PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kostya Zhuravlev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Nemkov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zhuravlev comes to the cage accompanied by Aria - Volja i Razum. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Zhuravlev
vs
Nemkov

162 cm
26
170 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

163 cm
26
178 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kostya Zhuravlev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Igor Nemkov!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Konstantin Menshow and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nemkov moves in looking to clinch but Zhuravlev pushes him off.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zhuravlev. Nemkov does a little dance to reset his feet.
Zhuravlev has a takedown stuffed.
Nemkov tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Zhuravlev gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Zhuravlev has clasped his hands together around Nemkov's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Nemkov is looking to reverse the position.

Zhuravlev tries for a kimura but Nemkov is defending well.

Zhuravlev is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Nemkov has escaped the position, nice work there.
Zhuravlev throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Nemkov struggling a bit here.
Nemkov avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Zhuravlev.
Nemkov is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhuravlev postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
The strikes coming from Zhuravlev are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Nemkov struggling a bit here.
Zhuravlev scoring with punches from side control.

Zhuravlev working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Zhuravlev cracks Nemkov with a big right hand but Nemkov just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Nemkov throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Nemkov sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Zhuravlev frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Nemkov is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Zhuravlev throws some wild stikes that Nemkov manages to avoid easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nemkov tries to hold on but Zhuravlev pushes him away.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Zhuravlev lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zhuravlev prevents Nemkov from getting the reversal.

Zhuravlev looking for a guillotine from mount but Nemkov is having none of it.
Nemkov is trying desperately to improve position.
Nemkov regains half guard.
Nemkov tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Zhuravlev has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Zhuravlev looking to ground and pound but Nemkov is blocking nicely.
Nemkov is looking to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhuravlev misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Zhuravlev has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Nemkov's face.
Zhuravlev working Nemkov over with strikes here.
Nemkov tries to lock up and control but Zhuravlev gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Zhuravlev working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Nemkov working to try and regain half guard.
Zhuravlev raining down hammerfists from mount.
Nemkov is looking to improve his position but Zhuravlev isn't that keen on the idea.
Zhuravlev throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Zhuravlev raining down hammerfists from mount.
Nemkov is trying to escape the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Zhuravlev looking to secure an arm triangle but Nemkov defends it well.
A nice elbow there by Zhuravlev.
Zhuravlev 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.
Nemkov takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

Zhuravlev looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Nemkov is looking to improve his position but Zhuravlev isn't that keen on the idea.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Zhuravlev with the ground and pound from mount.
Nemkov is looking to get to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Zhuravlev changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Nemkov tries to avoid it but Zhuravlev manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Nemkov to the ground. Nemkov escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Zhuravlev tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Nemkov swivels and escapes.
Zhuravlev shoots in looking for a takedown but Nemkov manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Zhuravlev's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kostya Zhuravlev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nemkov shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Zhuravlev pinned against the cage. Zhuravlev gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nemkov avoids the body shot from Zhuravlev.
Zhuravlev fails with a takedown attempt.
Nemkov is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Igor Nemkov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zhuravlev shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Nemkov pinned against the cage. Nemkov gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nemkov tries to close the distance and clinch but Zhuravlev swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck for Nemkov with that takedown attempt.

Zhuravlev feints and as Nemkov raises his hands in defense, Zhuravlev changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Nemkov trying to control the position.
Nemkov manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Zhuravlev manages to get himself to full guard.
Zhuravlev controls Nemkov momentarily but Nemkov frees himself.

Zhuravlev looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Nemkov passes into half guard.
Zhuravlev moves into full guard.

Zhuravlev has an active guard here but Nemkov has managed to pass into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Zhuravlev wants to improve his position but Nemkov is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nemkov is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Zhuravlev blocking the ground and pound attempt from Nemkov.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nemkov not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Nemkov is looking for a kimura here.
Nemkov missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Nemkov throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kostya Zhuravlev overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Nemkov is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Zhuravlev sees it coming and defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhuravlev throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Zhuravlev gets back to full guard.

Zhuravlev working for a triangle but Nemkov defends it easily.
Nemkov wants to control from the top but Zhuravlev keeps moving.
Zhuravlev bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nemkov's guard.
Zhuravlev passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Nemkov tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Zhuravlev easily slips into full mount!
Zhuravlev lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Nemkov hang on?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nemkov tries to hold on but Zhuravlev postures up.
Zhuravlev sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Nemkov is wriggling around trying to escape.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zhuravlev misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Nemkov is looking to get to half guard.

Zhuravlev is giving the impression that he's looking to ground and pound but he switches suddenly into a beautiful far side armbar! Nemkov is forced to tap! Great finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Kostya Zhuravlev!