PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Esteban Procurator (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stanislav Votava (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Votava has chosen I Stand Alone as his entrance music. Stanislav Votava acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Procurator
vs
Votava

179 cm
22
180 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
26
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Experienced

Brute
Sparta Fightware

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Esteban Procurator!
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, Stanislav Votava!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Viktor Lagutenko and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Votava is looking to clinch but Procurator is avoiding it.
Votava will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Votava throws a nice inside leg kick.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Procurator.
Votava manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Procurator is positioning himself well to prevent Votava advancing to mount.
Votava tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Procurator trying to control but Votava postures up.
Procurator is staying active underneath Votava, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Votava is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Votava throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Votava tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Procurator.
Votava wants to control but Procurator is keeping him busy.
Procurator knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Votava on the ground.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Stanislav Votava.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Procurator.
Votava displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Procurator throws out the jab.
Votava connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Votava gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Procurator is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Procurator won't allow Votava to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Procurator prevents Votava from getting back to his feet.
Procurator keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Votava's head.
Procurator won't allow Votava to get back to his feet.
Procurator stays in close to Votava's body and controls the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Procurator postures up and lands a big shot to Votava's brow.
Procurator looking to pass the guard.
Procurator scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Votava wants to get back to his feet but Procurator is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Procurator preventing the sweep.
Procurator working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Procurator controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Procurator throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Procurator working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Votava is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Procurator is controlling Votava's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Votava wants to stand up but Procurator has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Votava trying to control from half guard but Procurator is working away.
Votava throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Votava thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Procurator's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Votava is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Votava wants to control but Procurator is keeping him busy.
Votava wants to stand up but Procurator has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Procurator wants to get back to full guard.
Votava throwing shots but Procurator is blocking nicely.
Votava passes to side control.
Procurator is not content to let Votava control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Votava wants to stand but Procurator is controlling his arm.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Stanislav Votava will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Procurator looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Procurator prevents Votava from standing back up.
Votava wants to control but Procurator is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Procurator is trying to control the action in half guard but Votava is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Votava pushes Procurator off looking to stand but Procurator dives back in and keeps control.
Procurator is trying to control the action in half guard but Votava is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Procurator seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Votava wants to get back to his feet.
Procurator not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Procurator looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Procurator is looking to advance position but Votava won't allow it.
Procurator thows a huge punch but Votava dodges it nicely.
Votava is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Procurator thows a huge punch but Votava dodges it nicely.
Procurator throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Votava moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Procurator accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Procurator wants to pass the guard but Votava is keeping the position.
Procurator missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Procurator missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Votava wants to stand but Procurator is controlling the position.
Procurator wants to control from the top but Votava keeps moving.
Votava wants to stand up but Procurator is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Votava bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Procurator's guard.
Votava has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Procurator is proving hard to escape from.
Procurator is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Votava throws a big elbow that misses.
Votava is looking to stand up but Procurator won't let him.
Votava trying to control the position from guard on top but Procurator is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Votava tries to stand but Procurator is controlling from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Procurator looking for a sweep. Not yet Procurator, not yet.
Procurator looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Procurator misses with an uppercut. Votava saw that one coming.
Procurator takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

Procurator scores with a takedown into Votava's guard.
Procurator stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Votava swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Votava trying to keep a closed guard but Procurator is proving a slippery customer.
Votava wants to sweep here but Procurator controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Votava manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Votava trying to control but Procurator is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
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 Esteban Procurator will probably get the nod.
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!

Votava fails with an attempt to clinch.

Procurator gets a takedown into half guard.
Votava looks like he's trying to stand up.
Procurator is controlling the pace.
Procurator sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Votava defending well though.
Votava is refusing to be controlled, as Procurator sits in half guard.
Procurator stops Votava from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Procurator trying to control the pace.

We're going to have a standup here because Esteban Procurator wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Procurator circles away from the clinch attempt.
Votava with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Votava throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Procurator dives in and grabs Votava's left leg, looking for a takedown. Votava pushes down on Procurator's head and hops out.
Stanislav Votava seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Votava throws a head kick that misses.

Votava gets caught flat footed, as Procurator shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Votava is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Procurator pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Votava is keeping the position for now.
Votava is trying to control the position but Procurator postures up.
Votava wants to stand up but Procurator is controlling him.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Votava is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Votava won't allow Procurator to sweep him here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Procurator is pulling down on Votava's head. It's preventing any offense from Votava, at least for the moment.
Votava wanted to stand there but Procurator had control of the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Procurator misses with a lunging right hand
and Votava counters with a good, hard body kick but Procurator shrugs it off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Procurator fails with the takedown.
Procurator takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Procurator throws a low kick but Votava moves out of range easily.
Votava connects with a solid leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Votava tests Procurator's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Votava doesn't manage to clinch there - Procurator circles away.
Votava fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Procurator.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Votava.
Stanislav Votava is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Votava fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Procurator has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Votava moves in looking to clinch but Procurator pushes him off.
Votava scores with a leg kick.
Votava tries to close the distance and clinch but Procurator swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Votava feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Procurators jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Votava pushes Procurator away with a front kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Votava tries to close the distance and clinch up but Procurator swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Procurator tries to score a power double leg takedown but Votava sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Procurator somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Esteban Procurator. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Votava is looking to clinch.
A right-left combo lands from Votava.

It looks like Esteban Procurator has been cut.
Votava fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Procurator has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Votava connects with a solid leg kick.
Procurator circles away from the clinch attempt.
Votava throws a nice inside leg kick.
Decent striking displayed by Votava there.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Procurator crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Votava - the referee stops the clock and Procurator gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Votava. Procurator manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Votava keeps Procurator at a distance using the push kick.
Votava tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Votava is looking to slow Procurator down with leg kicks.
Esteban Procurator has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Votava lands with a kick to the temple. Procurator shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

And that's the end of the fight!
Stanislav Votava comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Votava has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight for Stanislav Votava!
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight for Stanislav Votava!
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight for Stanislav Votava!

Stanislav Votava wins by unanimous decision!
Stanislav Votava very nearly forgot to thank Sparta Fightware amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.