PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dimitar Ivanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Meoff (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Ivanov
vs
Meoff

180 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

193 cm
25
191 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Dimitar Ivanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jack Meoff!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, James Ackerman and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ivanov fails with the takedown.
Dimitar Ivanov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A combination from Ivanov does no damage.
Ivanov looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A right-left combo lands from Ivanov.

It looks like Jack Meoff has been cut.

Ivanov changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Meoff looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Meoff is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ivanov is staying tight to Meoff's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Meoff prevents Ivanov from moving into mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meoff is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Ivanov content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Meoff wants to get back to his feet but Ivanov drags him back down.
Meoff parries the strikes from Ivanov easily there. Ivanov is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Meoff to escape.
Ivanov is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Meoff wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov taking a breather here.
Meoff wants to get back to his feet.
A lull in the action here as Ivanov stalls from top position.
Meoff dodges the ground and pound from Ivanov.
Meoff wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Ivanov controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meoff parries the strikes from Ivanov easily there. Ivanov is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Meoff to escape.
Meoff tries to escape but Ivanov is in control.
Meoff is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Ivanov misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Ivanov remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Meoff tries to escape but Ivanov is in control.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Meoff defending against the ground and pound.
Ivanov tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Ivanov sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Meoff is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Meoff wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Meoff!
Meoff really wants to buck Ivanov off and get back to his feet.
Ivanov looking to finish with strikes here!
Ivanov takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Ivanov thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ivanov controlling from mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ivanov throws some wild stikes that Meoff manages to avoid easily.
Ivanov punching from mount but Meoff doing a good job of avoiding damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dimitar Ivanov dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jack Meoff's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A jab from Meoff finds it's way through Ivanov's defenses.
Ivanov tries to move into range but Meoff moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Meoff walks into a stiff left hand from Ivanov.
Ivanov fails with a takedown attempt.
Meoff lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Ivanov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Meoff manages to avoid it.
Nice cross by Ivanov.
Meoff misses with a few strikes there.
Ivanov tries to bum rush Meoff with a series of wild strikes but Meoff uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ivanov looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meoff throws a right hand that misses
and Ivanov counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Meoff thinking.
Ivanov has a takedown stuffed.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Ivanov is defended easily by Meoff.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dimitar Ivanov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ivanov looks to land a combination but Meoff avoids it well.
Meoff connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Meoff takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov throws a combination that misses
and Meoff counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Ivanov takes one to the chin there.
Meoff looks to land a combination but Ivanov avoids it well.
Jack Meoff is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Meoff slaps away a takedown attempt from Ivanov, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Meoff throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Ivanov fails to land the takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ivanov looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Meoff chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Ivanov.
Ivanov rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Meoff moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ivanov tries to bum rush Meoff with a series of wild strikes but Meoff uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Meoff throws a big shot that misses.
Ivanov rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Meoff moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ivanov misses with a two punch combination.
Meoff waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ivanov.
Meoff scores with a nice strike.
Meoff keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ivanov.
Meoff uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ivanov.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meoff lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Ivanov backs up against the cage.
Ivanov swinging wildly here.
Ivanov takes one on the button.
Ivanov avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Meoff defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ivanov.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Meoff throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ivanov dodges the punch combination from Meoff.
No joy there for Meoff, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jack Meoff will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Jack Meoff's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Meoff missing with a left hand there. Ivanov was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Dimitar Ivanov is winning the standup battle so far.
Meoff misses with a left hand
and Ivanov counters with a left to the body.
Ivanov throws a nice looking combination but Meoff bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ivanov scores with the left hand. Meoff knows he should have avoided that one.
Ivanov tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Meoff misses with an uppercut.
Meoff misses the jab.
Meoff scores with a punch to the head.
Ivanov misses with a takedown attempt - Meoff sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Meoff lands an overhand right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meoff swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ivanov displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Meoff throws out the jab.
Ivanov shoots in looking for a takedown. Meoff tries to sprawl out of it but Ivanov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Meoff manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Ivanov shoots in for a takedown but Meoff shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dimitar Ivanov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ivanov misses with a double jab.
Ivanov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Meoff.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov fails with a takedown attempt.
Good standup being displayed there by Meoff as he connects with a hook.
A big left from Ivanov misses.
A punch combination from Ivanov misses.
Ivanov thuds a left hand into Meoff's body.
Ivanov is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Meoff.
Ivanov lands a jab.
Meoff throws a jab when Ivanov was well out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meoff misses with a double jab.
Ivanov jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Ivanov throws a combination that misses
and Meoff cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Ivanov swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Meoff waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ivanov.
Meoff throws out a loose jab but Ivanov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ivanov misses with a body punch
and Meoff counters with a left to the body.
Ivanov chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Meoff can pounce on him.
Ivanov dodges the punch combination from Meoff.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Meoff circles away quickly and effectively.
Left hook, right uppercut from Ivanov.
Ivanov will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Meoff throws a series of punches but Ivanov avoids them all with ease.
Ivanov swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Meoff counters with a nice uppercut.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ivanov misses with a wild combination.
Meoff scores with a jab to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Dimitar Ivanov.
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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 30:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Dimitar Ivanov!