PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Vasily Krakow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and ivan kotoski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Krakow
vs
kotoski

180 cm
22
162 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

182 cm
22
155 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vasily Krakow!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, ivan kotoski!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Viktor Lagutenko and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Krakow misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
kotoski lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
kotoski throws a leg kick which misses Krakow's front leg but catches the back leg as Krakow tries to avoid it.
Krakow fails with a takedown attempt.
kotoski misses with a series of wild punches.
Krakow fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vasily Krakow. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Krakow shoots in for a double leg but kotoski sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

kotoski clinches with his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
kotoski landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
kotoski lands a knee to the head.
kotoski crunches a lovely knee into Krakow's ribcage.
Krakow is breathing heavily.
Krakow takes an elbow to the temple.
kotoski is pressed up against the cage. Krakow has hold of a leg and is looking to drag kotoski down to the mat. kotoski avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
kotoski buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Krakow will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Krakow feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
kotoski working a defensive guard here.
Krakow wants to pass the guard but kotoski is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
kotoski controlling Krakow's posture.
kotoski keeping moving, preventing Krakow from controlling successfully.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if kotoski can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Krakow loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
kotoski seems keen to control Krakow's posture.
Krakow tries to free his leg and advance position but kotoski is retaining full guard.
kotoski really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Krakow. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Krakow trying to control but kotoski is working from the bottom.
Krakow throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Krakow working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
kotoski lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Krakow will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
kotoski throws a series of punches but Krakow avoids them all with ease.
kotoski keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
kotoski lands with a thumping leg kick.
A head kick misses from Krakow.
Krakow misses with a takedown attempt - kotoski sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
kotoski throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Krakow.
kotoski throws a head kick that misses.
Krakow shoots for a double leg takedown but kotoski sprawls well. He's pushed Krakow's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Krakow misses with a takedown attempt - kotoski sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
kotoski tries a head kick but it misses.
kotoski tries to clinch up but Krakow circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Krakow fails with the takedown.

kotoski knocks Krakow to the floor with a head kick! Can he finish him!?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
kotoski controlling the position.
Krakow tries to bench press kotoski off him but kotoski keeps the position.

kotoski decides to stand back up. kotoski steps back and let's Krakow get back to his feet.

kotoski gets in close and instigates a clinch.

kotoski is fighting off a takedown attempt but Krakow is just too persistent for him and manages to trip kotoski to the mat. kotoski regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
kotoski looking to hit a scissor sweep but Krakow is one step ahead there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
kotoski is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

ivan kotoski dominated that round.
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.

A solid body kick from kotoski.
kotoski looks to land a combination. Krakow sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Krakow stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from kotoski.
Krakow shoots for a takedown but kotoski saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
kotoski lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Nice jab there from kotoski.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
kotoski throws a series of punches but Krakow avoids them all with ease.
Krakow throws a lazy head kick
and kotoski counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Krakow fails with the takedown

and kotoski counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by kotoski.
Knees to the body from kotoski.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
kotoski with a knee to the head.
kotoski lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Krakow tries to pull guard but kotoski won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vasily Krakow. That's going to take a lot out of him.
kotoski scores a nice knee to the body.
Knees to the body from kotoski.
Knees in the clinch landing for kotoski.
kotoski unloads a knee to the mid-section. Krakow lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
kotoski misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Krakow.
kotoski lands a knee to the head.
kotoski lands an elbow inside that Krakow shrugs off.
kotoski lands a knee to the head.
kotoski lands a damaging elbow.
kotoski misses with an elbow over the top.
Krakow is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
kotoski missing with knees to the body.

Krakow ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Krakow no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Krakow looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Krakow trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Krakow wants to sweep here but kotoski controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Krakow is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
kotoski wants to stand and escape but instead Krakow has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
kotoski has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
kotoski keeping moving, preventing Krakow from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Krakow gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and kotoski counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Vasily Krakow is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
kotoski pulls out of a head kick attempt.
kotoski throws a right hand that Krakow ducks under and follows up with a left that Krakow also avoids with ease.
Krakow shoots and misses
and kotoski counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Krakow shoots and misses
and kotoski counters with a one-two to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
kotoski shoots in but no luck this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for kotoski.
Krakow with a poor takedown
and kotoski counters with a head kick. That will keep Krakow thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

It looks like Vasily Krakow has been cut.
kotoski tries a head kick but it misses.
Krakow shoots and misses
and kotoski counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
kotoski tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Krakow paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Krakow fails with the takedown
and kotoski counters with a nice kick to the body.
kotoski throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
ivan kotoski seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
kotoski keeps the fight on the outside.
Krakow gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and kotoski counters with a nice body kick.
kotoski feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Krakow's calf.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
kotoski misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Krakow goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Krakow tries to clinch up.
Krakow has his takedown stuffed
and kotoski counters with a nice body kick.
kotoski throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
kotoski lands a two punch combo.
Krakow has his takedown stuffed
and kotoski counters with a flying knee. Nice.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

kotoski bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
kotoski controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

ivan kotoski showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Vasily Krakow's cut.
That's time! Krakow's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

kotoski misses with a series of wild punches.
A left and a right from kotoski both land. Nice combination.
ivan kotoski seems to be getting the better of the standup.
kotoski throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Crunch! kotoski slams his shin into Krakow's torso.
This has been an exciting period of action!
kotoski lands with a jab that stuns his opponent. Krakow is looking to close the distance but kotoski sees it coming and throws a beautiful knee! Krakow crumbles to the mat and that's all she wrote! Let's hope Krakow is OK because that was naaaaaasty!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Knee). ivan kotoski!
ivan kotoski is the new lightweight champion!