with some ground and pound from guard.
Bykov scoring with some ground and pound.
Bykov connects with a couple of short punches.
Bykov won't allow okami to get back to his feet.
Bykov working some strikes from top position.

Bykov decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on okami, up you get!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Bykov looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Bykov stops okami from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexey Bykov dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Bykov scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
okami swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Bykov counters with a big head kick but okami shrugs it off.
Nice sprawl there from okami as Bykov shoots in.
okami throws a left and a right that both miss

and Bykov moves into the clinch.
okami prevents a takedown attempt there.
Bykov with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Bykov has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. okami avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexey Bykov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
okami prevents the takedown attempt.

okami gets control of Bykov's arms and successfully pulls guard. okami will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Bykov stops okami from standing up.
Bykov throwing strikes but missing.
okami wants to stand and escape but Bykov is having none of it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bykov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bykov prevents okami from getting back to his feet.
okami is looking to stand back up but Bykov counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by okami.

Bykov is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so okami is just riding it out for now. Bykov eventually gives up the hold.
okami is looking to escape.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Bykov drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
okami wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bykov in side control lands a decent elbow.
okami wants to get back to his feet.
Bykov cracks okami with an elbow. That is naaassty.

Bykov stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Bykov with a poor takedown
and okami counters with a left and a right that stings Bykov.

Bykov fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. okami sprawls well initially but Bykov persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Bykov sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. okami defending well though.
Bykov looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks okami with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Bykov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
okami is trying to stand up here but Bykov is controlling him well.
Bykov takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
okami has hold of Bykov's hands but Bykov slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Bykov wants to lay and pray for a moment but okami keeps working.
Bykov throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Bykov lands with a nice combination. okami backs away looking to recover.
okami falls off balance throwing a combination
and Bykov counters with a two punch combo.
Bykov moves in looking to clinch but okami pushes him off.
okami misses with a hook.
okami swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Bykov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Danga de danga de dang - Bykov scores with a four punch combination!

Bykov darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
okami wants to get back to his feet.

Bykov is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and okami defends it well.
Bykov looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
okami pushes Bykov off looking to stand but Bykov dives back in and keeps control.
okami pushes Bykov off but Bykov dives into side control.
Alexey Bykov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bykov scoring with punches and elbows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexey Bykov dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Bykov closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Bykov lands in his opponent's guard.
okami wants to get back to his feet but Bykov is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Bykov distracts okami with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Bykov trying to control the position from guard on top but okami is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bykov lands a couple of elbows.

okami uses the ropes to get back to his feet.

okami gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
okami working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bykov.
okami wants to stand and escape but Bykov is having none of it.
Bykov scoring with some ground and pound.
Bykov postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Bykov connects with a couple of short punches.
Bykov cracks okami with a solid left hand.
okami is looking to stand up but Bykov isn't so interested in that idea.
Bykov wants to control from the top but okami keeps moving.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Bykov's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Bykov thows a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bykov distracts okami with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

okami working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Bykov doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Bykov manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
okami is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bykov is controlling him.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
No luck for Bykov with that takedown attempt.
Bykov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but okami swivels and escapes.
okami throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Bykov counters with a straight right hand.
okami swats away the attempt to clinch by Bykov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bykov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but okami swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexey Bykov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
okami keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
okami lands with an overhand left.
okami falls off balance throwing a combination

and Bykov counters with a shoot takedown. okami fights it but they end up in guard.
Bykov prevents okami from getting back to his feet.
Bykov scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Bykov postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
okami is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Bykov drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Bykov jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Bykov working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of okami's head.
Yushin okami has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Bykov avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Alexey Bykov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Bykov looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for okami!

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexey Bykov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bykov, 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexey Bykov!