PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Ivanov (ranked 3578 p4p, 4196 weight class) and Samuel Turbitt (ranked 388 p4p, 435 weight class). Turbitt has chosen Tell Me Ma as his entrance music. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Ivanov
vs
Turbitt

170 cm
27
155
9 - 11 - 0

178 cm
30
169
11 - 12 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Good kicks
Powerful

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 9 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Ivanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 12 - 0, fighting out of London, Samuel Turbitt!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Shigeki Fujiwara and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ivanov closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Turbitt did well to prevent Ivanov getting side control.
Ivanov throwing shots but Turbitt is blocking nicely.
Turbitt won't allow Ivanov to pass to mount.
Ivanov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Turbitt regains full guard. Nicely done.
Turbitt wants to hit a sweep here but Ivanov passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Turbitt there!
Turbitt manages to regain half guard. Good work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ivanov working Turbitt over with strikes.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Ivanov lands a nice short elbow.
Turbitt wants to improve his position but Ivanov is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivanov seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Turbitt does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ivanov scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Turbitt tries to get to full guard but Ivanov has control of the leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ivanov is trying to control the action in half guard but Turbitt is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ivanov lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Turbitt trying to control here.
Ivanov thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Turbitt's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Turbitt actively working from the bottom here.
Turbitt on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Ivanov performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Ivanov lands strikes from half guard.
Ivanov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Ivanov wants to control but Turbitt is keeping him busy.
Turbitt won't allow Ivanov to pass to mount.
Turbitt is trying to maintain the position but Ivanov is very close to passing his half guard.
We've been hearing that Ivanov has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov is keen to just control but Turbitt is a slippery customer.
Ivanov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Turbitt is trying to maintain the position but Ivanov is very close to passing his half guard.
Ivanov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Turbitt is staying active underneath Ivanov, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Nice uppercut there from Turbitt.
Ivanov closes the distance looking to clinch
and Turbitt counters with a stiff right hand.

Ivanov closes the distance and pushes Turbitt back into the cage.

Turbitt jumps guard.
Turbitt is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ivanov accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ivanov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ivanov cracks Turbitt with a solid left hand.
Turbitt working a defensive guard here.
Turbitt is adopting a defensive guard.
Ivanov throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Turbitt works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ivanov throws an elbow that misses. Turbitt uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Ivanov's guard. Nice move by Turbitt!

And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Ivanov dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Ivanov throws a combination. Turbitt tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Ivanov tries to clinch but Turbitt moves out of range.
Turbitt is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Ivanov with a body shot.
Ivanov blocks a head kick by Turbitt.
Turbitt throws a series of punches but Ivanov avoids them all with ease.
Ivanov is looking to clinch.

Ivanov moves into the clinch.

Turbitt ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Turbitt no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Turbitt preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ivanov is in close to Turbitt's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Ivanov knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Turbitt on the ground.
Ivanov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Turbitt is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ivanov is aware though and is defending well.
Ivanov trying to control but Turbitt is working from the bottom.
Turbitt looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivanov lands a couple of elbows.
Ivanov makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Ivanov throws a big elbow that misses.
Ivanov being controlled here momentarily.
Ivanov wants to control from the top but Turbitt keeps moving.
Ivanov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ivanov trying to control but Turbitt is working from the bottom.
Turbitt preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Turbitt is pulling down on Ivanov's head to control his posture.
Ivanov with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ivanov scoring with punches to the head and body.
Ivanov is working Turbitt over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Ivanov is working Turbitt over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Turbitt keeping moving, preventing Ivanov from controlling successfully.
Ivanov has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Turbitt bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ivanov's guard.

Ivanov pulls Turbitt in close to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Turbitt trying to control but Ivanov is working from the bottom.
Ivanov is trying to control the position but Turbitt postures up.
Turbitt throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ivanov thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Ivanov working a defensive guard here.
Turbitt wants to control from the top but Ivanov keeps moving.
Ivanov working a defensive guard here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Turbitt misses with a hook.

Ivanov shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Turbitt's guard.
Ivanov trying to control but Turbitt is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov landing some decent shots from guard.

Turbitt looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Ivanov landing with the ground and pound.
Ivan Ivanov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ivanov with a flurry of punches that miss.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ivanov controlling from the top position.

Turbitt had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ivanov defends it easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Ivanov dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Ivanov slips under a jab.
Ivanov attempts a counter takedown but Turbitt avoids it well and moves away.
Turbitt misses with a few strikes there.
Ivanov tries to clinch there but Turbitt circles away.
Ivanov tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Turbitt manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Turbitt keeps the fight on the outside.

Ivanov moves into range and clinches up with Turbitt.
Ivanov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Turbitt can do to turn this around?

Ivanov has picked Turbitt up - he's going for a ride! Ivanov dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Ivanov thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Turbitt's head.
Ivanov is trying to control the action in half guard but Turbitt is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Turbitt tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Ivanov has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Ivanov lands a nice shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ivanov is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Turbitt is surviving well by controlling Ivanov's body position as best he can.
Turbitt can't escape the position.
Turbitt regains half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Ivanov lands a nice short elbow.
Turbitt has hold of Ivanov's hands but Ivanov slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Ivanov slips a nice elbow through Turbitt's hands, connecting with Turbitt's forehead.
Ivanov trying to control the action but Turbitt is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Turbitt wants to control but Ivanov is keeping busy.
Turbitt desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Ivanov thows a huge punch but Turbitt dodges it nicely.
Turbitt keeping control of the position.
Ivan Ivanov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Ivanov is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Turbitt is staying active underneath Ivanov, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ivanov scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Turbitt avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ivanov.
Ivanov winds up and cracks Turbitt with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Turbitt is trying to maintain the position but Ivanov is very close to passing his half guard.
Ivanov throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Ivanov is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Samuel Turbitt has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov wants to take a breather but Turbitt is having none of it.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Ivanov with a jab.
Ivanov tries to clinch up but Turbitt circles away and keeps his distance.
Turbitt tries a head kick but it misses.

Ivanov scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Ivanov trying to control from half guard but Turbitt is working away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Turbitt trying to control here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ivan Ivanov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ivanov, 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ivan Ivanov!
A very excited looking Ivan Ivanov made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.