PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Joseph Striken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yuri Boyka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Boyka's choice of entrance music: Yuri Boyka. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Striken
vs
Boyka

195 cm
24
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

178 cm
23
164 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Joseph Striken!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Yuri Boyka!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Sergei Dronov and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Boyka misses with a head kick.
Striken fails to land the takedown.
Boyka is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Striken shoots and misses
and Boyka counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Striken moves into range and clinches up with Boyka.
Striken really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Striken misses with a knee to the head.
Striken throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Boyka blocks it with crossed arms.

Boyka breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Striken is defended easily by Boyka.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joseph Striken. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Boyka has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Boyka's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Striken has closed the distance and engaged Boyka in a clinch.
Striken misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Boyka.
Boyka lands an elbow inside that Striken shrugs off.

It looks like Joseph Striken has been cut.
Boyka is leaning against Striken and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
I was talking to Striken's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Striken tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Boyka has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Striken after a bit of a struggle.
Striken throws a knee to the head but misses.
Boyka blocking some punches.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Boyka has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Boyka is working for takedown but Striken is calmly controlling the position for now.
Striken prevents the takedown attempt.
Striken stalling against the cage.
Striken lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Striken works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Striken is breathing heavily.
Boyka preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Striken with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Striken throwing strikes but missing.
Boyka looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Striken postures up in Boyka's guard and throws a big left but Boyka blocks it.
Striken working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Striken wants to control from the top but Boyka keeps moving.
Striken has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Striken postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Boyka is adopting a defensive guard.
Striken postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boyka wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Boyka utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Striken misses with a takedown
and Boyka counters with a left and a right that stings Striken.

Boyka closes the distance and clinches.
Boyka displaying some good clinch control by pressing Striken up against the cage.
Striken leaning his opponent against the cage.
Striken avoiding damage as Boyka throws knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Striken misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Boyka.
Striken has Boyka pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Boyka manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Striken on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Striken working hard to break the clinch.
Boyka unloads a knee to the mid-section. Striken lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Striken throws a knee to the head but misses.
Boyka changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Striken fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Striken chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Boyka can pounce on him.
Boyka stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Boyka wants it to stay on the feet.
Boyka lands a head kick. Striken smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Boyka keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuri Boyka dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joseph Striken's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Striken misses with a takedown attempt
and Boyka counters with a series of strikes. Striken will be more careful next time no doubt.
Joseph Striken is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Boyka displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Striken.
Striken changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Boyka tries to avoid it but Striken manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Boyka to the ground. Boyka escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joseph Striken. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Boyka misses with a head kick.

Boyka clinches up against the cage.

Boyka pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Striken clinches up with Boyka and pushes him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Boyka manages to break the clinch.
Striken fails with the takedown

and Boyka counters by moving into the clinch.
Boyka has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Striken is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Joseph Striken has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Boyka lands a body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Striken tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Striken is trying to stall.
Boyka blocks an elbow strike from Striken.
Boyka slowing the pace effectively.

Boyka breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Boyka lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Striken circles away quickly and effectively.
Striken is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Boyka.
Striken fails with a takedown attempt.
Boyka shoots in looking for a takedown. Striken tries to sprawl out of it but Boyka keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Striken manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Striken dives in for a single leg takedown but Boyka sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Boyka closes the distance and clinches.
Striken drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Boyka gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Boyka tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Boyka lands a good knee to the midsection. Striken won't want to take too many of those.
Striken tries for a takedown but Boyka manages to get underhooks.
Boyka is trying to drag Striken to the mat but Striken just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Boyka holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Boyka jumps guard and drags Striken to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Striken will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Striken lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Boyka utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Boyka manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Striken is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Boyka pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Boyka lands a head kick!
Boyka has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Striken fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Boyka throws a counter combo.

Boyka gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Boyka is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Boyka wants a takedown but no success here.
Boyka has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Striken avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Boyka breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Striken with a poor takedown
and Boyka counters with a three punch combo that has Striken backing up. Striken nods at Boyka to acknowledge the strikes.

Boyka scores with a takedown into Striken's guard.
Yuri Boyka has got the better of the ground game so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Striken wants to sweep here but Boyka controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boyka passes into half guard.

Boyka decides to stand and escape the position.
Striken shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Boyka pinned against the cage. Boyka gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Boyka gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Striken is trying to pull guard but Boyka has him pressed against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuri Boyka showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Joseph Striken's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Boyka rushes Striken and presses him up against the cage.
Boyka stalling in the clinch but Striken improves position.
Striken has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Boyka after a bit of a struggle.
Boyka prevents a takedown attempt there.

Boyka escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Striken shoots and misses
and Boyka counters with a series of strikes. Striken will be more careful next time no doubt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joseph Striken. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Striken shoots and misses
and Boyka counters with a series of strikes. Striken will be more careful next time no doubt.

Striken tries to keep at a distance but Boyka has taken the fight into the clinch.
Boyka lands a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Boyka escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Striken gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Boyka pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Striken dives in and grabs Boyka's left leg, looking for a takedown. Boyka pushes down on Striken's head and hops out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boyka shoots in for a double leg but Striken sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Striken goes for a double leg but Boyka avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Boyka continues to drive forward.

Boyka gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A knee to the head by Boyka.

Boyka manages to break the clinch.
Striken misses with a takedown
and Boyka counters with a series of strikes. Striken will be more careful next time no doubt.

Boyka gets a clinch.
Boyka scores with a hook to the body.
Boyka lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Boyka lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Boyka breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Boyka has Striken up against the cage in a clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Boyka managing to block the knees to the body from Striken.

Boyka has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Striken uses from the top position.
Boyka looking to hit a scissor sweep but Striken is one step ahead there.
Boyka has Striken pulled in close to control his posture.

Boyka pushes Striken off and gets back to his feet.

Striken tries to keep at a distance but Boyka has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Striken misses with a hook from the clinch.
Boyka is trying to stall.
Boyka lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Boyka is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Boyka tries to score a body lock takedown but Striken shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Boyka breaks from the clinch.

Boyka clinches.
Striken throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Boyka blocks it with crossed arms.
Striken trying to land knees to the body.

Boyka breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Striken looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Boyka is fending him off so far but Striken persists. Nope, Boyka circles away and we're back to standing.

Boyka gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Boyka pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Striken instigates a clinch.

Boyka pulls guard effortlessly.
Striken trying to control the position from guard on top but Boyka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Boyka has his feet on Striken's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Striken looks for a takedown but Boyka sprawls well.
Joseph Striken has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yuri Boyka is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Boyka clinches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yuri Boyka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Boyka 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yuri Boyka!