PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Skip Donahue (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexey Bykov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bykov is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by ГРОТ - Мы ждём. On his way into the cage it seems that Skip Donahue has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Skip Donahue seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Donahue
vs
Bykov

195 cm
21
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
28
197 lbs
8 - 9 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Skip Donahue!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexey Bykov!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Vladimir Khabensky and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Donahue misses with a body kick.

Bykov fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Donahue to the ground. Bykov is now in Donahue's guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Bykov stopping the sweep attempt from Donahue.
Donahue trying to keep a closed guard but Bykov is proving a slippery customer.
Bykov trying to control but Donahue is working from the bottom.
Donahue is trying to control the position but Bykov postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Skip Donahue wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Bykov throws a right and a left that Donahue avoids nicely.

Donahue looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Donahue stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bykov wants to control but Donahue is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Donahue slips a nice elbow through Bykov's hands, connecting with Bykov's forehead.
Bykov tries to roll over but Donahue keeps him under control.

Donahue is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Bykov has managed to free his arm - good work.
Donahue wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bykov keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Donahue scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Donahue wants to free his trapped foot but Bykov is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Donahue is looking to take a break and control but Bykov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Bykov makes his way to full guard, as Donahue worked for a kimura.
Donahue sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donahue scoring with punches to the head and body.
Bykov keeping moving, preventing Donahue from controlling successfully.

Donahue stands and steps away. Bykov gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Donahue slaps away a takedown attempt from Bykov, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Bykov shoots for a double leg takedown but Donahue sprawls well. He's pushed Bykov's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Donahue fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bykov, pushing him back against the cage.

Donahue breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Donahue shoots for a takedown but Bykov saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Donahue closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Bykov did well to prevent Donahue getting side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donahue 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 crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Bykov manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Bykov shoots in for a takedown but Donahue shows good takedown defense.
Skip Donahue has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexey Bykov.
Bykov fails to land with a series of punches.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Donahue.
Donahue tries to clinch but Bykov is having none of it.

Donahue feints and as Bykov raises his hands in defense, Donahue changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Donahue decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Bykov, up you get!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
No luck for Donahue with that takedown attempt.
Donahue is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bykov sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Skip Donahue 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.

Donahue shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bykov defends it nicely.
Bykov fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Bykov with a lazy takedown attempt

so Donahue counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Donahue postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Donahue drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Bykov manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Donahue has Bykov in his guard.
Bykov throws an elbow that misses. Donahue uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Bykov's guard. Nice move by Donahue!

Bykov working for a triangle but Donahue defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donahue trying to control the position from guard on top but Bykov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Donahue chips away with some ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bykov can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Donahue controls the pace.
Donahue looking to pass the guard.
Donahue won't allow Bykov to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Donahue is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Donahue trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Donahue in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Donahue sitting in guard here, content to control.
Donahue trying to control but Bykov is working from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Skip Donahue wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Donahue slips a jab and a cross from Bykov.
Bykov changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Donahue tries to avoid it but Bykov manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Donahue to the ground. Donahue escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Skip Donahue has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexey Bykov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bykov leaves Donahue with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Donahue tries to clinch up but Bykov circles away and keeps his distance.
Donahue tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bykov paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Bykov looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Donahue!
Bykov looking to ground and pound but Donahue is blocking nicely.
Donahue tries to lock up and control but Bykov gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Donahue is desperately trying to improve his position but Bykov has a good base and remains in mount.
Bykov avoids the attempt from Donahue to control.

Bykov has control of Donahue's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Donahue regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Bykov avoids the attempt from Donahue to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donahue regains half guard.
Donahue wants to control but Bykov is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Skip Donahue overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Donahue manages to escape and get back to his feet!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Donahue.
Donahue fails with a takedown attempt.
Bykov looks to land a combination but Donahue avoids it well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bykov fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Donahue misses with a head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Skip Donahue dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Donahue tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bykov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bykov moves out of range of the leg kick from Donahue.
Bykov tries for a takedown but Donahue sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Donahue misses with a jab, cross combination.
Alexey Bykov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bykov misses with a takedown attempt - Donahue sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Donahue throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Donahue misses with a series of wild punches.
Donahue keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Donahue misses with a double jab.
A head kick misses from Bykov.
Donahue tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bykov swivels and escapes.
Donahue is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bykov sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bykov tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Donahue stuffs the takedown attempt from Bykov. Bykov gets slowly back to his feet.
Skip Donahue has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexey Bykov.
Bykov walks into a straight right hand from Donahue.

Bykov closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Bykov lands in his opponent's guard.
Donahue has his hands on Bykov's head, controlling the position.
Bykov postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Bykov preventing the sweep.
Donahue is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Donahue bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bykov's guard.
Donahue sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Bykov's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Donahue passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Bykov!
Donahue pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Bykov tries to lock up and control but Donahue gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Bykov's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Donahue controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bykov tries to buck Donahue off but Donahue takes his back!
Alexey Bykov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bykov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Donahue keeps control of the position as Bykov tries to break free.
Donahue trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

Donahue has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Donahue is looking for the choke from the back position but Bykov is controlling his hands well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donahue looking to hold on to the position here but Bykov rolls and ends up regaining guard.
Donahue is pushing down on Bykov's leg trying to pass to half guard. Bykov is fighting to maintain full guard but Donahue has managed to sneak the leg through.
Donahue is trying to control. Bykov wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Bykov looking for submissions off his back.
Bykov looks like he's trying to stand up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Skip Donahue showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Donahue has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Skip Donahue!