PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dmitry Isupov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jimmy Pounda (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.

Isupov
vs
Pounda

180 cm
20
197 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Intelligent

Ironclad Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight 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, Dmitry Isupov!
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, Jimmy Pounda!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Dmitry Maklakov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Isupov dives in and grabs Pounda's left leg, looking for a takedown. Pounda pushes down on Isupov's head and hops out.
Pounda tries to clinch up.
Isupov keeps the fight on the outside.
Pounda keeps the fight on the outside.
Pounda shoots in for a double leg but Isupov sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Isupov moves into the clinch.
Isupov tries to pull guard but Pounda forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Isupov wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dmitry Isupov. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Isupov gets control of Pounda's arms and successfully pulls guard. Isupov will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Isupov trying to strike off his back.
Pounda throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Isupov 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.
Isupov looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Isupov is looking for a triangle but Pounda pushes his legs off easily.
Isupov has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Isupov is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Pounda would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Pounda forces his way into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pounda thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Isupov's head.
Pounda wants to control but Isupov is keeping him busy.
Isupov keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Isupov is looking to improve his position.
Pounda is trying to control the action in half guard but Isupov is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Pounda thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Isupov's head.
Isupov keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Pounda trying to control from half guard but Isupov is working away.

Jimmy Pounda has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Pounda swats away the attempt to clinch by Isupov.
Isupov avoids a kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pounda closes the distance and clinches up with Isupov, looking for a takedown. Pounda pushes Isupov against the cage but Isupov circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Pounda is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
A punch combination from Pounda misses.
Isupov stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Isupov wants it to stay on the feet.
Isupov tries to score a power double leg takedown but Pounda sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Isupov somewhat.
Pounda keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Pounda displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Isupov.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pounda looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Isupov is fending him off so far but Pounda persists. Nope, Isupov circles away and we're back to standing.
Isupov tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Isupov is breathing heavily.
A nice leg kick lands there from Pounda.
A head kick misses from Pounda.
Isupov fails in his attempt to clinch.
Isupov tries a head kick but it misses.
Isupov lands with a slapping head kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pounda turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Pounda tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Isupov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jimmy Pounda 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.

Isupov fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Pounda, pushing him back against the cage.
Isupov is trying to pull guard but Pounda turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Pounda breaks the clinch.
Pounda fails with a takedown attempt.

Isupov closes the distance and pushes Pounda back into the cage.
Isupov landing knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Pounda.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Isupov is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Pounda throws an elbow but it misses.
Pounda is looking for a takedown.
Pounda is trying to pull guard but Isupov turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Dmitry Isupov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jimmy Pounda.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Isupov pulls Pounda into guard.
Pounda preventing the sweep.
Pounda slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Pounda trying to stand up but can't free himself from Isupov's guard.
Isupov is adopting a defensive guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Isupov tries to clinch but Pounda moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Pounda.
Pounda slaps away a takedown attempt from Isupov, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Pounda keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pounda is looking to clinch but Isupov is avoiding it.
Isupov avoids the head kick by Pounda.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Isupov shoots for a takedown but Pounda saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Nice takedown defense from Pounda. No joy for Isupov on that attempt.
Pounda throws a sloppy head kick and Isupov moves out of range easily.
Isupov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Pounda is fending him off so far but Isupov persists. Nope, Pounda circles away and we're back to standing.
Isupov stuffs the takedown.
A slapping leg kick lands for Pounda.
Pounda misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Isupov.
Nice sprawl there from Isupov as Pounda shoots in.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pounda scores with a takedown into Isupov's guard.
Isupov not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Pounda missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pounda throws a big elbow that misses.
Pounda stopping the sweep attempt from Isupov.
Pounda slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
You can see the frustration on Isupov's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jimmy Pounda will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! 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.

Nice sprawl there from Isupov as Pounda shoots in.
Pounda swinging wildly here.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Pounda.

Isupov clinches up against the cage.
Pounda swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Isupov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Isupov tries to score a power double leg takedown but Pounda sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Isupov somewhat.
Pounda misses with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Isupov fails with a takedown attempt.
Isupov misses with a leg kick

and Pounda counters by moving into the clinch.
Pounda lands a damaging elbow.
Pounda changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Isupov fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Dmitry Isupov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jimmy Pounda.
Isupov lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Isupov tries to score a power double leg takedown but Pounda sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Isupov somewhat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pounda moves into the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Pounda.

Pounda gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Isupov regains guard.

Isupov has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Pounda is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Isupov.
Isupov tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Isupov looks to move to half guard but instead Pounda has passed into mount! Damn!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pounda thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

Pounda jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Isupov is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Isupov and Pounda has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Pounda fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Pounda staying calm.
Pounda is looking to take a break and control but Isupov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Isupov is pushing Pounda's head away, looking to escape. Pounda manages to hold on to the position though.
Pounda working away.
Isupov is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Pounda working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Isupov dodges the ground and pound from Pounda.
Pounda misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
You can see the frustration on Isupov's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jimmy Pounda comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Pounda winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight for Jimmy Pounda!
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight for Jimmy Pounda!
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight for Jimmy Pounda!

Jimmy Pounda wins by unanimous decision!