PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vladimir Burcev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raimonds Pravdivecs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Burcev
vs
Pravdivecs

179 cm
18
203 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

186 cm
20
200 lbs
2 - 3 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Steel Penn's Exchange Extravaganza

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vladimir Burcev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Raimonds Pravdivecs!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Ivan Kurochkin and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A bone on bone clash there as Pravdivecs blocks the leg kick.
Burcev has a takedown stuffed.
Raimonds Pravdivecs seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Burcev clinches up with Pravdivecs and pushes him back against the ropes.

Pravdivecs breaks the clinch.
Burcev shoots in but Pravdivecs avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Burcev fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vladimir Burcev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pravdivecs tries for a takedown but Burcev sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Pravdivecs throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Burcev tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Pravdivecs is in Burcev's guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Pravdivecs showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Pravdivecs trying to control but Burcev is working from the bottom.
Burcev looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pravdivecs is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pravdivecs seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Raimonds Pravdivecs hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Left hook, right uppercut from Pravdivecs.
Burcev shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Pravdivecs looking to score a takedown here. Burcev is defending well but Pravdivecs drives through and ends up in Burcev's guard.
Burcev not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
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.

Pravdivecs decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Pravdivecs scores a takedown into full mount!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pravdivecs wants to control but Burcev has made it back to half guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burcev wants to get back to full guard.
Pravdivecs really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Burcev. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Pravdivecs seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Pravdivecs passes to side control.

Pravdivecs is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Burcev has escaped the position, nice work there.

Pravdivecs is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Burcev knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Burcev tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Pravdivecs wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burcev is working hard here to advance position.
Pravdivecs controlling from side mount.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Pravdivecs wants to lay and pray for a moment but Burcev keeps working.

Pravdivecs stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Pravdivecs rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Burcev moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Pravdivecs chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pravdivecs closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Burcev's guard.
Burcev is breathing heavily.
Pravdivecs throws a big right hand that misses.
Pravdivecs trying to control the position from guard on top but Burcev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pravdivecs sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Burcev keeping moving, preventing Pravdivecs from controlling successfully.

Burcev has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Pravdivecs can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Pravdivecs must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pravdivecs wants to control from the top but Burcev keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raimonds Pravdivecs dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Pravdivecs shoots in for a takedown but Burcev shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Pravdivecs throws a right and a left that Burcev avoids nicely.
Pravdivecs looks to land a combination but Burcev avoids it well.

Pravdivecs closes the distance and pushes Burcev back into the ropes.
Burcev tries to work over Pravdivecs's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Pravdivecs tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Burcev wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Pravdivecs has him pressed against the ropes.
Pravdivecs tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Burcev's elbow.
Burcev trying to land knees to the body.

Pravdivecs pulls guard effortlessly.
Pravdivecs is looking to sweep but instead, Burcev has passed into half guard.
Pravdivecs is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Burcev is working for a kimura but Pravdivecs is defending it quite comfortably.
Burcev seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Pravdivecs does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Pravdivecs missing with punches from the bottom.
Pravdivecs moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Burcev got a little sloppy there for a moment and Pravdivecs has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Burcev has managed to get both his arms back between Pravdivecs's legs - danger averted.
Pravdivecs trying to keep a closed guard but Burcev is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pravdivecs trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Pravdivecs trying to control the position.
Burcev tries to free his leg and advance position but Pravdivecs is retaining full guard.
Pravdivecs trying to strike off his back.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Burcev avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Burcev sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Pravdivecs's guard.
Raimonds Pravdivecs has got the better of the ground game so far.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Burcev in particular looking to stall.
Pravdivecs is trying to stand back up but Burcev is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Burcev is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Pravdivecs sees it coming and defends easily.
Pravdivecs is trying to get back to full guard.
Pravdivecs is not content to let Burcev control the position.
Pravdivecs gets full guard.
Burcev working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Burcev is pushing down on Pravdivecs's leg trying to pass to half guard. Pravdivecs is fighting to maintain full guard but Burcev has managed to sneak the leg through.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pravdivecs regains full guard. Nicely done.

Pravdivecs is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Burcev defends well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pravdivecs is looking for a triangle here but Burcev uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

Burcev tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Burcev has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Burcev working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pravdivecs regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raimonds Pravdivecs showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Burcev gets tackled into the ropes by Pravdivecs. Pravdivecs maintains the clinch.

Burcev manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Burcev can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Pravdivecs controls the pace.
Burcev is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Burcev working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Pravdivecs.
Pravdivecs working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Pravdivecs trying to control but Burcev is working from the bottom.
Burcev is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Burcev has a closed guard, preventing Pravdivecs from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Pravdivecs avoids the head kick by Burcev.
Pravdivecs shoots for a takedown but Burcev saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Burcev on the wrong end of a nice hook.

Pravdivecs gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Burcev fails to land.
Pravdivecs working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Pravdivecs slows down the pace here.
Burcev is trying to force a seperation but Pravdivecs has the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burcev tries to pull guard but Pravdivecs holds him up against the ropes and eventually Burcev drops back down to his feet.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Pravdivecs as Burcev tries to tie him up.

Pravdivecs has Burcev pressed up against the ropes. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Pravdivecs pulls back from the ropes and twists to the side, sending Burcev tumbling to the mat - Pravdivecs dives into Burcev's guard.
Pravdivecs connects with a couple of short punches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Burcev manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Pravdivecs manages to get himself to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pravdivecs manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pravdivecs controlling from the full mount.

Pravdivecs goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Burcev turns into him and now he's in Pravdivecs's guard.
Pravdivecs keeping moving, preventing Burcev from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pravdivecs looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Burcev puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Pravdivecs wants to get back to full guard.
Burcev missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Pravdivecs is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Burcev jumps into side control!
Burcev could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Pravdivecs striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Pravdivecs is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Burcev is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Pravdivecs tries to lock up and control but Burcev gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pravdivecs holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Burcev tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Pravdivecs is trying to escape the mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Raimonds Pravdivecs comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Pravdivecs 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raimonds Pravdivecs!