PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Manu Ntoh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Strashko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Ntoh
vs
Strashko

175 cm
23
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Heavy handed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Manu Ntoh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ivan Strashko!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Cecil Peabody and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ntoh lands with a slapping head kick.
Ntoh tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Strashko paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ntoh tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Strashko paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ntoh moves in looking to clinch but Strashko pushes him off.
Strashko fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ntoh could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Ntoh lands with a slapping head kick.
Ntoh defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Strashko.

Ntoh clinches up against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Ntoh.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Strashko wants a takedown but no success here.
Manu Ntoh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Strashko.
Ntoh wants to break free but Strashko has control.
Strashko is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Ntoh unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Strashko can't find room to land a body shot as Ntoh controls the action.
Ntoh tries for a takedown but Strashko manages to get underhooks.
Strashko takes a knee to the side of the body.
Ntoh prevents the takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ntoh with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Ntoh taking a breather.
Ntoh drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Strashko gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Strashko looking for a takedown.
Ntoh looking to slow down the pace here.
Ntoh wants a takedown but no success here.
Strashko jumps guard but Ntoh stands there with Strashko around his waist. Strashko gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Ntoh breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Strashko closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Ntoh to the mat! Ntoh manages to get full guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Ntoh wants to stand but Strashko is controlling the position.
Strashko postures up.
Ntoh utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Strashko postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Strashko lands a couple of elbows.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Strashko lands a couple of elbows.
Strashko tries to free his leg and advance position but Ntoh is retaining full guard.
Strashko works over Ntoh with some ground and pound from guard.
Strashko distracts Ntoh with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Strashko must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Ntoh avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Ntoh is breathing heavily.
Strashko looking to sit in guard and control but Ntoh gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Strashko holds on and takes a little breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strashko wants to improve his position but instead Ntoh has moved into half guard.
Strashko is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ntoh is keen to just control but Strashko is a slippery customer.
Still in half guard, Ntoh seems content to control.
Strashko preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Strashko tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strashko wants to get back to full guard.

Ntoh is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Strashko doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Ntoh.
Strashko flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Strashko scores with a few weak punches.
Strashko trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Ntoh manages to pass to mount!
Strashko is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ntoh trying to control but Strashko is having none of it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Strashko wants to control but Ntoh is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ivan Strashko will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Ntoh tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Strashko swings widly with a right hand
and Ntoh counters with a head kick.

Ntoh takes the fight into the clinch.
Ntoh is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Strashko is defending well.
Ntoh taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Ntoh jumps guard but Strashko stands there with Ntoh around his waist. Ntoh gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ntoh unloads a knee to the mid-section. Strashko lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Ntoh is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Strashko is keeping busy.
Strashko is trying to break the clinch but Ntoh has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strashko is trying to force a seperation but Ntoh has the dominant position.
Strashko can't get the takedown.
Ntoh wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Manu Ntoh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ntoh lands a nice knee to the body.
A frustrated look appears on Strashko's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ntoh utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Strashko being controlled against the cage.

Ntoh's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ntoh fails to land the takedown.
Ntoh tries to close the distance and clinch but Strashko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ntoh is looking to clinch.
Ntoh closes the distance and clinches up with Strashko, looking for a takedown. Ntoh pushes Strashko against the cage but Strashko circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Strashko throws a hook but Ntoh avoids it easily.
Ntoh leaves Strashko with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Ntoh throws a head kick that misses.
Ntoh scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Strashko looks to land a combination but Ntoh avoids it well.
Strashko is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Ntoh.
Ntoh tries to clinch up but Strashko circles away and keeps his distance.
Manu Ntoh is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Strashko throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Strashko looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Strashko stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ntoh swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ntoh is trying to keep Strashko in close.
Strashko working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Strashko is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Ntoh might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Strashko lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Strashko keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Ntoh's head.
Strashko trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
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!
Strashko lands a couple of elbows.
Strashko keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Ntoh's head.
Strashko with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Strashko trying to stand up but can't free himself from Ntoh's guard.
Strashko working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strashko lands a couple of digs.
Strashko postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Strashko lands a couple of elbows.
Strashko scoring with punches to the head and body.
Strashko is in close to Ntoh's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Strashko pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ntoh is keeping the position for now.

Ntoh escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Strashko gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Strashko keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Ntoh's head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Strashko is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Strashko really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ntoh. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Strashko lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Ntoh working a defensive guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Strashko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Strashko throws an overhand right that lands on Ntoh's shoulder, as Ntoh tries to avoid the shot.
Strashko looks to land a combination but Ntoh avoids it well.
Left hook, right uppercut from Ntoh.
Strashko scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

It looks like Manu Ntoh has been cut.
Strashko shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ntoh as he avoids it easily.

Ntoh pushes Strashko up against the cage in a clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Ntoh's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Strashko is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Ntoh has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Ntoh looking for a takedown.

Ntoh pulls guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ntoh not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ntoh wants to stand up but Strashko is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strashko with a nice head shot there.
Ntoh wants to get back to his feet but Strashko is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Strashko landing with the ground and pound.
Ntoh wants to stand but Strashko is controlling the position.
Strashko scoring with punches to the head and body.
Strashko chips away with some ground and pound.
Strashko distracts Ntoh with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
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!
Strashko landing some decent shots from guard.
Strashko is in close to Ntoh's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Ntoh is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strashko scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Oh Ntoh is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Strashko gets to his feet and stands over Ntoh, holding his ankles. He dives in with a big left hand that connects! Ntoh felt that one! Strashko unloads more punches and elbows and this one is over! The ref has dived in to save Ntoh from any more punishment!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:23 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ivan Strashko!