PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Berik Yawoka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nate Lavelle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yawoka comes to the cage accompanied by keep running up that hill. Nate Lavelle is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Yawoka
vs
Lavelle

180 cm
26
187 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

180 cm
21
202 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite 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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Berik Yawoka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nate Lavelle!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Konstantin Menshow and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yawoka misses with a takedown attempt - Lavelle sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
A left and a right from Lavelle both land. Nice combination.
Yawoka lands a head shot.
Yawoka is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Lavelle throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Yawoka throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Lavelle.
Yawoka drops his hands momentarily and Lavelle takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Lavelle's corner calls for a 1-2. Lavelle obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lavelle pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lavelle misses with a looping left.
Lavelle scores with a sloppy right hand. Yawoka should have avoided that one.
The fighters circling - Lavelle throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Yawoka fails with the takedown.
Yawoka shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lavelle pinned against the cage. Lavelle gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Berik Yawoka. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yawoka dodges the punch combination from Lavelle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yawoka takes the fight into the clinch.
Lavelle letting Yawoka take a breather here.
Lavelle gets underhooks to prevent Yawoka's takedown attempt.
Lavelle gets underhooks to prevent Yawoka's takedown attempt.
Yawoka fails to pull guard.
Lavelle is pressed up against the cage. Yawoka has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Lavelle down to the mat. Lavelle avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Yawoka swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Yawoka uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Lavelle.
Lavelle throws a series of punches but Yawoka moves out of range.
Lavelle looks to land a combination. Yawoka sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Nate Lavelle is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Left hook, right uppercut from Lavelle.
Nate Lavelle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lavelle connects with a good right hand that stumbles Yawoka. Yawoka circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Yawoka tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Lavelle manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Lavelle waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Yawoka.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yawoka displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Lavelle throws out the jab.

Yawoka looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Yawoka is breathing heavily.
Yawoka is controlling the pace.
Yawoka seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Lavelle for as long as he can get away with.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yawoka wants to take a breather but Lavelle is having none of it.

Yawoka is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Lavelle defends it well.
Yawoka frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Yawoka tries to control but Lavelle wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yawoka misses with a head shot.
Yawoka thowing shots but they're missing.
Yawoka throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Yawoka trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Nate Lavelle will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Lavelle scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
The fight stays on the outside here - Yawoka looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Yawoka doesn't manage to clinch there - Lavelle circles away.
Lavelle misses with a series of wild punches.
Lavelle thuds his right hand into Yawoka's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Lavelle will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Yawoka takes one to the chin there.

Yawoka feints and as Lavelle raises his hands in defense, Yawoka changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Yawoka drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Yawoka jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lavelle keeping full guard, as Yawoka tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yawoka wants to control from the top but Lavelle keeps moving.
Yawoka advances position into side control!
Yawoka wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lavelle keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yawoka tries to advance to mount but Lavelle denies him.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Lavelle can do anything to dispel that myth.
Yawoka prevents Lavelle from escaping the position.
Yawoka trying to control the action but Lavelle is working from the bottom.
Yawoka looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Lavelle is avoiding damage well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lavelle wants to get back to his feet but Yawoka is dominant here and he's now got Lavelle's back!
Lavelle avoids the strikes from Yawoka.
Yawoka misses with a punch to the head.
Lavelle controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Lavelle is breathing heavily.
Yawoka is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Yawoka has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Lavelle has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Yawoka is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Lavelle knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Lavelle for a finish.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Yawoka looking for the RNC.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Berik Yawoka dominated that second round.
That's time! Yawoka's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Lavelle getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Lavelle misses with a wild combination.
Yawoka wants to clinch.
Lavelle misses with a series of wild punches.
Lavelle misses with a combination

and Yawoka counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Yawoka 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.
Yawoka advances position into side control!
Lavelle takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yawoka controlling from side mount.
Yawoka wants to control but Lavelle is keeping him busy.

Yawoka is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Lavelle knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yawoka is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Lavelle knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Yawoka has worked his way into a potential kimura here. Lavelle is trying to get out of the position but his squirming has just got him deeper into trouble. Yawoka yanks on the arm and Lavelle is forced to tap due to a very painful looking submission! Nice work by Yawoka.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:52 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Berik Yawoka!