PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Igor Rybkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Taylor (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.

Rybkin
vs
Taylor

225 cm
18
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
22
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super 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, Igor Rybkin!
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, James Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Sergei Dronov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rybkin shoots in and drives through. Taylor sprawls well.

Rybkin shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Taylor punching from the bottom.
Rybkin wants to control but Taylor is keeping him busy.
Taylor missing with punches from the bottom.
Rybkin sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Taylor makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Taylor.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Taylor can do anything to dispel that myth.
Rybkin won't allow Taylor to sweep him here.
Rybkin showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Rybkin stands up and waves to Taylor to follow him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rybkin shoots for a takedown but Taylor saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rybkin misses with a body shot.
Rybkin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Taylor shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Rybkin is breathing heavily.
Rybkin tries to hold on but Taylor pushes him away.
Taylor scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Rybkin?
Taylor lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Taylor working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Rybkin keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Taylor landing strikes from the mount and Rybkin is in trouble!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Taylor cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rybkin takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Taylor has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rybkin is bucking up trying to escape but Taylor cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Rybkin tries to hold on but Taylor postures up.
Taylor looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Rybkin is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Rybkin tries to hold on but Taylor postures up.
Taylor lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

Rybkin is rocked!
Rybkin tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Taylor avoids the attempt from Rybkin to control.
Rybkin slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Rybkin is trying is best to control the position here.
Taylor passes the guard and advances to mount!
Taylor raining down shots from the mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Taylor.
Taylor has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Rybkin's face.
The referee warns Rybkin that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Rybkin is trying desperately to improve position.
Rybkin tries to hold on but Taylor pushes him away.
Rybkin is desperately trying to improve his position but Taylor has a good base and remains in mount.
Taylor with a couple of short strikes.
Rybkin wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Rybkin tries to hold on but Taylor postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Taylor dominating with strikes here.
Taylor putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Taylor landing strikes, looking to finish!
Taylor looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Taylor dominating with strikes here.
Taylor lands a heavy elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taylor with a couple of short strikes.
Rybkin tries to hold on but Taylor pushes him away.
Rybkin tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Taylor dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Taylor goes for a takedown attempt but Rybkin pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rybkin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Taylor paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Rybkin feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Rybkin keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Taylor's head.

Rybkin stands up from Taylor's guard - Rybkin perhaps looking for a knockout.
Taylor looks to land a combination. Rybkin sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Rybkin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rybkin closes the distance and clinches up with Taylor, looking for a takedown. Rybkin pushes Taylor against the cage but Taylor circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A jab-cross combination lands for Rybkin and sends Taylor crashing to the mat! Rybkin follows him down to the mat - Taylor regains half guard but he's not out of trouble yet!

Taylor is rocked!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Rybkin decides to stand up.
Taylor is still on wobbly legs! Can Rybkin finish him?

Rybkin closes the distance looking for a takedown. Taylor stuffs it but Rybkin still has hold of him. Rybkin picks Taylor up in a fireman's lift! The crowd roars in approval. Rybkin slams Taylor to the floor and that's really hurt Taylor - he doesn't know where he is! Rybkin throws a couple of strikes and the referee steps in to save him! This one is in the books!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:05 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Igor Rybkin!