PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Phillip Wright (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mitrofan Ivanich (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.

Wright
vs
Ivanich

193 cm
25
156 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
21
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Phillip Wright!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mitrofan Ivanich!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Sergei Dronov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wright dodges the punch combination from Ivanich.

Ivanich has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ivanich wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Wright tries to break free but Ivanich pushes him back against the cage.

Ivanich breaks the clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Wright.
Ivanich circles away from the clinch attempt
and Ivanich counters with a two punch combo.
Ivanich misses with a kick to the body.
Ivanich avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Wright tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wright throws a head kick but Ivanich moves out of range.
Ivanich misses with a wild body shot.
Ivanich fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Wright checks it well.
Wright really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
A low kick from Ivanich misses
and Wright counters with a one-two to the body.

Ivanich gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Ivanich is looking to stand back up but Wright counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Ivanich.
Wright prevents Ivanich from standing back up.
Wright seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ivanich does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ivanich wants to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wright is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Ivanich!
Ivanich is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wright unloading with bombs!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ivanich tries to buck Wright off but Wright takes his back!
Ivanich looks winded!
Ivanich just trying to survive but Wright is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

Wright looking for the choke but no joy.
A lull in the action here.
Wright is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Ivanich is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Wright is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Wright is hanging on to Ivanich's back as he tries to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wright is landing with strikes. Ivanich can't take much more of this.
Ivanich is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Wright trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

Wright 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, Ivanich has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Wright throwing damaging strikes from the back! Ivanich could be in trouble here!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wright scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Ivanich has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Wright is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
A lull in the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivanich holding both Wright 's hands and preventing any damage.
Wright controls the action.

Wright is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Ivanich defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A lull in the action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Ivanich manages to get to his feet, escaping the difficult position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phillip Wright dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ivanich misses with a low kick.
Ivanich closes the distance looking to clinch
and Wright counters with a three punch combo that has Ivanich backing up. Ivanich nods at Wright to acknowledge the strikes.

Wright has Ivanich up against the cage in a clinch.
Ivanich is looking to take this one to the mat.
Ivanich is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Ivanich blocks an uppercut.
Wright goes for a takedown attempt but Ivanich pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Wright or perhaps it was just good defense by Ivanich which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Phillip Wright. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ivanich tries to clinch up.
Ivanich takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Wright shoots in for a takedown but Ivanich shows good takedown defense.
Wright shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ivanich as he jumps to the side.
Ivanich circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ivanich slaps away a takedown attempt from Wright, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Ivanich has managed to clinch.
Wright keeps control of Ivanich as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ivanich tries to circle away but Wright has him pinned against the cage.

Wright drags the fight down to the ground.
Wright is trying to keep Ivanich in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wright is adopting a defensive guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Phillip Wright just wasn't active enough.
Ivanich scores with a nice right hand.
Ivanich looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ivanich tries a head kick but it misses.
Mitrofan Ivanich is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ivanich tries to close the distance and clinch up but Wright swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wright walks into a stiff left hand from Ivanich.
Wright moves in looking to clinch but Ivanich pushes him off.
Some wild striking there from Wright.

Wright has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ivanich letting Wright take a breather here.

Ivanich manages to break the clinch.
Wright moves out of range of the leg kick from Ivanich.
Ivanich tries to clinch but Wright is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Phillip Wright will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ivanich looks to land a body kick but Wright moved away.
Some bone on bone action there as Wright checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
A punch combination from Wright misses.
Wright shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ivanich defends it nicely.
Wright has a takedown stuffed.
Wright tries to clinch up.

Ivanich rushes Wright and presses him up against the cage.
Wright tries to pull guard but Ivanich holds him up against the cage and eventually Wright drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Phillip Wright. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivanich is looking to control Wright's arms but Wright gets an underhook and turns him. Now Ivanich has his back to the cage.
Wright is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Ivanich gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Wright drags the fight down to the ground.

Ivanich stands and steps away. Wright gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Wright shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Ivanich but Ivanich pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wright dives in and grabs Ivanich's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ivanich pushes down on Wright's head and hops out.
Phillip Wright is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Wright changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ivanich tries to avoid it but Wright manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ivanich to the ground. Ivanich escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Ivanich pushes Wright up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ivanich breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ivanich tries to bum rush Wright with a series of wild strikes but Wright uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Wright throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ivanich.
Ivanich dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Wright. That did some damage!
Phillip Wright seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wright checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
A nice leg kick lands there from Ivanich.
An inside leg kick lands from Ivanich.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ivanich thuds his shin into the meat of Wright's side.
Wright steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Ivanich. That one must have hurt.
Wright takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanich lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Ivanich looks to land a combination but Wright avoids it well.
Wright circles away from the clinch attempt.
Wright throws a right hand that Ivanich ducks under and follows up with a left that Ivanich also avoids with ease.
Ivanich scores with a leg kick.
Jab, jab by Ivanich - just one landing.
Ivanich looks to land a combination. Wright sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Ivanich takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Ivanich misses with a few strikes there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wright shoots in but Ivanich avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ivanich throws a leg kick which misses Wright's front leg but catches the back leg as Wright tries to avoid it.
Ivanich wants to clinch.
Wright has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Ivanich.
Mitrofan Ivanich has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Wright thows a body shot but no joy.
Phillip Wright is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Ivanich, right into the meat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mitrofan Ivanich comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Wright has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Phillip Wright!