PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jhon Sullivan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Valeri Sobotkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sobotkin has chosen Metallica - Enter Sandman as his entrance music. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Sullivan
vs
Sobotkin

200 cm
20
285 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

189 cm
21
250 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
World class boxer
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Very confident

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jhon Sullivan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Valeri Sobotkin!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Sergei Dronov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sobotkin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sullivan swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sobotkin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Sullivan tries to avoid it but Sobotkin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Sullivan to the ground. Sullivan escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sobotkin shoots in but Sullivan avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Jhon Sullivan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Valeri Sobotkin.
Sullivan misses with a double jab

and Sobotkin counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Sobotkin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sullivan is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Sobotkin with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sullivan utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sobotkin slips nicely into half guard.
Sobotkin throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sobotkin trying to control from half guard but Sullivan is working away.
Sobotkin sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sullivan defending well though.
Sobotkin working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Sobotkin connects with a nice short shot to Sullivan's temple.
Sobotkin working over Sullivan with some ground and pound. Sullivan looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Sobotkin sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sullivan defending well though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sobotkin is looking to take a break and control but Sullivan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sobotkin works his way into full mount!
Sullivan is bucking up trying to escape but Sobotkin cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

It looks like Jhon Sullivan has been cut.

Sobotkin is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Sullivan has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Sullivan!
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Sobotkin holds on and takes a little breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sobotkin's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Valeri Sobotkin wasn't active enough on the ground.
Sullivan throws a nice looking combination but Sobotkin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Sobotkin closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Sobotkin missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sobotkin thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Sullivan's head.
Sobotkin drops an elbow to the side of Sullivan's head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sobotkin throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Sobotkin throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Valeri Sobotkin dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jhon Sullivan'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.

Sullivan throws a lazy uppercut

and Sobotkin counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Sobotkin works his foot free and advances to mount.
Sullivan on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sullivan tries to get out of the position.
Sobotkin with a couple of short strikes.
Sullivan is squirming around, avoiding Sobotkin's attempts to control the action.
Poor strikes thrown by Sobotkin there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Sobotkin thowing shots but they're missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sullivan stopping the sweep attempt from Sobotkin.
Sobotkin controlling Sullivan's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Jhon Sullivan has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Sullivan fails to land with a series of punches.
Sobotkin waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sullivan.
Sloppy strikes from Sullivan. Those never looked like landing.
Sullivan misses with a wild combination.
Sullivan misses with a right hand

and Sobotkin counters with a takedown into side control.
Sullivan stops Sobotkin from passing to mount.
Sobotkin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sullivan keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sobotkin cracks Sullivan with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Sobotkin working the head and body with strikes.
Sobotkin trying to control the position but Sullivan is working away.

Sobotkin goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Sullivan rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Sobotkin's guard! Nice work there by Sullivan!
Sobotkin trying to strike off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sobotkin uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Sobotkin feints and as Sullivan raises his hands in defense, Sobotkin changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sobotkin trying to control the position from guard on top but Sullivan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sobotkin is looking to work some ground and pound but Sullivan has wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Valeri Sobotkin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jhon Sullivan's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Sullivan misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sullivan rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sobotkin moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sullivan falls off balance throwing a combination

and Sobotkin counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Sobotkin is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Sobotkin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sobotkin thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Sullivan to regain full guard.
Sullivan knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sobotkin on the ground.
Sobotkin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sobotkin has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sobotkin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sullivan swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sobotkin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Sobotkin drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Sullivan dives on top into guard.
Sobotkin trying to control the position.
Sobotkin manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sullivan manages to get himself to full guard.

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.
Sobotkin lands a couple of elbows.
Sobotkin is working Sullivan over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sobotkin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sobotkin with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sobotkin scoring with some ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sobotkin postures up in Sullivan's guard and throws a big left but Sullivan blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sobotkin makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Sobotkin working some strikes from top position.
Sobotkin not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Sobotkin drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Sobotkin jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Sobotkin postures up in Sullivan's guard and throws a big left but Sullivan blocks it.
Sobotkin trying to control the position from guard on top but Sullivan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sobotkin is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sobotkin scoring with punches to the head and body.
Sullivan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sobotkin.

Sobotkin drops back, looking for a kneebar! Sullivan looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Sullivan looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Sullivan!
Valeri Sobotkin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sobotkin gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Valeri Sobotkin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sobotkin winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Valeri Sobotkin!