PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Igor Maksimenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yuri Boyka (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.

Maksimenko
vs
Boyka

180 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
20
172 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight 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, Igor Maksimenko!
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, Yuri Boyka!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Viktor Lagutenko and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maksimenko shoots in for a takedown but Boyka shows good takedown defense.
Boyka fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Boyka closes the distance and pushes Maksimenko back into the cage.
Maksimenko trying to stall but Boyka improves his position.
Maksimenko seems a little flustered. He's come in with the intention of controlling the clinch but Boyka is preventing him from doing so, at least for the moment.
Boyka tries to pull guard but Maksimenko forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Maksimenko pulls Boyka into guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Boyka wants to control from the top but Maksimenko keeps moving.
Boyka throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maksimenko has his hands on Boyka's head, controlling the position.
Boyka has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Boyka is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boyka works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Boyka passes to full mount!
Maksimenko is in all sorts of trouble here.
Boyka misses with a head shot.
Maksimenko tries to hold on but Boyka postures up.
Maksimenko is trying to reverse the position but instead Boyka has taken his back - oops!

Boyka working for a choke but Maksimenko is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Even with his hooks in, Boyka manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Good control from Boyka.
Boyka avoiding Maksimenko 's attempts to control his hands.
What can Maksimenko do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Boyka has the hooks in. Maksimenko is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maksimenko trying to control but not successfully.

Boyka is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Boyka controlling well, preventing Maksimenko from escaping the position.
Maksimenko is working hard here to advance position.
Boyka lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Boyka doesn't have the hooks in and Maksimenko manages to turn into his guard.
Boyka controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Boyka looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Boyka is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Boyka is trying to control the position but Maksimenko postures up.
Maksimenko pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Boyka is keeping the position for now.

Boyka is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Maksimenko is aware though and is defending well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Boyka controls Maksimenko momentarily but Maksimenko frees himself.

Boyka is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Boyka tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Maksimenko counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Boyka is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Boyka is positioning himself well to prevent Maksimenko advancing to mount.
Boyka is looking for a sweep. Maksimenko is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maksimenko with the ground and pound but Boyka uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Maksimenko trying to control the position from guard on top but Boyka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Maksimenko trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Maksimenko has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maksimenko with a nice head shot there.
Maksimenko postures up.
Maksimenko postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Boyka keeping moving, preventing Maksimenko from controlling successfully.

Boyka is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Maksimenko is aware though and is defending well.
Maksimenko wants to pass the guard but Boyka is keeping the position.
Maksimenko controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Maksimenko wants to stand but Boyka has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maksimenko postures up.
Boyka pulls Maksimenko in close to prevent any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Boyka tries to keep at a distance but Maksimenko has taken the fight into the clinch.

Maksimenko's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Maksimenko is defended easily by Boyka.
Boyka ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boyka throws a shot from downtown. Maksimenko moves away and avoids it.
Maksimenko misses with a takedown attempt - Boyka sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Boyka circles away from the clinch attempt.
Maksimenko doesn't manage to clinch there - Boyka circles away.
Maksimenko tries to clinch but Boyka moves out of range.
Boyka misses with a takedown

and Maksimenko counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Maksimenko is looking to pass into half guard but Boyka pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Boyka is in guard.
Boyka throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boyka wants to control from the top but Maksimenko keeps moving.

Maksimenko is looking for a triangle but Boyka pushes his legs off easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Boyka is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Maksimenko looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Boyka sitting in guard, not really doing much.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Maksimenko dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Boyka tries to close the distance and clinch but Maksimenko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Boyka keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Maksimenko fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A head kick misses from Boyka.
Boyka stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Boyka wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Igor Maksimenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maksimenko tries to clinch but Boyka moves out of range.
Boyka tries to clinch up

and Maksimenko counters with a single leg into guard. Boyka didn't expect that.
Maksimenko trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Boyka had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Maksimenko defends it easily.

Maksimenko gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Maksimenko is defended easily by Boyka.
Maksimenko leaves Boyka with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Boyka misses with a takedown attempt - Maksimenko sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Boyka has closed the distance and engaged Maksimenko in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Maksimenko decides to pull guard.
Boyka is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Boyka passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Maksimenko tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Boyka wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Boyka controls the position.
Maksimenko is trying to control Boyka's posture but Boyka avoids it.
Boyka has control of an arm but Maksimenko manages to advance to Boyka's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boyka trying to control the hands but Maksimenko breaks the grip.
Boyka looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

Maksimenko is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Maksimenko is not going to allow Boyka to sit and survive in this position.

Maksimenko is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Boyka is defending well though. Maksimenko let's go of the attempt for now.
Igor Maksimenko overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Boyka trying to control the hands but Maksimenko won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boyka might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Maksimenko kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maksimenko is trying to stick to Boyka's back but Boyka is turning into Maksimenko. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Maksimenko's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Boyka.

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 Igor Maksimenko.
I think Maksimenko 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!