PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Colestein Veglin (ranked 3706 p4p, 2680 weight class) and Zakhar Zhitkov (ranked 0 p4p, 317 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Veglin
vs
Zhitkov

184 cm
26
182
1 - 1 - 0

182 cm
20
175
5 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Hawaii Nutrition

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Colestein Veglin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zakhar Zhitkov!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Jeff Smith and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Veglin scores with a shot to the body.
Zhitkov throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Veglin.
Veglin went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Veglin fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Veglin throws a head kick that misses.
Zhitkov is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Veglin with a body shot.
Zhitkov is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Zhitkov shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Veglin's guard.
Zhitkov looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Zhitkov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Veglin is keeping the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Veglin can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Zhitkov controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhitkov slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Veglin is looking for a sweep.
Veglin being controlled for a moment.

Zhitkov has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Veglin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Veglin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Zhitkov moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Zhitkov! But no joy.
Veglin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zhitkov darts in and clinches Veglin up against the cage.
Zhitkov is trying to pull guard but Veglin has him pressed against the cage.
Zhitkov tries to pull guard but Veglin won't allow it.

Veglin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Veglin throws out a powerful jab.
Zhitkov shoots and misses
and Veglin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Colestein Veglin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zakhar Zhitkov.
Zhitkov walks into a left hand.
Veglin loads up on a big right hand but Zhitkov slips the punch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Veglin keeps the fight on the outside.
Zhitkov tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Veglin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Veglin looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Veglin defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Zhitkov.
Veglin lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Zhitkov backs up against the cage.

Zhitkov is rocked!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Veglin fails to land with a series of punches.

Zhitkov clinches up with Veglin and pushes him back against the cage.
Veglin tries to work over Zhitkov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Veglin breaks from the clinch.

Veglin has managed to clinch.
Zhitkov prevents Veglin from breaking the clinch.
Veglin is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Veglin is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Zhitkov ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Zhitkov no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Veglin decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Zhitkov, up you get!
Zhitkov lands a jab to the head.

Zhitkov closes the distance and pushes Veglin back into the cage.
Zhitkov tries to throw a body punch but Veglin avoids it by throwing Zhitkov back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zhitkov tries to pull guard but Veglin won't allow it.
Zhitkov misses with a short punch on the inside.

Zhitkov manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Zhitkov seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
We've been informed that Zhitkov has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Veglin looking to pass the guard.
Veglin trying to control the position from guard on top but Zhitkov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zhitkov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Veglin is one step ahead there.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Veglin trying to stand up but can't free himself from Zhitkov's guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Colestein Veglin dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Zhitkov forces Veglin back against the cage and clinches.
Zhitkov scores with a nice hook to the head.
Veglin wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Veglin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Veglin is looking to clinch.
Zhitkov swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Zhitkov wants to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Zhitkov darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Veglin trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhitkov perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Veglin slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Veglin trying to control the position.
Zhitkov is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Veglin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Zhitkov tries to stand but Veglin is controlling from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Veglin looking to control.

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.
Zakhar Zhitkov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Zhitkov passes Veglin's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Veglin is doing well to control the position and prevent Zhitkov from advancing to side control.
Zhitkov is thwarting Veglin's attempts to control the position.

Zhitkov is working for a kimura but Veglin is defending it quite comfortably.
Veglin tries to get to full guard but Zhitkov has control of the leg.
Zhitkov slows the pace down in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Veglin lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Veglin lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Zhitkov shoots and misses
and Veglin counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Zhitkov throws a shot from downtown. Veglin moves away and avoids it.
Veglin tries to land a leg kick but Zhitkov saw it coming and moves away.
Veglin lands a jab to the nose.
Veglin swinging wildly here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Veglin scores with a nice strike.
Veglin misses with a jab, cross combination.
Zhitkov tries to clinch up.
Veglin jabs Zhitkov right on the nose. Zhitkov blinks but takes it well.
Zhitkov shoots in for a double leg but Veglin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Veglin is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Zhitkov misses with a body shot.
Zhitkov throws a looping overhand right but Veglin ducks down to avoid it.
Veglin scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Veglin lands with a nice body punch.
Veglin thuds a left hand into Zhitkov's body.
Veglin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Zhitkov can do to turn this around?
Nice sprawl there from Veglin as Zhitkov shoots in.
Veglin looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Colestein Veglin dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Veglin scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Zhitkov is still on wobbly legs! Can Veglin finish him?

Zhitkov gets a clinch.
Zhitkov seems to have recovered his senses.
Zhitkov fails to pull guard.
Zhitkov tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Veglin.
Zhitkov has Veglin pressed against the cage, preventing Veglin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Zhitkov is trying to pull guard but Veglin has him pressed against the cage.
Zhitkov blocks a body shot from Veglin.
Veglin is trying to break the clinch but Zhitkov has him pressed against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Veglin is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Veglin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zhitkov throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Veglin's waist but Veglin gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Zhitkov off to one side.
Veglin throws a big counter combination but Zhitkov scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Colestein Veglin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zakhar Zhitkov.
Zhitkov drops his hands momentarily and Veglin takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Veglin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Veglin looks to score with a jab to the body but Zhitkov is just out of range.
Zhitkov takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Colestein Veglin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Zhitkov dives in and grabs Veglin's left leg, looking for a takedown. Veglin pushes down on Zhitkov's head and hops out.
Zhitkov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Veglin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Zhitkov.
Veglin misses with a head kick.
Zhitkov throws a counter combo.
Zhitkov tries to clinch but Veglin moves out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from Veglin misses the target.
Veglin looking to land some kicks to the body here.
A slow jab from Zhitkov misses its intended target.
An attempted straight right counter from Veglin misses the target.
Veglin's jab looks to have found its range, popping Zhitkov under the eye.

Zhitkov closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Veglin did well to prevent Zhitkov getting side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zhitkov trying to pass the guard but Veglin defending well.
Veglin wants to get back to his feet.
Veglin wants to control but Zhitkov is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Zhitkov looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Veglin has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Zhitkov is working away from the top position though.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Veglin wants to improve his position but Zhitkov is controlling well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zhitkov is taking a breather. Veglin says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Zhitkov has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhitkov wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
Zhitkov forces the positional change into back control.
Zhitkov keeps control of the position easily here as Veglin tries to buck him off.
Zhitkov gets his hands free as Veglin looks to control.
Colestein Veglin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Zhitkov controlling the position well here. Veglin rolled but Zhitkov kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Let's hope that Zhitkov has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Veglin tries to break free.
Veglin is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
I really don't envy Veglin right now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Veglin rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Veglin is looking for a sweep. Zhitkov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Colestein Veglin.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Veglin, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Josh West scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Colestein Veglin!
An out of breath and clearly excited Colestein Veglin thanked Hawaii Nutrition for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).