PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ipu Fokislav (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ross Levrone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fokislav comes to the cage accompanied by Links 2-3-4 - Rammstein. The crowd seem to be enjoying Levrone's choice of entrance music: VooDoo Child. 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.

Fokislav
vs
Levrone

180 cm
27
196 lbs
9 - 13 - 0

185 cm
25
200 lbs
12 - 10 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

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 9 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ipu Fokislav!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ross Levrone!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Yves DeLean and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Levrone looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Fokislav is staying active underneath Levrone, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Levrone stops Fokislav from getting back to his feet.
Levrone is trying to control the action in half guard but Fokislav is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Levrone is taking a breather. Fokislav 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.
Fokislav is not content to let Levrone control the position.

Ross Levrone has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Levrone shoots in for a double leg but Fokislav sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Fokislav moves to clinch but Levrone breaks away
and Levrone counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Fokislav shoots in for a takedown but Levrone shows good takedown defense.
Fokislav is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Levrone.

Fokislav gets caught napping as Levrone dives in and scores a takedown. Fokislav manages to retain guard.
Levrone trying to control but Fokislav is working from the bottom.
Fokislav keeping full guard, as Levrone tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Levrone prevents Fokislav from getting back to his feet.
Fokislav is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Fokislav wants to get back to his feet but Levrone passes into half guard.
Levrone not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Levrone tries to pass to full mount but Fokislav defends it.
Fokislav has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Levrone is working away from the top position though.
Fokislav is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Fokislav keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Fokislav is trying to get back to full guard.
Fokislav is looking to control Levrone's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Fokislav avoid being mounted?
Levrone is trying to control the action in half guard but Fokislav is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Levrone passes to side control.
Fokislav is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Levrone asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Levrone lands a decent elbow from side control.
Levrone grinds an elbow into Fokislav's temple.
Check out the look on Levrone's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Levrone is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fokislav manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Fokislav is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Levrone doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Fokislav.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Fokislav in particular looking to stall.
Levrone wants to control but Fokislav is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Levrone might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Fokislav kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Levrone looks like he's trying to stand up.
Fokislav missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Fokislav is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Levrone moves into full guard.
Levrone is trying to control the position but Fokislav postures up.
Fokislav postures up in Levrone's guard and throws a big left but Levrone blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ross Levrone dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Fokislav tries to clinch but Levrone moves away
and Levrone counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Levrone goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Levrone throws a sloppy head kick and Fokislav moves out of range easily.

Levrone shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Fokislav wants to improve his position but Levrone is controlling well.
Fokislav trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Levrone manages to pass to mount!
Fokislav takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Levrone can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Fokislav is looking to escape.
Fokislav gets back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Levrone looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Fokislav with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Levrone throwing shots but Fokislav is blocking nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Levrone looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Fokislav with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Levrone is just content to waste time from the top position. Fokislav takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Levrone tries to free his leg and advance position but Fokislav is retaining full guard.
Fokislav has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Levrone has passed into side control.
Levrone lands a few punches from side control.
Levrone creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Fokislav sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Levrone working the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fokislav can't do much from the bottom here.
Levrone has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Fokislav tries to improve position but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Levrone working away.
Levrone is putting a hurting on Fokislav here, landing some big shots from side control.
Fokislav is looking for a sweep.
Levrone tries to advance to mount but Fokislav denies him.
Fokislav is trying to control Levrone's posture but Levrone avoids it.
Levrone lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Who's going to make the next move?
Levrone is looking to take a break and control but Fokislav is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Levrone lands an elbow.
Levrone is looking to take a break and control but Fokislav is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Levrone has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Fokislav tries to lock up and control but Levrone gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Levrone with a couple of short strikes.
Levrone trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Levrone landing strikes, looking to finish!
Fokislav is looking to get to half guard.
Fokislav is squirming around, avoiding Levrone's attempts to control the action.
Levrone landing shots from mount.
Levrone avoids the attempt from Fokislav to control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Levrone has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Fokislav's face.
Levrone breaks from Fokislav's wrist control and lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ross Levrone showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Fokislav wants to clinch
and Levrone counters with a straight right hand.
Fokislav fails with the takedown
and Levrone counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Fokislav tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Levrone counters with a right hand to the body.
Levrone throws a head kick but Fokislav moves out of range.
Levrone takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Levrone ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Levrone throws a head kick that misses.
Levrone throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Fokislav on the side of the head.
Fokislav tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Levrone counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Levrone lands a jab to Fokislav's midsection.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Levrone scores with a takedown into Fokislav's guard.
Levrone chips away with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Levrone is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Levrone postures up.
Ross Levrone has got the better of the ground game so far.
Fokislav utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Levrone throwing strikes but missing.
Levrone is pushing down on Fokislav's leg trying to pass to half guard. Fokislav is fighting to maintain full guard but Levrone has managed to sneak the leg through.
Levrone trying to pass the guard but Fokislav defending well.
Fokislav trying to get back to full guard but Levrone takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Levrone trying to control but Fokislav is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Levrone is working for a guillotine from mount but Fokislav frees his head quite easily.
Fokislav tries to hold on but Levrone postures up.
Fokislav is looking to improve his position but Levrone isn't that keen on the idea.
Levrone has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Fokislav is working hard here to advance position.
Fokislav is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Levrone landing strikes, looking to finish!
Levrone lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Fokislav hang on?
Levrone lands a nice shot to the head.

Levrone is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Fokislav has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Fokislav is bucking up trying to escape but Levrone cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Fokislav in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Levrone can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Fokislav is looking to escape.
Levrone lands a nice shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Levrone tries to control but Fokislav wriggling away.
Fokislav wants to hold on but Levrone pushes him away.
Levrone with a couple of short strikes.
Ipu Fokislav has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Levrone landing strikes from the mount and Fokislav is in trouble!
Fokislav is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Levrone trying to control but he's not successful this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fokislav regains half guard.

Levrone is working for a kimura but Fokislav is defending it quite comfortably.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ross Levrone comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Levrone has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 26:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 26:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ross Levrone!