PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ilkka Kanerva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Dragunov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dragunov has chosen Respirar você - Capital Inicial as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kanerva
vs
Dragunov

180 cm
20
280 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

188 cm
26
278 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ilkka Kanerva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ivan Dragunov!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Anni Minnemäki and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dragunov shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Kanerva pinned against the cage. Kanerva gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Kanerva tries to close the distance and clinch but Dragunov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Dragunov.
Dragunov moves away from the strike by Kanerva.
Dragunov closes the distance and clinches up with Kanerva, looking for a takedown. Dragunov pushes Kanerva against the cage but Kanerva circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ilkka Kanerva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Dragunov.
Kanerva defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Dragunov.
Dragunov shoots in for a takedown but Kanerva shows good takedown defense.
Kanerva works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

Dragunov drives through with a takedown into guard.
Dragunov is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Kanerva has his feet on Dragunov's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Kanerva throws a shot from downtown. Dragunov moves away and avoids it.
Kanerva fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Kanerva as Dragunov shoots in.
Kanerva will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Kanerva darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Kanerva is looking to clinch but Dragunov is avoiding it.
Dragunov steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kanerva.
Dragunov throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Kanerva's head.

Kanerva pushes Dragunov up against the cage in a clinch.
Kanerva gets through Dragunov's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Kanerva tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Kanerva misses with a punch to the body.
Kanerva tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Dragunov's elbow.
Kanerva lands a body punch.
Dragunov looks gassed!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kanerva can't find room to land a body shot as Dragunov controls the action.
Kanerva throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Kanerva is leaning against Dragunov and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Kanerva tries to work over Dragunov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kanerva lands a left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kanerva lands a body punch in the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Kanerva.
A right hook to the body lands for Kanerva.
Kanerva tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Kanerva's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kanerva misses with the combination.
Kanerva connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Dragunov's hands.

It looks like Ivan Dragunov has been cut.
Kanerva thuds his right hand into Dragunov's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Kanerva connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Dragunov momentarily.
Kanerva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
I'm just looking down at my notes here and I see that.... oh! Kanerva has cracked Dragunov with a big right, followed by a left! He's out on his feet! Kanerva lands another huge swinging hook and Dragunov tumbles to the canvas! The ref dives in to save Dragunov, before Kanerva can land any more shots!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:43 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Ilkka Kanerva!