PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Aleksandr Volkov (ranked 9745 p4p, 0 weight class) and Victor Stroev (ranked 8467 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Volkov
vs
Stroev

190 cm
18
157 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

175 cm
25
157 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Pit Bull Development

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 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aleksandr Volkov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Victor Stroev!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stroev stuffs the takedown attempt from Volkov. Volkov gets slowly back to his feet.
Volkov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Stroev was well out of range. Poor timing from Volkov.
Stroev is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Stroev tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Volkov is able to avoid easily.
Volkov thinks about countering with a head kick.

Stroev has closed the distance and engaged Volkov in a clinch.

Volkov breaks the clinch.
Volkov throws a head kick that Stroev semi-blocks.

Stroev gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Stroev is struggling to control the position.
Stroev is defending well against a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Volkov breaks from the clinch.
Volkov throws a low kick but Stroev moves out of range easily.

Stroev rushes Volkov and presses him up against the cage.
Volkov really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Volkov keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Stroev's efforts to push away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Volkov is trying to stall.
The referee is keeping an eye on Stroev - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Stroev keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Volkov's efforts to push away.

Stroev has picked Volkov up - he's going for a ride! Stroev dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Volkov trying to control but Stroev postures up.
Volkov is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Stroev is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stroev controlling the action here.
Stroev looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Volkov wants to control but Stroev is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Stroev is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Volkov missing with punches from the bottom.
Volkov wants to control but Stroev is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Volkov is defended easily by Stroev.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aleksandr Volkov. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stroev sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Volkov is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Volkov has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Stroev is working away from the top position though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Volkov is looking for a sweep. Stroev is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Victor Stroev dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Volkov shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Stroev counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Stroev.
Stroev prevents a takedown attempt there.
Stroev misses with an elbow over the top.
Stroev has Volkov pressed against the cage, preventing Volkov from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Stroev turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Stroev manages to end up in side control.
Volkov gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Stroev moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Volkov.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Stroev decides to stand back up. Stroev steps back and let's Volkov get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stroev shoots in for a takedown but Volkov shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Stroev throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Aleksandr Volkov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Volkov tries to close the distance and clinch up but Stroev swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Volkov throws a lazy head kick

and Stroev counters with a shoot takedown. Volkov fights it but they end up in guard.
Volkov is wriggling around but Stroev manages to pass to half guard.
Stroev has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Well, if Stroev is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Volkov is trying to maintain the position but Stroev is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stroev is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Stroev wants to stand but Volkov has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Stroev moves into full mount! Volkov won't be happy about that!
Victor Stroev has got the better of the ground game so far.
Stroev avoids the attempt from Volkov to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Volkov trying desperately to get to his feet.
Stroev breaks from Volkov's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Stroev tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Volkov wants to control but Stroev is having none of it.
Stroev unloading with bombs!
Volkov tries to hold on but Stroev postures up.
Stroev scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Volkov?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Volkov can't escape the position.
Stroev looking to control and managing it successfully.
Stroev with shots to the head and body - Volkov looks very uncomfortable down there.
Stroev takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Stroev has hold of Volkov's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Volkov manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Stroev landing strikes from the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Victor Stroev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Volkov looks to land a combination. Stroev sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Volkov looks to land a combination but Stroev avoids it well.

Stroev darts in and clinches Volkov up against the cage.
Stroev throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Stroev's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Volkov throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Stroev.

Stroev drives through and clinches with Volkov against the cage.

Stroev pulls guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Stroev can do anything to dispel that myth.

Volkov avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Stroev is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Volkov is controlling him.
Volkov throwing strikes from guard but Stroev blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stroev wants to sweep but no luck.
Stroev looking to control.
Volkov wants to control from the top but Stroev keeps moving.

Stroev had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Volkov defends it easily.
Stroev is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Volkov is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Stroev is pulling down on Volkov's head. It's preventing any offense from Volkov, at least for the moment.
Volkov trying to control but Stroev is working from the bottom.
Stroev managing to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Volkov tries to clinch up

so Stroev counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Volkov looking to control but Stroev passes into half guard.
Volkov trying to control but Stroev postures up.
Stroev with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Volkov punching from the bottom.
Volkov trying to control here.
Stroev keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

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.

Stroev seems to be working for a kimura but Volkov defends the submission attempt.
Stroev prevents Volkov from standing back up.
Volkov is trying to maintain the position but Stroev is very close to passing his half guard.
Volkov is trying to get back to full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Stroev content to control rather than advance.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Victor Stroev comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Stroev 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Victor Stroev!