PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Vadim Golovkin (ranked 315 p4p, 34 weight class) and Gasan Yakolev (ranked 532 p4p, 57 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Golovkin
vs
Yakolev

172 cm
22
155 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

183 cm
22
170 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Groove Gear

BuriedAlive// Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vadim Golovkin!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Gasan Yakolev!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yakolev throws a right hand that misses
and Golovkin counters with a nice uppercut.
Golovkin lands a jab to Yakolev's midsection.
We've been informed that Yakolev has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Yakolev throws a shot from downtown. Golovkin moves away and avoids it.
Yakolev misses with an uppercut.
It looked like Golovkin was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Yakolev.
Golovkin connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Golovkin looks to land a left hand but Yakolev moved out of range nicely.
Golovkin misses with a hook. Yakolev ducked under it nicely.
Yakolev swats away the attempt to clinch by Golovkin.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yakolev throws a hook to the side of Golovkin's head but Golovkin sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Golovkin is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Yakolev.
Yakolev throws a big shot that misses.
Golovkin ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jab from Yakolev.
Yakolev defending well as Golovkin loads up on a big left hand.
Yakolev throws a poor cross that misses
and Golovkin counters with a stiff right hand.
Golovkin misses with a hook.
Yakolev misses with a few strikes there.
Golovkin throwing a counter right hand but Yakolev manages to avoid it.
Yakolev throws a right hand that misses
enabling Golovkin to counter with a crisp jab.
Golovkin with a hook.
Golovkin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sloppy strikes from Yakolev. Those never looked like landing.
Yakolev slips under a jab from Golovkin.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Yakolev! But no joy.
Golovkin lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A big right from Golovkin misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Golovkin lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Yakolev shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Yakolev waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Golovkin.
Golovkin misses with a left hand
and Yakolev counters with a nice uppercut.
Yakolev throws a right hand that misses
and Golovkin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Golovkin slips a jab from Yakolev.
Golovkin is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Golovkin avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Golovkin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Yakolev.
Yakolev fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A swing and a miss from Yakolev.
Yakolev circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Yakolev closes the distance and pushes Golovkin back into the ropes.
Yakolev lands a nice shot to the body.
Yakolev prevents a body shot from Golovkin.
Yakolev is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Golovkin blocks an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Yakolev fails to land.
Yakolev lands a right hand that snaps the head of Golovkin backwards.
Yakolev wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Yakolev gets through Golovkin's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A hook to the body from Golovkin.

Yakolev breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Yakolev doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Golovkin tries to move into range but Yakolev moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Yakolev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Yakolev is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Golovkin.
Golovkin avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Golovkin ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Golovkin ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yakolev lands a jab.
Golovkin scores with a jab to the jaw.
A jab from Golovkin does it's job there.
Golovkin keeps the fight on the outside.
An attempted straight right counter from Golovkin misses the target.
Yakolev listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Golovkin uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Yakolev.
An attempted straight right counter from Golovkin misses the target.
Yakolev defending well as Golovkin loads up on a big left hand.
Yakolev throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Golovkin sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Yakolev throws a poor cross that misses
and Golovkin counters with a stiff right hand.
Yakolev moves out of range of the strikes.
Yakolev showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Golovkin.
Yakolev ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Yakolev on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Golovkin on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Yakolev swinging wildly here.
Yakolev swings widly with a right hand
enabling Golovkin to counter with a crisp jab.
Golovkin ducks under a wild hook from Yakolev.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Yakolev dodges the punch combination from Golovkin.
Yakolev tries to clinch up.
Golovkin uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Yakolev.
Golovkin digs a good body shot into Yakolev's ribs.
Yakolev throws a lazy right hand but Golovkin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Golovkin swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Yakolev throws a poor cross that misses
and Golovkin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Yakolev misses the jab.
Golovkin swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Yakolev uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Yakolev lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Yakolev throws a hook but Golovkin avoids it easily.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Golovkin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Yakolev manages to avoid it.
Yakolev tries to clinch but Golovkin moves out of range.
Yakolev misses the jab.
Golovkin is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Golovkin takes a swing at Yakolev's ribcage but misses.
Yakolev looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Golovkin displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Yakolev throws out the jab.

Golovkin has managed to clinch.
Yakolev tries to throw a body punch but Golovkin avoids it by throwing Yakolev back against the ropes.
Yakolev misses with a punch on the inside.

Golovkin breaks the clinch.
Golovkin avoids the body shot from Yakolev.
Golovkin swings and misses with a shot to the body
letting Yakolev counter with a right hand.

