PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alexey Potapenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anton Pavlovich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Potapenko
vs
Pavlovich

195 cm
23
260 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

194 cm
22
240 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Insanely flexible

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Bad Man Clothing (Nothing Over $40)
Phantom Fightwear

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexey Potapenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Anton Pavlovich!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Nard Betker and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
We've got one fighter who appears to only be looking to counter and the other not looking particularly aggressive either, so we could be in for a dull fight.

Potapenko closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Pavlovich quickly recovers to half guard.
Pavlovich is refusing to be controlled, as Potapenko sits in half guard.
Potapenko stops Pavlovich from getting back to his feet.
Pavlovich keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Pavlovich is looking to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Potapenko thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Pavlovich's head.
Potapenko slips a nice elbow through Pavlovich's hands, connecting with Pavlovich's forehead.
Pavlovich keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Potapenko has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Potapenko lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Pavlovich hang on?

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pavlovich bucks up and throws Potapenko to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Potapenko displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Pavlovich throws out the jab.
An attempted straight right counter from Potapenko misses the target.
Pavlovich throws a jab but it's blocked by Potapenko.
A little feinted left hand from Potapenko on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Pavlovich misses with a straight right.
Pavlovich leaves Potapenko with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Potapenko ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pavlovich stuffs the takedown.
Pavlovich is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Potapenko with a body shot.
Potapenko tries for a takedown but Pavlovich circles away easily
and Pavlovich counters with a straight right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexey Potapenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pavlovich jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Pavlovich swings widly with a right hand
and Potapenko counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Pavlovich misses with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Potapenko shoots for a double leg takedown but Pavlovich sprawls well. He's pushed Potapenko's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Pavlovich is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Potapenko.
Pavlovich misses with a few strikes there.
Potapenko drops down looking for a counter takedown but Pavlovich sprawls and moves away.
Potapenko moves out of range of the strikes.
It looked like Potapenko wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Anton Pavlovich is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Potapenko dives in for a single leg takedown but Pavlovich sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
A jab from Pavlovich misses.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pavlovich looks to land a right hand but Potapenko moved out of range.
Potapenko went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Pavlovich ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Potapenko moves away.
As Pavlovich looks to move away, Potapenko throws a big counter combo bu Pavlovich just gets out of the way.
Potapenko fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Pavlovich avoids it really well and circles away.
A nice side step and Pavlovich releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pavlovich throws a poor cross that misses
and Potapenko connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Anton Pavlovich will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Potapenko misses with a takedown attempt - Pavlovich sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Potapenko misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Potapenko staying out of range there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Potapenko slips under a jab from Pavlovich.
Potapenko appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Anton Pavlovich seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Pavlovich swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
As Pavlovich tries to get set, Potapenko tries to push him back and clinch up but Pavlovich manages to avoid the attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pavlovich throws a jab when Potapenko was well out of range.
A big left from Pavlovich misses.
Pavlovich tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Potapenko was well out of range. Poor timing from Pavlovich.
Potapenko feinted with a counter takedown.
Pavlovich waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Potapenko.
As Pavlovich looks to move away, Potapenko throws a big counter combo bu Pavlovich just gets out of the way.
Potapenko shoots in but Pavlovich avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexey Potapenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Potapenko shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Pavlovich's guard.
Potapenko throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pavlovich works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Potapenko passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Potapenko throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Pavlovich struggling a bit here.
Pavlovich is looking for a sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pavlovich is not content to let Potapenko control the position.
Pavlovich stops Potapenko from passing to mount.
Alexey Potapenko overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pavlovich is trying to control Potapenko's posture but Potapenko avoids it.
Potapenko misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Potapenko working the ground and pound but Pavlovich is defending the strikes.
Pavlovich is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Potapenko fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Potapenko scoring with punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pavlovich is looking to regain half guard here but Potapenko keeps moving and retains side control.
Pavlovich pushes Potapenko away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Potapenko gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Potapenko sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Pavlovich is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Pavlovich is trying to get back to half guard.
Potapenko trying to control the position but Pavlovich is working away.
Potapenko lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Pavlovich down.
Pavlovich avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Potapenko.
Pavlovich tries to buck Potapenko off but Potapenko is having none of it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Potapenko throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Pavlovich tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Potapenko wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexey Potapenko dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Potapenko closes this distance looking for a takedown but Pavlovich circles away.
Pavlovich is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Potapenko with a body shot.
Potapenko has his takedown stuffed
and Pavlovich cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Pavlovich throws a body punch but Potapenko moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pavlovich takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Potapenko scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Potapenko cracks Pavlovich with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Pavlovich is trying to get back to half guard.
Potapenko throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Pavlovich is not content to let Potapenko control the position.
Potapenko lands a few punches from side control.
Potapenko throws an elbow but Pavlovich slips to the side and avoids it well.
Potapenko misses with the ground and pound.
Pavlovich is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Pavlovich pushes Potapenko away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Potapenko gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pavlovich takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Potapenko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pavlovich keeps working.
Potapenko throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Potapenko cracks Pavlovich with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Pavlovich taking punishment in the form of punches.
Pavlovich tries to bench press Potapenko off him but Potapenko keeps the position.
Pavlovich pushes Potapenko away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Potapenko gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Potapenko wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Pavlovich, who protects the arm well.
Pavlovich tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Potapenko is looking to take a break and control but Pavlovich is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Pavlovich's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Potapenko working the ground and pound.
Potapenko trying to control the action but Pavlovich is working from the bottom.
Pavlovich is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Potapenko cracks Pavlovich with a big elbow.
Potapenko scores with a couple of short elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Potapenko working the body and head with strikes.
Pavlovich wants to control but Potapenko postures up.
Potapenko is putting a hurting on Pavlovich here, landing some big shots from side control.
Potapenko is looking to take a break and control but Pavlovich is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Potapenko in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Potapenko sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Pavlovich is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Pavlovich wants to get back to his feet.
Potapenko working the head and body with strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Potapenko throws a strike aimed at the side of Pavlovich's head but Pavlovich avoids it well.
Pavlovich is looking to reverse the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexey Potapenko showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Potapenko has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 29:28
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 29:28
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexey Potapenko!