PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Taylor Sphinx (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Karol Sokolov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sokolov is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Bloodrocuted. Karol Sokolov is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Sphinx
vs
Sokolov

175 cm
23
225 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

194 cm
22
265 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Taylor Sphinx!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Karol Sokolov !
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Dmitry Maklakov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sokolov misses with a looping left.
Sokolov tries to clinch there but Sphinx circles away.
A nice inside leg kick there by Sphinx. That's going to slow Sokolov down.
Sokolov tries for a takedown but Sphinx sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Sokolov fails with an attempt to clinch.
A jab from Sokolov does it's job there.

Sphinx drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sphinx throws a big right hand that misses.
Sokolov keeping moving, preventing Sphinx from controlling successfully.

Sokolov throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sokolov keeping moving, preventing Sphinx from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sphinx has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Sokolov .
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sphinx can't escape the position.

Sokolov is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Sokolov looks gassed!

Sokolov has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Sokolov avoiding Sphinx 's attempts to control his hands.

Sokolov patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Sphinx breaks Sokolov 's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Sokolov keeping moving, preventing Sphinx from controlling successfully.

Sphinx gets to his feet. Sokolov looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sokolov stuffs the takedown attempt from Sphinx. Sphinx gets slowly back to his feet.
Sphinx moves away from the strike by Sokolov .
Sokolov misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Sphinx gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Sphinx is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Sokolov can't fight it off and eventually Sphinx manages to take the fight to the floor. Sokolov looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Sokolov really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sphinx. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Sokolov throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Sokolov has his foot on Sphinx's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sphinx works his way back into a safe position though.
Sphinx won't allow Sokolov to sweep him here.
Sphinx controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Sokolov keeping moving, preventing Sphinx from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sokolov looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Sphinx stopping the sweep attempt from Sokolov .

Sphinx drops back looking for a leg! Sokolov is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Sokolov manages to kick Sphinx off! Sphinx jumps back into Sokolov 's guard.
Sphinx trying to control the position from guard on top but Sokolov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Sokolov gets the takedown into side control.
Sphinx is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Sokolov is controlling him well.
Sokolov tries to move to mount but Sphinx blocks the move with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sokolov is trying to get an arm triangle but Sphinx is defending well.

Sokolov tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Sokolov is trying to get an arm triangle but Sphinx is defending well.
Sphinx sneaks back into half guard.

Sokolov is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sphinx is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Sokolov 's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Sokolov 's back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Karol Sokolov 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.

Sphinx with a poor takedown
and Sokolov counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sokolov shoots and misses

so Sphinx counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Sphinx wants to control from the top but Sokolov keeps moving.
Sphinx is really struggling to control Sokolov but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Sokolov is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Sphinx has his hands clasped together but Sokolov extends an breaks Sphinx's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Sokolov .

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Karol Sokolov !