PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Darko Pulovic (ranked 4189 p4p, 418 weight class) and Alex Oliver (ranked 3335 p4p, 360 weight class). Alex Oliver has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Darko Pulovic's chin.

Pulovic
vs
Oliver

178 cm
23
176 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
177 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight 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, Darko Pulovic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alex Oliver!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Sergei Dronov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Oliver takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Oliver darts in and clinches Pulovic up against the cage.

Pulovic jumps guard and drags Oliver to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Oliver throws a big elbow that misses.

Pulovic escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Oliver gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Pulovic is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Oliver is controlling him.

Oliver got a little sloppy there for a moment and Pulovic has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Oliver has managed to get both his arms back between Pulovic's legs - danger averted.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Oliver makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Pulovic keeping moving, preventing Oliver from controlling successfully.
Oliver postures up in Pulovic's guard and throws a big left but Pulovic blocks it.
Oliver looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oliver working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Pulovic working a defensive guard here.
Oliver is in close to Pulovic's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Oliver postures up in Pulovic's guard and throws a big left but Pulovic blocks it.
Oliver postures up in Pulovic's guard and throws a big left but Pulovic blocks it.
Pulovic working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Oliver.
Oliver working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Oliver throwing strikes but missing.
Pulovic preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Oliver keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Pulovic's head.
Pulovic avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oliver trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Oliver makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Oliver keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Pulovic's head.
Oliver trying to control the position from guard on top but Pulovic is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pulovic is trying to keep Oliver in close.
Oliver missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Oliver throws a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oliver with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Pulovic tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Pulovic working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Oliver.
Pulovic keeping moving, preventing Oliver from controlling successfully.

Pulovic looking for a guillotine here but Oliver defends easily.
Pulovic looking to control.
Oliver is working Pulovic over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Pulovic looking for a sweep. Not yet Pulovic, not yet.
Oliver postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oliver lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Pulovic wants to stand and escape but Oliver is having none of it.
Pulovic is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Pulovic wants to hit a switch here but Oliver passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Pulovic there!
Pulovic is breathing heavily.
Oliver putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Oliver landing strikes, looking to finish!
Pulovic working to try and regain half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Oliver is working for a guillotine from mount but Pulovic frees his head quite easily.

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

Alex Oliver dominated that round.
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.

Oliver has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Oliver throws a series of punches but Pulovic moves out of range.
Pulovic swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Oliver is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pulovic swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Oliver will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Oliver closes the distance and pushes Pulovic back into the cage.
I was talking to Pulovic's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pulovic has had enough of the clinch but Oliver keeps him there for the moment.
Pulovic prevents a takedown attempt there.

Oliver has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Pulovic uses from the top position.
Pulovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Oliver is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Oliver looking for a guillotine here but Pulovic defends easily.

Pulovic avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Oliver is breathing heavily.
Pulovic wants to stand but Oliver has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

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.
Pulovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Oliver is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pulovic pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Oliver is keeping the position for now.
Pulovic is looking to stand up but Oliver won't let him.
Pulovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Oliver is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Oliver shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Pulovic's guard.
Oliver postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Pulovic tries to strike from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oliver postures up and lands a big shot to Pulovic's brow.
Oliver throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Oliver throws a big right hand that misses.
Pulovic working a defensive guard here.
Oliver must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Oliver is working Pulovic over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Oliver accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Oliver trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Oliver is looking to work some ground and pound but Pulovic has wrist control.
Oliver content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Oliver is looking to work some ground and pound but Pulovic has wrist control.
Oliver with a flurry of punches that miss.
Pulovic is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pulovic is really struggling to control Oliver but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Oliver lands a couple of digs.
Oliver working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Oliver landing some decent shots from guard.
Pulovic wants to stand up but Oliver is controlling him.

Pulovic is looking for a triangle but Oliver pushes his legs off easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pulovic trying to keep a closed guard but Oliver is proving a slippery customer.
Oliver landing with the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Oliver 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!

Oliver shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Pulovic as he jumps to the side.
Pulovic dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Pulovic bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Oliver is trying to control Pulovic's posture but Pulovic avoids it.
Pulovic is looking to take a break and control but Oliver is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Oliver has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Oliver gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pulovic is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Oliver sees it coming and defends easily.
Oliver trying to hold on to Pulovic's head to control him but Pulovic postures up.
Pulovic passes into side control, despite Oliver's attempt to control the position.
Pulovic tries to stand but Oliver is controlling his head.
Pulovic working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Pulovic tries to move to mount but Oliver blocks the move with his legs.
Pulovic wants to stand but Oliver has his arm trapped.
Pulovic tries to score with some ground and pound. Oliver controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Pulovic wants to lay and pray for a moment but Oliver keeps working.
Oliver managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Pulovic.
Oliver can't do much from the bottom here.
Oliver is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Pulovic off and has taken his back!
Oliver keeps control of the position easily here as Pulovic tries to buck him off.
Oliver takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Pulovic can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pulovic trying to control the action but Oliver just sinks the hooks in.
Oliver is landing with strikes from the back.
Oliver is working the ground and pound. Can Pulovic escape?
Oliver throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Pulovic!
Pulovic trying to control the hands but Oliver breaks the grip.

Oliver looking to break Pulovic's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Pulovic remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Oliver will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Oliver is landing with strikes. Pulovic can't take much more of this.

Oliver tightening his grip on Pulovic, looking for the choke.
Pulovic just trying to survive but Oliver is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oliver lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Pulovic.
You can see the frustration on Pulovic's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Pulovic is working hard here to advance position.
Pulovic is covering up but some of the strikes from Oliver are getting through and doing damage.
Pulovic tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Oliver working the ground and pound effectively.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Oliver is landing with some decent strikes but Pulovic is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alex Oliver comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Oliver 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alex Oliver!