PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Iosif Dzugashavili (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rocki Balboa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rocki Balboa has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Dzugashavili
vs
Balboa

190 cm
25
280 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

195 cm
25
245 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Iosif Dzugashavili!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rocki Balboa!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Konstantin Menshow and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Balboa shoots in and gets a takedown into Dzugashavili's guard.
Balboa trying to control the position from guard on top but Dzugashavili is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dzugashavili preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Dzugashavili wants to sweep here but Balboa controlling him for the moment.
Balboa controls from within his opponent's guard.
Balboa wants to pass the guard but Dzugashavili is keeping the position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Balboa stands up from Dzugashavili's guard - Balboa perhaps looking for a knockout.
Balboa scores with a leg kick.
Balboa fails with a takedown attempt.

Balboa darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Balboa is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Dzugashavili is just riding it out for now. Balboa eventually gives up the hold.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balboa slips a nice elbow through Dzugashavili's hands, connecting with Dzugashavili's forehead.
Balboa slows the pace down in half guard.
Balboa prevents Dzugashavili from improving his position.
Dzugashavili slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Balboa wants to control from the top but Dzugashavili keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dzugashavili tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Balboa engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Dzugashavili working a defensive guard here.

That's two 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.

Dzugashavili has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Balboa can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Balboa controls from within his opponent's guard.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Rocki Balboa wasn't active enough on the ground.

Balboa clinches up against the cage.

Balboa's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Balboa fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Dzugashavili sprawls well initially but Balboa persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Balboa is trying to control. Dzugashavili wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Dzugashavili trying to hold on to Balboa's head to control him but Balboa postures up.

Balboa is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Dzugashavili trying to control but Balboa postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboa looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Dzugashavili is staying active underneath Balboa, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Dzugashavili looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Dzugashavili throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Dzugashavili is staying active underneath Balboa, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Balboa is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Balboa is thwarting Dzugashavili's attempts to control the position.
Dzugashavili wants to improve his position but Balboa is controlling well.
Dzugashavili is controlling Balboa's position as best he can from this difficult position.

Rocki Balboa has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Dzugashavili throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Balboa was covering up waiting for the punch and Dzugashavili finishes the takedown easily into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dzugashavili throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Balboa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Dzugashavili landing with the ground and pound.
Balboa wants to stand but Dzugashavili is controlling the position.
Dzugashavili trying to control but Balboa is working from the bottom.
Balboa controlling the position.
Balboa trying to keep a closed guard but Dzugashavili is proving a slippery customer.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Balboa has Dzugashavili pulled in close to control his posture.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

We're going to have a standup here because Iosif Dzugashavili wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Dzugashavili throws a lazy head kick

so Balboa counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Balboa tries to sprawl but Dzugashavili drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Balboa has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Dzugashavili is working away from the top position though.

Balboa looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Balboa looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Dzugashavili prevents Balboa from standing back up.
Dzugashavili trying to mount his opponent but Balboa defends it.
Dzugashavili thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Dzugashavili trying to control from half guard but Balboa is working away.
Balboa is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dzugashavili throwing shots but Balboa is blocking nicely.
Dzugashavili is keen to just control but Balboa is a slippery customer.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Balboa looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Dzugashavili missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Dzugashavili looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Dzugashavili prevents Balboa from standing back up.
Balboa trying to control but Dzugashavili postures up.
Dzugashavili wants to lay and pray for a moment but Balboa keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dzugashavili controlling the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Balboa gets full guard.
Dzugashavili pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Balboa is keeping the position for now.
Balboa is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Balboa keeping moving, preventing Dzugashavili from controlling successfully.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Balboa. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Balboa wants to get back to his feet but Dzugashavili is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Dzugashavili controlling from the top position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Iosif Dzugashavili wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Dzugashavili scores a takedown into full mount!
Balboa tries to hold on but Dzugashavili pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboa is bucking up trying to escape but Dzugashavili cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Balboa is wriggling around trying to escape.
Balboa wants to hold on but Dzugashavili pushes him away.
Dzugashavili postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Balboa looks a forlorn figure.
Dzugashavili controlling the pace for now.
Dzugashavili looking to control but Balboa is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Dzugashavili raining down shots from the mount!
Dzugashavili raining down hammerfists from mount.
Balboa wants to hold on but Dzugashavili pushes him away.
Dzugashavili looking to control but Balboa is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Balboa is trying to escape the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dzugashavili lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Dzugashavili landing shots from mount.

It looks like Rocki Balboa has been cut.
Dzugashavili has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dzugashavili trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Balboa is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

Dzugashavili looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Dzugashavili won't let Balboa get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Dzugashavili controlling the position easily from mount.
Dzugashavili fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
BOOM! Dzugashavili connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Dzugashavili looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Balboa throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Iosif Dzugashavili dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rocki Balboa's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Dzugashavili looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Dzugashavili misses with a right hand

and Balboa counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Dzugashavili's guard now.
Dzugashavili wants to sweep here but Balboa controlling him for the moment.
Balboa is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Balboa won't allow Dzugashavili to sweep him here.
Dzugashavili trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Balboa trying to control the position from guard on top but Dzugashavili is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Balboa wants to pass the guard but Dzugashavili is keeping the position.
Iosif Dzugashavili overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Rocki Balboa.
Balboa pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Dzugashavili scores a takedown into full mount!
Balboa is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balboa tries to hold on but Dzugashavili pushes him away.
Dzugashavili controlling his opponent.
Dzugashavili moves to back control.

Balboa is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Dzugashavili trying to control momentarily.
Balboa is trying to break free.
Balboa trying to control the hands but Dzugashavili won't let him.
Dzugashavili is looking to control Balboa but Balboa is wriggling around and keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balboa tries to roll but Dzugashavili sticks to his back.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Dzugashavili.
Dzugashavili scores with punches to the body.
Dzugashavili really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Balboa.
Balboa tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Dzugashavili controlling from mount.
Balboa slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Dzugashavili throwing shots but Balboa is blocking nicely.
Dzugashavili wants to pass to mount but Balboa is defending the position.
Dzugashavili is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dzugashavili moves into full mount! Balboa won't be happy about that!
Balboa tries to lock up and control but Dzugashavili gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Dzugashavili working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Dzugashavili can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Balboa is looking to escape.
Dzugashavili has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Balboa's face.
Balboa tries to lock up and control but Dzugashavili gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Dzugashavili looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Dzugashavili can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Balboa is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dzugashavili lands a nice shot to the head.
Balboa tries to lock up and control but Dzugashavili gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Dzugashavili trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Balboa is trying to escape the mount.
Dzugashavili lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Dzugashavili is looking to work his way around to Balboa's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Balboa is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Dzugashavili is landing with some decent strikes but Balboa is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dzugashavili looking to control but Balboa is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Dzugashavili looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Dzugashavili looking for a guillotine from mount but Balboa is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Iosif Dzugashavili showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Dzugashavili has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:27
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Iosif Dzugashavili!