PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Just Roll (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vlad Didenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vlad Didenko will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Roll
vs
Didenko

182 cm
25
183 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

197 cm
25
190 lbs
14 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Brawler
Insanely flexible

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

Sun-Tzu. 15%

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Just Roll!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vlad Didenko!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Valeri Chadov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Didenko needs to keep his hands up - Roll had a free shot at his head there.
Didenko is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Roll leaves Didenko with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Roll fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Roll misses with a lunging right hand

and Didenko counters with a shoot takedown. Roll fights it but they end up in guard.

Didenko is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Didenko wants to pass the guard but Roll is keeping the position.

Didenko thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Roll is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Didenko is aware though and is defending well.

Roll is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Didenko defends well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Roll looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Didenko passes Roll's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Didenko is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Roll looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Didenko is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Didenko is looking for a kimura here.
Roll tries to roll over but Didenko keeps him under control.
Roll might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Roll looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Roll looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Roll looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Didenko is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Didenko wants to work for an arm triangle but Roll is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Didenko is trying to work for a kimura but Roll is defending well.
Roll is trying to get back to full guard.
Roll manages to get to full guard.

Roll throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Roll escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Didenko gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Didenko looking to pass the guard.

Roll is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Didenko defends well.
Didenko sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Roll's guard.

Didenko is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Roll sees it coming and defends easily.
Roll is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Didenko is working for a submission of some sort.

Roll is defending against the submission attempts here by Didenko.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roll tries to get to full guard but Didenko has control of the leg.

Roll actively working from the bottom here.

Didenko seems to be looking for submissions.

Didenko is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Roll is just riding it out for now. Didenko eventually gives up the hold.

Roll actively working from the bottom here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Roll is looking to improve his position.

Didenko is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Vlad Didenko will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Didenko shoots in and gets a takedown into Roll's guard.
Didenko preventing the sweep.

Didenko drops back looking for a leg! Roll is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Roll manages to kick Didenko off! Didenko jumps back into Roll's guard.

Roll is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Didenko drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Didenko jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Roll working for a triangle but Didenko defends it easily.
Vlad Didenko has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Didenko thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Didenko pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Roll is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roll doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Roll had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Didenko defends it easily.

Didenko thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Didenko pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Roll is keeping the position for now.
Didenko is still trying to improve position.
Didenko is pushing down on Roll's leg trying to pass to half guard. Roll is fighting to maintain full guard but Didenko has managed to sneak the leg through.
Didenko is breathing heavily.

Didenko is working for a kimura but Roll is defending it quite comfortably.

Roll is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Didenko pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roll gets full guard.
Didenko is pushing down on Roll's leg trying to pass to half guard. Roll is fighting to maintain full guard but Didenko has managed to sneak the leg through.

Didenko is looking for a kimura here.

Roll is defending against the submission attempts here by Didenko.
Roll moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Roll is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Roll thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Roll not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Roll is looking for a kimura here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roll thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Roll is working for a submission of some sort.

Didenko actively working from the bottom here.
Roll missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Roll is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Didenko!
Didenko is trying desperately to improve position.
Didenko gets back to half guard.

Roll is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Didenko actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Roll is looking for a kimura here.

Didenko is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Roll pulls his head out easily.

Roll is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Didenko looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Didenko wants to improve his position but Roll is controlling well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Didenko looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Roll missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
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 Just Roll will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

A looping hook to the body misses from Roll. Didenko does a little dance to reset his feet.
Didenko is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Didenko changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Roll tries to avoid it but Didenko manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Roll to the ground. Roll escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Didenko displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Roll throws out the jab.
Didenko misses with a takedown attempt - Roll sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Roll misses the shot to the body.
Didenko shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Roll but Roll pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Just Roll has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vlad Didenko.
Roll thows a left - swing and a miss!
Didenko ducks under a wild hook from Roll.
Didenko shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Roll defends it nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Roll misses with a straight right.
Roll throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Didenko takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nice takedown defense from Roll. No joy for Didenko on that attempt.
Didenko takes one to the side of the head.

Didenko is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Roll's half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roll is looking to improve his position.

Didenko is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Roll looking for submissions off his back.

Didenko is looking for a kimura but Roll is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Didenko to get the leverage.

Didenko is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Roll is just riding it out for now. Didenko eventually gives up the hold.

Roll looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Roll is defending against the submission attempts here by Didenko.

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

Didenko is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Roll looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Roll looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Didenko looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Roll wants to improve his position but Didenko is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Roll looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Didenko seems to be looking for submissions.

Didenko is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Roll doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Didenko.

Didenko seems to be working for a kimura but Roll defends the submission attempt.
Roll manages to get to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Roll looking to hit a scissor sweep but Didenko is one step ahead there.

Roll throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Didenko avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Roll working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Didenko doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Didenko manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Didenko drops back looking for a leg! Roll is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Roll manages to kick Didenko off! Didenko jumps back into Roll's guard.

Roll working for a triangle but Didenko defends it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Just Roll showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Roll has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Just Roll!