Golovkin clinches up with Yakolev and pushes him back against the ropes.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Yakolev lands a left hand that snaps the head of Golovkin backwards.
Golovkin misses with a hook to the ribs.
Golovkin misses with a hook from the clinch.
Yakolev throws a head punch that misses.
Yakolev swings wildly with an uppercut but Golovkin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Yakolev can't find room to land a body shot as Golovkin controls the action.
Golovkin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Golovkin working aggressively here.
Golovkin working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Yakolev digs a right hand into Golovkin's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Golovkin's gas tank.
Golovkin has a couple of punches blocked by Yakolev.
Golovkin blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Yakolev fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Yakolev lands a body punch.
Golovkin lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Golovkin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Yakolev lands with a light punch inside.
Yakolev lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Golovkin backwards.
Golovkin tries to throw a body punch but Yakolev avoids it by throwing Golovkin back against the ropes.
Yakolev tries to throw a body punch but Golovkin avoids it by throwing Yakolev back against the ropes.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Golovkin lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Golovkin scores with a nice hook to the head.
Golovkin lands a hook to the side of the head.
Golovkin lands a body punch.
Golovkin lands a left hand that snaps the head of Yakolev backwards.
Yakolev tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Yakolev swings wildly with an uppercut but Golovkin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Golovkin takes a shot to the head.
Yakolev can't break the clinch.
Golovkin lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Yakolev or not.
Golovkin presses Yakolev against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Nice body punch from Golovkin - that landed with a thud.
Yakolev looks winded!

Yakolev breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A combination from Yakolev does no damage.
It looked like Golovkin was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Yakolev.
Yakolev misses with a hook
and Golovkin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Golovkin throws a body punch but Yakolev moves out of range.
Golovkin looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Golovkin closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Vadim Golovkin will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Yakolev slips under a jab.
Yakolev swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
It looked like Golovkin was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Yakolev.

Yakolev rushes Golovkin and presses him up against the ropes.
Yakolev throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A nice right hand lands inside from Yakolev.
Yakolev blocking some punches.
Golovkin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Yakolev breaks from the clinch.
Yakolev misses with a hook
and Golovkin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Yakolev throws a looping overhand right but Golovkin ducks down to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Golovkin uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Yakolev.
The fighters circling - Golovkin throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Yakolev misses with a wild combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Golovkin ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Yakolev looks to throw the jab but Golovkin is out of range.
Yakolev ducks right into an uppercut from Golovkin.
Yakolev throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sloppy strikes from Yakolev. Those never looked like landing.
Yakolev throws a jab when Golovkin was well out of range.
Golovkin swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Yakolev misses with the combination.
Yakolev misses with a double jab
and Golovkin counters with a straight right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yakolev throws a body punch but Golovkin moves out of range.
Golovkin was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Golovkin cracks Yakolev with a right hand to the side of the head.

Golovkin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Yakolev misses with some punches.
Golovkin working aggressively here.
Yakolev tries a body shot but Golovkin blocks it.
Yakolev has a couple of punches blocked by Golovkin.
A nice right hand lands inside from Golovkin.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Golovkin misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Yakolev blocks an uppercut.
Golovkin working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Yakolev goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Golovkin tries to work over Yakolev's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Golovkin blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Yakolev softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Golovkin lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Yakolev creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Yakolev fails to land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yakolev lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Golovkin works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Golovkin swings wildly with an uppercut but Yakolev uses good head movement to avoid it.
Yakolev throws a punch but it's blocked by Golovkin.
Golovkin misses with a hook from the clinch.
Golovkin presses Yakolev against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Yakolev swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Golovkin throws a punch but it's blocked by Yakolev.
A short left from Golovkin.
Golovkin tries to work over Yakolev's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A body shot lands from Yakolev.
Golovkin struggles to land a body shot inside as Yakolev controls his hands.
Yakolev working aggressively here.
Yakolev is trying to push Golovkin away but Golovkin has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Yakolev misses with a punch on the inside.
Golovkin throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Yakolevs head.
Golovkin lands a nice shot to the body.
Golovkin gets through Yakolev's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Yakolev.
Golovkin works on Yakolev's body with a couple of short punches.
Yakolev is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yakolev lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Golovkin backwards.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Yakolev throws a head punch that misses.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Golovkin.
Golovkin lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Golovkin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Yakolev lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Golovkin or not.
Golovkin has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Golovkin.
Golovkin makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Yakolev lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Golovkin backwards.
Golovkin can't find room to land a body shot as Yakolev controls the action.
Golovkin scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Golovkin doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Golovkin misses with a punch to the body.
Yakolev tries to throw a body punch but Golovkin avoids it by throwing Yakolev back against the ropes.
Golovkin has a couple of punches blocked by Yakolev.
Golovkin throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Yakolevs head.
Yakolev softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Golovkin lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
Yakolev blocking some punches.
Golovkin lands a left hand that snaps the head of Yakolev backwards.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Yakolev misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Yakolev misses with the head strike.
Golovkin pushes Yakolev back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Golovkin blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A shot in the inside from Golovkin.
Yakolev has a couple of punches blocked by Golovkin.
Golovkin pushes Yakolev back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Yakolev is rocked!
A shot in the inside from Golovkin.
Yakolev is still on wobbly legs! Can Golovkin finish him?
Golovkin lands with a short shot to the head.
Golovkin dips a shoulder and cracks Yakolev with a mighty uppercut! Yakolev falls back against the ropes and Golovkin unloads with a barrage of strikes! Yakolev is completely out with his eyes open, only supported by the ropes! Save him ref! Eventually the ref decides to do his job and jumps in - Golovkin screams abuse at the incompetent official before going over to celebrate with his corner. Brutal stuff!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5:35 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Vadim Golovkin!
Vadim Golovkin retains his lightweight title!
An out of breath Vadim Golovkin thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.