PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Anatoli Volinov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gunnar Magnussen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Volinov comes to the cage accompanied by Soviet March. Magnussen has chosen Bloody Beetroots - Butter as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Gunnar Magnussen is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Volinov
vs
Magnussen

188 cm
23
215 lbs
3 - 0 - 1

197 cm
23
204 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Anatoli Volinov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Gunnar Magnussen!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Matti Vanhoillinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Volinov.
Magnussen displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Volinov.
Magnussen lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Magnussen lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Magnussen throws a head kick but Volinov moves out of range.
Magnussen throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Volinov is breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Magnussen throws a leg kick but Volinov sees it coming and moves out of range.
Magnussen lets loose with a powerful body kick. Volinov will feel that in the morning.
Magnussen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Magnussen misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Magnussen fakes the leg kick and cracks Volinov in the body.
Magnussen throws a head kick that misses.
Magnussen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A head kick misses from Volinov.

Magnussen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Magnussen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Volinov swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Volinov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Magnussen landing with the ground and pound.
Magnussen is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Magnussen is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Magnussen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Magnussen stands up from Volinov's guard - Magnussen perhaps looking for a knockout.
Volinov thows a leg kick but Magnussen checks it
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Magnussen.
A slapping body kick lands there for Magnussen.
Volinov checks a leg kick.
Magnussen throws a head kick that misses.
Magnussen tries a head kick but it misses.
Volinov tries for a takedown but Magnussen sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anatoli Volinov. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Magnussen changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Volinov looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Magnussen landing strikes.
Magnussen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Volinov keeps working.

Magnussen decides to stand back up.
A head kick from Magnussen lands but Volinov takes it in his stride.

It looks like Anatoli Volinov has been cut.
Magnussen misses with a head kick.
Magnussen throws a leg kick but Volinov moved away.
Anatoli Volinov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Magnussen throws a nice outside leg kick.
Volinov blocks a head kick by Magnussen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Volinov blocks a head kick by Magnussen.
Both fighters circling a little - Magnussen finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Magnussen scoring well with a low kick there.
Volinov with a poor takedown
and Magnussen makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Magnussen throws a nice head kick!
Volinov doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Magnussen counters with a big head kick but Volinov shrugs it off.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Volinov misses with a head kick.
Magnussen scoring well with a low kick there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gunnar Magnussen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Anatoli Volinov's cut.
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.

Magnussen connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Magnussen swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Magnussen fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Volinov.
Magnussen pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Magnussen throws a head kick that misses.
Volinov avoids the head kick by Magnussen.
Magnussen throws a head kick that misses.
Volinov shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Magnussen counters with a nice body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Volinov tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Gunnar Magnussen seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Magnussen throws a leg kick but Volinov moved away.
Magnussen throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Magnussen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Magnussen will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Magnussen throws the kick towards the body but Volinov avoids it.
Some bone on bone action there as Volinov checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
A head kick misses from Magnussen.
Magnussen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Volinov wants to clinch
and Magnussen counters with a head kick.
Volinov tries for a takedown but Magnussen circles away easily

and Magnussen counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
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!
Volinov keeping full guard, as Magnussen tries to pass.
Magnussen throwing strikes but missing.
Magnussen trying to control but Volinov is working from the bottom.
Volinov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Magnussen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Magnussen wants to pass the guard but Volinov is keeping the position.
Volinov keeping moving, preventing Magnussen from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Volinov is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Magnussen thows a big elbow that misses.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Volinov takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Volinov has his takedown stuffed
and Magnussen counters with a nice body kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anatoli Volinov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Magnussen throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Magnussen throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
A solid leg kick lands there for Magnussen.
A chopping leg kick lands by Magnussen.
Volinov is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Volinov tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Magnussen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
An inside leg kick lands from Magnussen.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Magnussen attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Magnussen fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Volinov is out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gunnar Magnussen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Anatoli Volinov's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Volinov tries to clinch

and Magnussen counters with a takedown into side control.
Magnussen is looking to take a break and control but Volinov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Volinov tries to improve position but can't.
Magnussen cracks Volinov with a big elbow.
You can see the frustration on Volinov's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Magnussen decides to stand back up. Magnussen steps back and let's Volinov get back to his feet.
Magnussen goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Anatoli Volinov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Volinov shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Magnussen counters with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Magnussen throws a head kick that misses.
Magnussen tries for a takedown but Volinov circles away easily

and Volinov decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Magnussen's guard.
Magnussen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Volinov stays in close to Magnussen's body and controls the position.
Magnussen wants to sweep but no luck.
Magnussen thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Magnussen kicks Volinov off and gets to his feet.
Magnussen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Volinov circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Magnussen throws a low kick, looking for Volinov's leg but Volinov calmly moves out of range.
Volinov scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Magnussen lands with a slapping head kick.
Volinov delivers a nice body kick.
Magnussen throws a leg kick

and Volinov counters with a nice double leg into side control. Magnussen won't be happy with that.
Gunnar Magnussen has got the better of the ground game so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Volinov tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Magnussen wants to control but Volinov postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Volinov working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Magnussen sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Magnussen wants to control but Volinov is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Volinov wants to stand but Magnussen has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Magnussen punching from the bottom.
Magnussen tries to get to full guard but Volinov has control of the leg.
Volinov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Volinov moves out of range of the body kick from Magnussen.

That's four 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.
Volinov looks to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Magnussen connects with a solid leg kick.
Magnussen scores with a nice body kick.
Volinov takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Magnussen turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Volinov misses with a takedown attempt
and Magnussen counters with an inside leg kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Volinov takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Anatoli Volinov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gunnar Magnussen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Magnussen throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gunnar Magnussen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Magnussen has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 25:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 25:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gunnar Magnussen!