PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Volkov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kane Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Volkov
vs
Gracie

200 cm
25
240 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

200 cm
25
230 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Heavy handed

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Alexander Volkov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Kane Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Donatello Bradman and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Volkov sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Nice shot by Volkov.
Volkov catches Gracie with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Gracie closes the distance but Volkov moves to the side
letting Volkov counter with a right hand.
Volkov moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Gracie tries to clinch up.
Gracie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Volkov counters with a right hand to the body.
Some wild striking there from Volkov.
Volkov sizes up Gracie with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Gracie swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Volkov's corner calls for a 1-2. Volkov obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Volkov punishes Gracie's body with a nice straight punch.
Kane Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie throws a series of punches but Volkov moves out of range.
Volkov lands with a good body shot.
Volkov stuffs the takedown.
Alexander Volkov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kane Gracie.
Gracie tries to clinch there but Volkov circles away.
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Volkov sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Alexander Volkov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gracie fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gracie moves to clinch but Volkov breaks away
and Gracie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gracie tries to clinch but Volkov moves out of range.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Volkov as he avoids it easily.
Gracie tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Gracie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gracie is looking to clinch.
Gracie shoots in but Volkov avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Volkov fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Gracie on the side of the head.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Volkov fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Volkov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Gracie gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Volkov tries to break the clinch but Gracie is controlling the position.
Volkov tries to break free but Gracie pushes him back against the cage.
Gracie fails to pull guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Volkov's efforts to push away.
Volkov is trying to force a seperation but Gracie has the dominant position.
Volkov is trying to break the clinch but Gracie is controlling him.

Gracie breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws a push kick but Volkov slaps the foot to one side.
Volkov circles away from the clinch attempt
and Volkov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gracie shoots in but Volkov avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Gracie tries to clinch but Volkov is having none of it.
Gracie tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Volkov counters with a nice uppercut.
Volkov misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gracie fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Volkov jabs at Gracie's body.
Volkov defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gracie.
Volkov keeps the fight on the outside.
Gracie tries to score a power double leg takedown but Volkov sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Gracie somewhat.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Volkov sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Volkov circles away from the clinch attempt
and Volkov counters with a straight right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Volkov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gracie tries to clinch
and Volkov counters with a stiff right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Alexander Volkov 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.

Gracie wants to clinch
letting Volkov counter with a right hand.
Gracie walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Alexander Volkov is winning the standup battle so far.
Gracie tries to clinch up
and Volkov counters with a left to the body.
Volkov's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Volkov duly obliges.
Gracie looks to throw the jab but Volkov is out of range.
Horrible takedown by Gracie or perhaps it was just good defense by Volkov which made him look bad.
Gracie throws a leg kick but Volkov moved away.
Gracie throws out a loose jab but Volkov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kane Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Volkov lands a jab to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Volkov sizes up Gracie with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Volkov moves out of range as Gracie throws a body kick.
Gracie shoots in and drives through. Volkov sprawls well.
Volkov listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Donk. Volkov catches Gracie right on the button with a cross.
Gracie has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Gracie is looking to score with low kicks.
Volkov lands a slapping body shot.
A swing and a miss from Gracie.
Gracie moves in looking to clinch but Volkov pushes him off.
Gracie throws a nice looking combination but Volkov bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Volkov lands with a right hand.
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Volkov sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Alexander Volkov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kane Gracie.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Volkov punishes Gracie's body with a nice straight punch.
Volkov connects with the punch.
Volkov slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Gracie takes one on the button.
Gracie wants to clinch
and Volkov counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gracie tries to clinch up
and Volkov counters with a three punch combo that has Gracie backing up. Gracie nods at Volkov to acknowledge the strikes.
Gracie shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Volkov defends it nicely.
Volkov stuffs the takedown.
Gracie is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie punishes Volkov's body with a nice straight punch.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown. Volkov tries to sprawl out of it but Gracie keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Volkov manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
No luck for Gracie with that takedown attempt.
Volkov scores with a nice strike.
Gracie takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Gracie takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Gracie swings away with a body shot that misses
and Volkov counters with a stiff right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Volkov bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Gracie's head.
Volkov scores with a crisp jab that stopped Gracie in his tracks.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gracie looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Gracie clinches up against the cage.
Volkov tries to break free but Gracie pushes him back against the cage.
Volkov has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Gracie takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Volkov wants to break the clinch but can't.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Volkov tries to circle away but Gracie has him pinned against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Gracie's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Volkov throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Gracie wants to clinch but Volkov slips to the side
and Volkov counters with a nice uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Volkov dominated that second round.
That's time! Volkov's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Volkov lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Volkov's corner calls for a 1-2. Volkov obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

Gracie has managed to clinch.
Volkov wants to break free but Gracie has control.
Volkov is trying to push Gracie away but Gracie has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Gracie escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Volkov defending well as Gracie loads up on a big left hand.
Volkov slaps away a takedown attempt from Gracie, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Gracie looks to clinch
letting Volkov counter with a right hand.
Gracie checks a leg kick.
Volkov is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Gracie wants to clinch but Volkov slips to the side
letting Volkov counter with a right hand.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Volkov is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Volkov circles away and we're back to standing.
Volkov tests Gracie's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Gracie gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie prevents Volkov from breaking the clinch.
Volkov is trying to push Gracie away but Gracie has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Volkov looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Gracie works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Gracie goes for a takedown in the clinch but Volkov prevents it.
Alexander Volkov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kane Gracie.
A frustrated look appears on Volkov's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Gracie breaks the clinch.
Gracie wants to clinch up but Volkov keeps it at a distance.
Volkov scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Volkov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gracie tries to clinch but Volkov moves out of range.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gracie.
Gracie takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Volkov lands a body shot.

Gracie moves into range and clinches up with Volkov.

Gracie escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Volkov lands with an uppercut that bounces Gracie off the cage and back into range.
Gracie throws a right hand that misses
and Volkov counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Gracie walks into a jab.
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!
Gracie tries to clinch up
letting Volkov counter with a right hand.
Gracie dives in and grabs Volkov's left leg, looking for a takedown. Volkov pushes down on Gracie's head and hops out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A left and a right from Volkov both land. Nice combination.
Volkov lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Gracie doesn't manage to clinch there - Volkov circles away.
Volkov scores with a three punch combo!
Gracie gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Volkov counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Volkov defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gracie.
Volkov stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Gracie wants to clinch up but Volkov keeps it at a distance.
Gracie tries to grapple but his opponent circles
enabling Volkov to counter with a crisp jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Volkov circles away easily
and Volkov counters with a series of strikes. Gracie will be more careful next time no doubt.
Gracie takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Gracie has a takedown stuffed.
Volkov takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Volkov smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Gracie throws a jab but it's blocked by Volkov.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Volkov scores with a punch to the head.
Kane Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alexander Volkov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Volkov slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

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 Alexander Volkov.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Volkov, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexander Volkov!