PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jesh Masilungan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Robert Zhirkov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Masilungan comes into the arena with Heaven Hell blaring out of the sound system. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Masilungan
vs
Zhirkov

167 cm
33
142 lbs
31 - 9 - 1

180 cm
34
141 lbs
25 - 13 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
World class boxer
Good gas tank

5th Round Clothing
Brute

Brute

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 31 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jesh Masilungan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Robert Zhirkov!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Jonathan Paton and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
An inside leg kick lands from Masilungan.
Zhirkov looks to land a body kick but Masilungan moved away.
Masilungan throws a leg kick that is checked
and Zhirkov counters with a good low kick that Masilungan was not able to check.
A big right from Zhirkov misses.
Zhirkov jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Masilungan looks to score with a jab to the body but Zhirkov is just out of range.
Jesh Masilungan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Masilungan scores with a nice strike.
Zhirkov takes a kick to the side of the head.
Masilungan slips a jab and a cross from Zhirkov.
Masilungan misses with a looping left.
Zhirkov is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Masilungan.
Masilungan pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhirkov throws a right hand that misses
and Masilungan connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Masilungan tests Zhirkov's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Masilungan lands a really nice looking cross but Zhirkov seems unphased.
A lazy body kick from Zhirkov
and Masilungan connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Masilungan closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Masilungan jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Zhirkov thows a body kick. Masilungan tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Zhirkov moves forwards but Masilungan connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Masilungan wants to slow Zhirkov down by chopping away at his legs.
Masilungan takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Zhirkov.
Zhirkov smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Zhirkov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Masilungan misses with a double jab.
Masilungan ducks under a wild hook from Zhirkov.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zhirkov misses with an uppercut
and Masilungan makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Masilungan gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Zhirkov.
Zhirkov blocks a jab.
Zhirkov looks to score with a jab to the body but Masilungan is just out of range.
Zhirkov throws a low kick but Masilungan avoids it.
Masilungan jabs at Zhirkov's body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhirkov slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Zhirkov is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
A lazy left from Zhirkov finds it's target.
A shot to the body from Zhirkov misses
and Masilungan counters with a head kick.
Masilungan throws a front kick aimed at Zhirkov's knee but Zhirkov avoids it well.
An inside leg kick lands from Masilungan.
Masilungan stuns Zhirkov with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Masilungan throws out a loose jab but Zhirkov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zhirkov throws a shot from downtown. Masilungan moves away and avoids it.
Masilungan does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Masilungan misses with a low kick as Zhirkov jumps back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masilungan misses with a looping right.
Zhirkov uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Masilungan.
Zhirkov avoids the head kick by Masilungan.
Zhirkov throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Zhirkov takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Masilungan defending well as Zhirkov loads up on a big left hand.
Masilungan buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Masilungan scores with the left hand. Zhirkov knows he should have avoided that one.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A leg kick checked by Zhirkov.
A low kick from Masilungan is predictable there
and Zhirkov counters with a leg kick.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Zhirkov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Masilungan.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jesh Masilungan will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Zhirkov defending well as Masilungan loads up on a big left hand.
Zhirkov takes one to the side of the head.
Zhirkov throws an overhand right that lands on Masilungan's shoulder, as Masilungan tries to avoid the shot.
Masilungan misses with a double jab
and Zhirkov makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Zhirkov tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Zhirkov smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Masilungan scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Masilungan slips a jab from Zhirkov.
Some wild striking there from Masilungan.
Masilungan moves away from the strike by Zhirkov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhirkov swings for the body but Masilungan moves out of range.
Zhirkov is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Masilungan.
Good work by Masilungan as he checks the leg kick.
Zhirkov ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Masilungan throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Zhirkov throws a series of punches but Masilungan moves out of range.
Masilungan misses with a left hand
and Zhirkov makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Masilungan really felt that one!
Masilungan lands with a nice body punch.
Zhirkov throws a shot from downtown. Masilungan moves away and avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masilungan blocks the body kick.
Masilungan fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Zhirkov rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Masilungan counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Zhirkov misses with a body shot.
Masilungan misses with a hook
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Zhirkov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Zhirkov takes a swing at Masilungan's ribcage but misses.
Zhirkov throws out a loose jab but Masilungan uses good head movement to avoid it.
Masilungan looks to score with a jab to the body but Zhirkov is just out of range.
Jesh Masilungan is winning the standup battle so far.
Masilungan explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masilungan misses with a body shot.
Masilungan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Zhirkov misses with an uppercut. Masilungan saw that one coming.
Zhirkov throws a leg kick
and Masilungan connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Masilungan throws a hook but Zhirkov blocks it.
Zhirkov is looking to slow Masilungan down with leg kicks.
Zhirkov blocks a jab.
Masilungan slips a jab from Zhirkov.
Zhirkov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Masilungan.
Zhirkov ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zhirkov throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Masilungan sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Zhirkov lands with an uppercut that bounces Masilungan off the cage and back into range.
Zhirkov pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Zhirkov's corner calls for a 1-2. Zhirkov obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Masilungan throws a quick inside leg kick.
Zhirkov goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Zhirkov scores with a hook to the body. Masilungan takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Masilungan misses with a straight right.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zhirkov waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Masilungan.
Zhirkov blocks the body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Zhirkov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Zhirkov slips under a jab from Masilungan.
Zhirkov scores with a jab. Masilungan acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Zhirkov throws a leg kick
and Masilungan counters with a series of strikes. Zhirkov will be more careful next time no doubt.
Nice defenses there by Masilungan.
Masilungan moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Masilungan takes one to the side of the head.
Masilungan lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
A jab from Zhirkov does it's job there.
Zhirkov moves away from the strike by Masilungan.
Zhirkov scores with the left hand. Masilungan knows he should have avoided that one.
Masilungan misses with a series of wild punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masilungan lands a nice hook to Zhirkov's body. Zhirkov takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Masilungan misses with the body kick
and Zhirkov counters with a nice body shot.
Zhirkov scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Masilungan doesn't seem bothered though.
Masilungan looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Zhirkov throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
A looping hook to the body misses from Masilungan. Zhirkov does a little dance to reset his feet.
Masilungan misses with a wild body shot.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Zhirkov.
Masilungan lands a head kick!
Jesh Masilungan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Masilungan misses.
Masilungan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Masilungan throws a jab but it's blocked by Zhirkov.
Zhirkov on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Masilungan lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Masilungan throws a series of punches but Zhirkov avoids them all with ease.
Masilungan throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Masilungan moves out of range as Zhirkov strikes.
Masilungan throws a low kick, looking for Zhirkov's leg but Zhirkov calmly moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhirkov misses with an uppercut. Masilungan saw that one coming.
Zhirkov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Zhirkov with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Masilungan slips a jab from Zhirkov.
Zhirkov swings away with a leg kick that misses.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Zhirkov checks a leg kick.
Masilungan walks into a stiff left hand from Zhirkov.
Zhirkov looks for the body kick but Masilungan saw that one coming.
Zhirkov moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zhirkov avoids a punch combination nicely.
Zhirkov lands a nice leg kick that just misses Masilungan's sensitive parts.
Zhirkov thuds his right hand into Masilungan's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Zhirkov misses with a looping right.
A looping hook to the body misses from Masilungan. Zhirkov does a little dance to reset his feet.
Zhirkov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Zhirkov walks into a jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zhirkov lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Zhirkov looks to throw the jab but Masilungan is out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Robert Zhirkov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Zhirkov has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:29
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Robert Zhirkov!
A less than humble Robert Zhirkov misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.