PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Vitalis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan Ronin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ronin has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Vitalis
vs
Ronin

173 cm
22
152 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
23
150 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexander Vitalis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ryan Ronin!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vitalis ducks under a wild hook from Ronin.
Ronin looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Vitalis fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Ronin sprawls well initially but Vitalis persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Vitalis trying to control from half guard but Ronin is working away.
Vitalis not doing much here.
Vitalis working over Ronin with some ground and pound. Ronin looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Vitalis is pressing down on Ronin's thigh, looking to free his foot. Ronin is holding on for now.
Vitalis stalling.
Vitalis trying to control from half guard but Ronin is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vitalis is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Vitalis takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Vitalis wants to control the pace but Ronin is squirming around nicely.
Vitalis with the ground and pound from mount.
Vitalis unloading with bombs!
Vitalis controlling his opponent.
Vitalis wants to control the pace but Ronin is squirming around nicely.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Alexander Vitalis just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Vitalis decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vitalis perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Vitalis escapes and gets back to his feet.

Vitalis rushes Ronin and presses him up against the cage.
Vitalis wants to get back to striking at distance but Ronin won't allow it.
Ronin prevents Vitalis from breaking the clinch.
Vitalis fails to pull guard.
Vitalis trying to stall but Ronin improves his position.
Vitalis wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ronin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Vitalis blocks it with crossed arms.

Vitalis manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Vitalis is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Vitalis is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ronin wants to pass the guard but Vitalis is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vitalis is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Vitalis keeping moving, preventing Ronin from controlling successfully.
Vitalis is trying to control the position but Ronin postures up.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Vitalis holds on and takes a little breather.
Ronin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Vitalis swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Vitalis wants to clinch.

Vitalis scores with a takedown into Ronin's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ronin trying to keep a closed guard but Vitalis is proving a slippery customer.

Ronin looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Ronin throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Vitalis wants to control from the top but Ronin keeps moving.
Ronin looking to control.
Vitalis loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ronin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Vitalis is one step ahead there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Vitalis dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Ronin tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Vitalis counters by moving into the clinch.
Vitalis tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ronin smiles and moves away.

Ronin gets caught flat footed, as Vitalis shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Vitalis wants to control from the top but Ronin keeps moving.
Ronin wants to sweep here but Vitalis controlling him for the moment.

Vitalis stands up from Ronin's guard - Vitalis perhaps looking for a knockout.

Vitalis shoots in and bounces Ronin off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vitalis wants to control from the top but Ronin keeps moving.

Ronin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Vitalis gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Vitalis scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Ronin wants to control the position but Vitalis says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Ronin is trying to get back to full guard.
Ronin is looking to control Vitalis's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ronin avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Vitalis works his way into side control.
Ronin sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Vitalis is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Ronin has managed to free his arm - good work.
Ronin is looking for a sweep. Vitalis is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Vitalis is keen to just control but Ronin is a slippery customer.
Vitalis wants to free his trapped foot but Ronin is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ronin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Vitalis with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Vitalis is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Ronin gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Vitalis counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Ronin wants to get back to full guard.

Vitalis stands up out of the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ronin tries to clinch up

and Vitalis decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Ronin's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Vitalis looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ronin looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Ronin is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Ronin manages to escape and get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ronin tries to clinch there but Vitalis circles away.
Ronin throws a leg kick but Vitalis sees it coming and moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Vitalis dominated that second round.
That's time! Vitalis's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Ronin has his takedown stuffed
and Vitalis counters with a good, hard body kick but Ronin shrugs it off.
Vitalis shoots for a takedown but Ronin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Vitalis fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Ronin sprawls well initially but Vitalis persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Ronin is looking to improve his position.

Ronin is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Vitalis pulls his head out easily.
Vitalis blocks the strikes from Ronin.
Ronin is looking for a sweep. Vitalis is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Vitalis passes the guard and advances to mount!
Ronin keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ronin slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Ronin tries to kick Vitalis off but Vitalis keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Ronin has hold of Vitalis's hands but Vitalis slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Vitalis is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Ronin slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Ronin working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Vitalis doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Vitalis manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ronin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Vitalis is one step ahead there.
Ryan Ronin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vitalis trying to control but Ronin is working from the bottom.
Vitalis stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ronin swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Vitalis gets to his feet - Ronin follows without any prompting.
Vitalis shoots for a double leg takedown but Ronin sprawls well. He's pushed Vitalis's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ronin throws a combination that misses

and Vitalis counters with a takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ronin is trying to improve his position.
Vitalis tries to score with some ground and pound. Ronin controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Ronin is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Vitalis wants to control but Ronin is keeping him busy.

Ronin looking for submissions off his back.
Vitalis passes to full mount!

Vitalis is standing up, even though he is in mount.

Vitalis scores a takedown into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ronin is working to get back to half guard.
A nice elbow there by Vitalis.
Vitalis tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Alexander Vitalis overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ronin is looking to get to half guard.
Alexander Vitalis is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexander Vitalis showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Vitalis, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexander Vitalis!