PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jesus Smokeleaf (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stanko Velilkov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jesus Smokeleaf has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Smokeleaf
vs
Velilkov

225 cm
23
288 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

200 cm
26
249 lbs
18 - 7 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jesus Smokeleaf!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Stanko Velilkov!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Dmitry Maklakov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Velilkov will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Velilkov fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Smokeleaf tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Velilkov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Smokeleaf is looking to clinch but Velilkov is avoiding it.
Velilkov misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Velilkov.
Smokeleaf is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Smokeleaf is not content to let Velilkov control the position.
Smokeleaf is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Velilkov is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velilkov controlling the position from side mount.
Smokeleaf is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Velilkov asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Smokeleaf trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Velilkov taking a breather here.
Let's hope that Velilkov has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Velilkov prevents Smokeleaf from escaping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Velilkov trying to control the position but Smokeleaf is working away.
Velilkov is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smokeleaf is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Velilkov is controlling him well.
Velilkov is staying tight to Smokeleaf's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Smokeleaf is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the ropes but Velilkov has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Velilkov controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smokeleaf is trying to get back to his feet.
Velilkov trying to control the position but Smokeleaf is working away.
Velilkov staying calm.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Stanko Velilkov hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Smokeleaf tries to close the distance and clinch but Velilkov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smokeleaf tries to close the distance and clinch up but Velilkov swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Smokeleaf gets caught napping as Velilkov dives in and scores a takedown. Smokeleaf manages to retain guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Smokeleaf keeping moving, preventing Velilkov from controlling successfully.
Velilkov is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stanko Velilkov dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Velilkov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Smokeleaf is fending him off so far but Velilkov persists. Nope, Smokeleaf circles away and we're back to standing.
Velilkov throws a hook but Smokeleaf blocks it.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Velilkov. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Smokeleaf moves to clinch but Velilkov breaks away
and Velilkov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Smokeleaf really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Smokeleaf takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

Velilkov closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Smokeleaf prevents the takedown attempt.

Smokeleaf manages to break the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Smokeleaf looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Smokeleaf wants to clinch up but Velilkov keeps it at a distance.

Velilkov moves into the clinch successfully.
Smokeleaf lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Smokeleaf pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Smokeleaf wants to clinch up but Velilkov keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smokeleaf fails in his attempt to clinch.
Velilkov rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Smokeleaf moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Smokeleaf tries to clinch but Velilkov moves out of range.
Smokeleaf throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Smokeleaf darts in trying to clinch
and Velilkov finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

Smokeleaf has managed to clinch.
Velilkov is trying to drag Smokeleaf to the mat but Smokeleaf just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.
Jesus Smokeleaf has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stanko Velilkov.
Velilkov has Smokeleaf pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Smokeleaf manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Velilkov wants the takedown. Smokeleaf is fighting it off but Velilkov persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Smokeleaf's guard against the ropes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Velilkov wants to control from the top but Smokeleaf keeps moving.
Velilkov stops Smokeleaf from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smokeleaf is looking to stand back up but Velilkov counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Smokeleaf.
Velilkov wants to take a breather but Smokeleaf is having none of it.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Velilkov prevents Smokeleaf from standing back up.
Velilkov is trying to control the action in half guard but Smokeleaf is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Smokeleaf looks like he's trying to stand up.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Stanko Velilkov wasn't active enough on the ground.
The fight stays on the outside here - Smokeleaf looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Velilkov throws a lazy right hand but Smokeleaf sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Smokeleaf looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Smokeleaf tries to clinch up but Velilkov circles away and keeps his distance.
Smokeleaf tries to clinch but Velilkov is having none of it.

Smokeleaf rushes Velilkov and presses him up against the ropes.
Velilkov wants a takedown but no success here.
Velilkov has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Smokeleaf is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Velilkov avoiding damage as Smokeleaf throws knees to the body.
Smokeleaf is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Velilkov is defending well for now.
Smokeleaf can't find room to land a body shot as Velilkov controls the action.
Smokeleaf prevents a takedown attempt there.
Velilkov is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Smokeleaf pulls him back up using the underhooks.
A nice right hand lands inside from Smokeleaf.
Nice body punch from Smokeleaf.
Velilkov is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Smokeleaf pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Velilkov is breathing heavily.
Smokeleaf lands a damaging elbow.
Velilkov is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velilkov wants a takedown.
Smokeleaf is pressed up against the ropes. Velilkov has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Smokeleaf down to the mat. Smokeleaf avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Velilkov misses with an uppercut

and Smokeleaf counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Smokeleaf.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Smokeleaf obliges.
Smokeleaf landing knees to the head.

It looks like Stanko Velilkov has been cut.
Smokeleaf landing knees to the body.
Smokeleaf lands an elbow inside that Velilkov shrugs off.

Velilkov is rocked!

Smokeleaf breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Velilkov is still on wobbly legs! Can Smokeleaf finish him?
Smokeleaf seems to be stalking Velilkov here. He circles momentarily and then unleashes a devastatic head kick! Velilkov drops like a stone, out cold! WOW! Are you kidding me!? What a knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:29 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Jesus Smokeleaf!
Jesus Smokeleaf spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.