PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mike Cope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrei Zhelyabov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cope comes to the cage accompanied by You're Going Down. Zhelyabov comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Гимн СССР kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Cope
vs
Zhelyabov

176 cm
21
152 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

172 cm
23
155 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Good low kicks
Powerful

5th Round
5th Round

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mike Cope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andrei Zhelyabov!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Fedor Mirinova and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cope shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Zhelyabov as he avoids it easily.
Cope fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Zhelyabov on the side of the head.
Nice uppercut lands for Cope. That snapped Zhelyabov's head back.
Zhelyabov pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cope uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Zhelyabov has time to react.
Cope thuds his right hand into Zhelyabov's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Mike Cope seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cope takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Zhelyabov throws a leg kick but Cope checks it.
Zhelyabov ducks right into an uppercut from Cope.
Cope connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Zhelyabov's hands.
Zhelyabov takes one to the side of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A decent looking cross lands there for Cope.
Zhelyabov ducks under a wild hook from Cope.
Zhelyabov throws a head kick that misses.
Zhelyabov slips a straight right by Cope.
Zhelyabov looks to land a combination but Cope avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhelyabov takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Cope throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A swing and a miss from Cope.
Cope thows a leg kick but Zhelyabov checks it
and Zhelyabov counters with a good low kick that Cope was not able to check.
Cope throws a jab when Zhelyabov was well out of range.
Cope lands a slapping body shot.
Cope tries for a takedown but Zhelyabov circles away easily
and Zhelyabov counters with an inside leg kick.
Cope slips under a jab from Zhelyabov.
Zhelyabov punishes Cope's body with a nice straight punch.
Zhelyabov pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cope is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Cope throws a sloppy head kick
and Zhelyabov counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Cope connects with a body shot.
Andrei Zhelyabov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zhelyabov throws a lazy head kick
and Cope counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Cope drives through with a takedown into guard.
Zhelyabov keeping moving, preventing Cope from controlling successfully.
Cope looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Zhelyabov keeping moving, preventing Cope from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cope accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cope working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cope wants to control from the top but Zhelyabov keeps moving.
Zhelyabov not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

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.
Zhelyabov keeping moving, preventing Cope from controlling successfully.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Zhelyabov moves out of range of the strikes.
Cope punishes Zhelyabov's body with a nice straight punch.
Cope throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Cope.
Zhelyabov has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Zhelyabov there as he acknowledges the shot.
Zhelyabov pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cope scores with a nice head shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zhelyabov slips under a jab.
Cope is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Good shot there by Cope.
Nice jab there from Cope.
Zhelyabov scores with a nice body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Cope dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

The crowd cheers as Cope lands an impressive looking overhand right. Zhelyabov doesn't seem phased though.
Andrei Zhelyabov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zhelyabov keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Cope.
Cope throws a shot from downtown. Zhelyabov moves away and avoids it.

Zhelyabov gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Cope to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Cope wants to control from the top but Zhelyabov keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cope trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Cope stays in close to Zhelyabov's body and controls the position.
Cope is pushing down on Zhelyabov's leg trying to pass to half guard. Zhelyabov is fighting to maintain full guard but Cope has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Cope is trying to control the action in half guard but Zhelyabov is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Zhelyabov pushes Cope off and gets back to his feet.
Cope tries for a takedown but Zhelyabov sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Zhelyabov staying out of range there.
Cope misses with a straight right.
Cope throws a sloppy head kick and Zhelyabov moves out of range easily.
Cope moves into range and connects with a jab.
Zhelyabov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhelyabov pushes Cope away with a front kick.
Nice sprawl there from Zhelyabov as Cope shoots in.
Cope misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cope jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Zhelyabov ducks under a wild hook from Cope.
Cope throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Zhelyabov sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Mike Cope is winning the standup battle so far.
Zhelyabov slips a straight right by Cope.
Zhelyabov lets loose with a powerful body kick. Cope will feel that in the morning.
Zhelyabov lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
A nice leg kick lands there from Zhelyabov.
Zhelyabov misses with a two punch combination.
Cope lands a right hook to the body.
Zhelyabov swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Cope.
Cope lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Zhelyabov fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Cope.
Cope scores with a jab to the head.
Cope misses with a hook.
Cope throws out a leg kick but Zhelyabov moves out of range and Cope only half commits.
Cope throws a big shot that misses.
Cope lands a really nice looking cross but Zhelyabov seems unphased.
Cope looks to land a right hand but Zhelyabov moved out of range.
Cope looks to score with a jab to the body but Zhelyabov is just out of range.
Zhelyabov on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Zhelyabov with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Cope to score with a decent uppercut.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Cope, right into the meat.
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 Mike Cope will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Cope shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Zhelyabov napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Cope wants to control but Zhelyabov is keeping him busy.
Cope controls the position.
Cope wants to control but Zhelyabov is keeping him busy.
Cope in side control, throwing shots but Zhelyabov defends.
Zhelyabov managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Cope.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhelyabov can't do much from the bottom here.
Cope fails to land a wild elbow strike.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Zhelyabov can do anything to dispel that myth.
Zhelyabov is not content to let Cope control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cope throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Cope thows a leg kick but Zhelyabov checks it
and Zhelyabov counters with a leg kick.
Cope ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cope lunges at Zhelyabov with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Zhelyabov's hand.
Cope shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Zhelyabov but Zhelyabov pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Cope changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Cope shoots in but Zhelyabov avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Zhelyabov scores with a jab to the body.
Cope connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Cope scores with a body shot.
A jab lands there for Cope.
Zhelyabov has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Cope thows a leg kick but Zhelyabov checks it
and Zhelyabov makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Zhelyabov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhelyabov takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

Cope looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Cope is trying to control the action in half guard but Zhelyabov is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Cope passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Zhelyabov!
Cope thowing shots but they're missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cope trying to control but Zhelyabov is having none of it.
Zhelyabov really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cope. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cope sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Cope looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Andrei Zhelyabov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mike Cope is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Zhelyabov is in a horrible position here. Cope smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Cope showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cope has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:27
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:28
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Cope!