PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Ovechkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Ytlear (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Ovechkin might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Metallica - Seek and Destroy. Ytlear is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Necrophobic - The Third Antichrist. James Ytlear told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Ovechkin
vs
Ytlear

176 cm
22
139 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
130 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very strong

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexander Ovechkin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, James Ytlear!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Sergei Dronov and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Ytlear.
Ytlear looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Ovechkin is looking to regain half guard here but Ytlear keeps moving and retains side control.
Ovechkin striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Ovechkin is pushing Ytlear's head away, looking to escape. Ytlear manages to hold on to the position though.
Ovechkin is looking for a sweep.
Ytlear working away.
Ovechkin tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Ytlear wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

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

Ovechkin shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Ytlear's guard.
Ovechkin tries to free his leg and advance position but Ytlear is retaining full guard.
Ovechkin wants to stand but Ytlear has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Ytlear 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.
Ytlear has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Ovechkin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ytlear works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ovechkin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ytlear is keeping the position for now.
Ovechkin trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Ytlear manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Ovechkin 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.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Ovechkin shoots in and bounces Ytlear off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.

Ytlear looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Ovechkin stands up over Ytlear, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Ovechkin throws a strike but Ytlear rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Ytlear tries to free his leg and advance position but Ovechkin is retaining full guard.
Ovechkin striking off his back but it's not causing Ytlear any problems.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ovechkin controls Ytlear momentarily but Ytlear frees himself.
Ytlear trying to control the position from guard on top but Ovechkin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ovechkin is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Ytlear is controlling him.
Ovechkin knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ytlear on the ground.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ovechkin tries to clinch but Ytlear is having none of it.

Ovechkin feints and as Ytlear raises his hands in defense, Ovechkin changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Ytlear looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Ytlear is trying to keep Ovechkin in close.
Ytlear manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ovechkin manages to get himself to full guard.
Ovechkin wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ytlear throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ovechkin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Ytlear decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Ovechkin, up you get!
Ytlear is looking to clinch but Ovechkin is avoiding it.
Ytlear tries for a takedown but Ovechkin circles away easily

and Ovechkin counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Ovechkin trying to control but Ytlear is working from the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Ovechkin wants to pass the guard but Ytlear is keeping the position.
Ytlear is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ovechkin tries to free his leg and advance position but Ytlear is retaining full guard.
Ytlear is trying to keep Ovechkin in close.
Ovechkin has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ovechkin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ytlear swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ovechkin scoring with some ground and pound.
Ovechkin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ytlear is keeping the position for now.
Ovechkin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ytlear works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ytlear working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ovechkin.
Ytlear utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ytlear seems keen to control Ovechkin's posture.
Ovechkin is in close to Ytlear's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Ovechkin with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ovechkin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ovechkin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Ytlear escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ovechkin gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ovechkin wants to stand but Ytlear is controlling his posture from full guard.
Ytlear trying to control the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ovechkin controlling from the top position.
Ovechkin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Ovechkin dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Ovechkin fails to land with a series of punches.
Ovechkin gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Ytlear counters with a nice double leg into side control. Ovechkin won't be happy with that.
Ytlear has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Ovechkin really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Ytlear moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Ovechkin has worked his arm free - good work by Ovechkin!
Ovechkin tries to bench press Ytlear off him but Ytlear keeps the position.
Ytlear trying to control the position but Ovechkin is working away.
Ovechkin tries to buck Ytlear off but Ytlear is having none of it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ovechkin is trying to work for a sweep but Ytlear has mounted him!
Ovechkin wants to control but Ytlear is having none of it.
Ytlear blocks Ovechkin's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Ovechkin swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ytlear tries to control but Ovechkin wriggling away.
Ytlear blocks Ovechkin's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Ovechkin is looking to get to half guard.
Ytlear lands with some strikes.

Ytlear get's back to his feet.
Ytlear gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Ovechkin counters with a takedown into side control.
Ovechkin throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Ytlear avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Ovechkin.
Ovechkin is putting a hurting on Ytlear here, landing some big shots from side control.
Ovechkin is working Ytlear over with some ground and pound from side control.
Ovechkin working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Ovechkin in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Ytlear is rocked!
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!
Ovechkin looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Ytlear is avoiding damage well.
Ytlear is still in real trouble! Can Ovechkin finish him?
Ovechkin looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Ytlear is avoiding damage well.
Ovechkin working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ytlear prevents Ovechkin from improving position.
Ytlear seems to have recovered his senses.
Ovechkin tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Ovechkin working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Ovechkin is working Ytlear over with some ground and pound from side control.
Ytlear is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Ytlear is looking to control Ovechkin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ytlear avoid being mounted?
Ovechkin wants to free his trapped foot but Ytlear is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Ovechkin working Ytlear over with strikes.
Ovechkin not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ytlear makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Ytlear.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ovechkin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ovechkin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ytlear wants to stand up but Ovechkin is controlling him.
Ovechkin scoring with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ovechkin stopping the sweep attempt from Ytlear.
Ytlear is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Alexander Ovechkin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ytlear trying to control the position.

Ytlear escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ovechkin gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ovechkin wants to get up but he can't break Ytlear's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ovechkin misses with a takedown attempt

and Ytlear counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Ovechkin's guard now.
Ytlear wants to control from the top but Ovechkin keeps moving.
Ovechkin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ovechkin trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Ytlear trying to control but Ovechkin is working from the bottom.
Ytlear won't allow Ovechkin to sweep him here.
Ovechkin is working hard here to advance position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ovechkin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ytlear can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Ovechkin looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Ytlear!
Ovechkin unloading with bombs!
Ytlear tries to lock up and control but Ovechkin gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ovechkin looking to ground and pound but Ytlear is blocking nicely.
Ovechkin throwing strikes here but Ytlear is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Ytlear blocking the ground and pound.
Ytlear wants to hold on but Ovechkin pushes him away.
Ovechkin throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Ytlear because Ovechkin loaded up on that one.
Ovechkin landing strikes from the mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ovechkin thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Ytlear really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Ytlear regains half guard.
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 Alexander Ovechkin will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Ytlear looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ytlear is pinned up against the ropes taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Ovechkin misses with a takedown attempt

and Ytlear counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Ovechkin is striking but Ytlear is not phased and passes to half guard.
Ytlear uses his free foot to push down on Ovechkin's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Ovechkin.
Ytlear can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ovechkin is looking to escape.
Ovechkin gets back to half guard.
Well, if Ytlear 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.
Ovechkin on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Ovechkin tries to get out of the position.
Ytlear has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Ytlear wants to control the pace but Ovechkin is squirming around nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ovechkin stops Ytlear from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Ovechkin tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ovechkin tries to improve his position but instead Ytlear has taken his back!
Ovechkin tries to escape the position.

Ytlear is working on the RNC. He looks like he's got it but Ovechkin won't tap... Oh, he's out! The ref rips Ytlear off his unconscious opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). James Ytlear!