PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Prokhor Zhenya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Javy Gandejos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Javy Gandejos struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 156.1lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Zhenya
vs
Gandejos

182 cm
20
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

150 cm
22
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Prokhor Zhenya!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Javy Gandejos!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zhenya lands a body shot.
Gandejos shoots in but no luck this time.
Zhenya throws a series of punches but Gandejos avoids them all with ease.
Gandejos slips a jab and a cross from Zhenya.
Zhenya fails to land with a series of punches.
Gandejos shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Zhenya as he avoids it easily.
Zhenya throws a right and a left that both miss.

Gandejos shoots in and bounces Zhenya off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Zhenya trying to strike off his back.
Zhenya is looking to stand up but Gandejos isn't so interested in that idea.
Gandejos slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Zhenya keeping moving, preventing Gandejos from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gandejos works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Zhenya is looking to escape.

Gandejos is trying to work for a kimura but Zhenya is defending well.
Gandejos looks gassed!
Zhenya is trying to stand back up but Gandejos is controlling him

Gandejos is working for a kimura but Zhenya is defending it quite comfortably.
Zhenya tries to kick Gandejos off but Gandejos keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Zhenya is defending against the submission attempts here by Gandejos.
Zhenya looks like he's trying to stand up.
Zhenya moves into full guard.
Zhenya knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gandejos on the ground.
Gandejos won't allow Zhenya to get back to his feet.
Zhenya looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhenya is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gandejos showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Zhenya.

Gandejos closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Zhenya is trying to stand up here but Gandejos is controlling him well.
Gandejos is looking to take a break and control but Zhenya is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Zhenya pushes Gandejos off looking to stand but Gandejos dives back in and keeps control.

Gandejos is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Zhenya has managed to free his arm - good work.
Zhenya trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gandejos wants to take a breather but Zhenya is having none of it.

Zhenya has one foot on Gandejos's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Gandejos takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Gandejos avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Gandejos bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Zhenya manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
The fighters are battling for position here. Gandejos manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Zhenya has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Zhenya stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gandejos swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Zhenya wanted to stand there but Gandejos had control of the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Javy Gandejos dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Gandejos closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gandejos lands in his opponent's guard.
Zhenya lands a decent shot there.
Zhenya is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gandejos is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gandejos controls from within his opponent's guard.
Zhenya is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gandejos trying to control the position from guard on top but Zhenya is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zhenya will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Zhenya wants to stand up but Gandejos is controlling him.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Gandejos looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Zhenya is looking to stand up but Gandejos isn't so interested in that idea.
Gandejos is pushing down on Zhenya's leg trying to pass to half guard. Zhenya is fighting to maintain full guard but Gandejos has managed to sneak the leg through.
Gandejos blocks the strikes from Zhenya.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zhenya tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Zhenya on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Zhenya tries to get out of the position.
Still in half guard, Gandejos seems content to control.
Gandejos is looking to advance position but Zhenya won't allow it.
Zhenya is refusing to be controlled, as Gandejos sits in half guard.
Zhenya is looking for a sweep. Gandejos is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Zhenya pushes Gandejos off and gets back to his feet.
Gandejos throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Zhenya's waist but Zhenya gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gandejos off to one side.
Gandejos on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Gandejos looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Zhenya!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhenya is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Zhenya wants to hold on but Gandejos pushes him away.
Zhenya is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Zhenya is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

Gandejos swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Zhenya is now in Gandejos's guard. A big mistake from Gandejos there, giving up the dominant position!
Gandejos looking for a sweep. Not yet Gandejos, not yet.
Zhenya wants to stand but Gandejos has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Gandejos is looking for a triangle but Zhenya pushes his legs off easily.

Gandejos had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Zhenya is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Gandejos Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Zhenya's back instead.

Gandejos is looking for the choke from the back position but Zhenya is controlling his hands well.

Zhenya showing good submission defense here.

Gandejos working for the choke.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Javy Gandejos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Gandejos slips a jab and a cross from Zhenya.
Zhenya shoots and misses

and Gandejos counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gandejos.

Gandejos thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Zhenya is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gandejos is controlling him.
Zhenya will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Zhenya wants to get back to his feet but Gandejos is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhenya can't keep his opponent in guard - Gandejos advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Zhenya is trying to escape back to his feet but Gandejos uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Zhenya is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Gandejos asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Gandejos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Zhenya keeps working.
Zhenya is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Gandejos asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Gandejos is looking to take a break and control but Zhenya is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gandejos might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Zhenya kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Zhenya regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhenya pushes Gandejos off looking to stand but Gandejos dives back in and keeps control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Gandejos darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Zhenya pushes Gandejos off looking to stand but Gandejos dives back in and keeps control.
Prokhor Zhenya has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gandejos is looking to take a break and control but Zhenya is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Zhenya missing with punches from the bottom.
Zhenya tries to kick Gandejos off but Gandejos keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Gandejos is trying to control the action in half guard but Zhenya is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Gandejos is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Gandejos is looking for a kimura here.
Gandejos is looking to take a break and control but Zhenya is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Javy Gandejos is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Zhenya thows a body shot but no joy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Javy Gandejos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Gandejos 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Javy Gandejos!