PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ikemba Okoye (ranked 2443 p4p, 3289 weight class) and Alexander Korolev (ranked 323 p4p, 436 weight class). Alexander Korolev has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Okoye
vs
Korolev

181 cm
22
185
3 - 2 - 0

180 cm
22
199
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Lethal high kicks
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Granite chin

Conviction
Conquer

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ikemba Okoye!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexander Korolev!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Franklyn Lucas and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Korolev throws a combination that misses
letting Okoye counter with a right hand.
A left lands for Okoye.

It looks like Alexander Korolev has been cut.
Korolev is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Okoye.
A little feinted left hand from Okoye on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Okoye takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Okoye swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Korolev misses with an uppercut. Okoye saw that one coming.
Okoye misses with a kick to the body.
Korolev throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Okoye fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Korolev looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Korolev misses with a shot to the body
and Okoye cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Korolev jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Korolev ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Okoye moves away.
A big right from Korolev misses.
Alexander Korolev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Okoye with a body punch. A glancing blow.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Okoye lands with a good body shot.
Korolev waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Okoye.
A slow jab from Korolev misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Korolev jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Korolev throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Okoye sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Korolev keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Okoye.
Korolev misses with a hook
and Okoye counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The fighters circling - Korolev throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Korolev throws a hook but Okoye avoids it easily.
Okoye avoids a punch combination nicely.
Korolev staying out of range there.
Korolev tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Korolev fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Korolev misses with a hook. Okoye ducked under it nicely.
Okoye showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Korolev.
Korolev has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Okoye.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Korolev rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
enabling Okoye to counter with a crisp jab.
Korolev scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Okoye doesn't seem bothered though.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Okoye buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Korolev misses with a jab, cross combination.
As Korolev tries to get set, Okoye tries to push him back and clinch up but Korolev manages to avoid the attempt.
An inside leg kick from Okoye misses.
Korolev scores with a jab to the body.
A big right from Korolev misses.
Okoye steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Korolev.
Okoye showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Korolev.
Okoye is looking to counter punch.
A nice leg kick lands there from Okoye.
Korolev throws the left hand but Okoye avoids the punch easily.
A swing and a miss from Korolev.
Korolev misses with an uppercut. Okoye saw that one coming.
Korolev uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Okoye.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Korolev misses with a double jab
and Okoye counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Korolev fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Okoye connects with a solid leg kick.
Nice body punch from Okoye.
A swing and a miss from Okoye.
Korolev throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Okoye lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Korolev misses with a straight right.
As Korolev backs away, Okoye returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Okoye steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Korolev.
Korolev throws a right and a left that Okoye avoids nicely.
Okoye looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Korolev throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Korolev throws a poor cross that misses
and Okoye counters with a straight right hand.
Okoye with a nice calf kick.
Okoye tries to clinch but Korolev moves out of range.
Korolev misses with a straight left.
Okoye throwing a counter right hand but Korolev manages to avoid it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Okoye uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Korolev.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Korolev fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Okoye fires out a quick counter leg kick but Korolev just manages to avoid it.
Korolev keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Korolev throws a jab but it's blocked by Okoye.
Korolev throws the left hand but Okoye avoids the punch easily.
Okoye was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Okoye takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Korolev scores with a hook.
Okoye ducks under a wild hook from Korolev.
Korolev throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Okoye uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Korolev.
Korolev misses with a right hand
and Okoye counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Korolev lands with a shot to the body.
Okoye slips a jab and a cross from Korolev.
Okoye looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
A telegraphed right hand from Korolev misses the target.
Korolev misses with a wild combination.
Korolev lands the left hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Korolev dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alexander Korolev's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Korolev rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Okoye counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
A looping hook to the body misses from Korolev. Okoye does a little dance to reset his feet.
Korolev throws a jab when Okoye was well out of range.
Korolev throws a lazy uppercut
and Okoye counters with a nice body shot.
A punch combination from Korolev misses.
Okoye is looking to counter punch.
Korolev checks a low kick from Okoye.
Okoye takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Okoye ducks under a wild hook from Korolev.
Okoye misses with a body shot.
It seemed like Korolev was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Okoye slips a jab and a cross from Korolev.
Okoye looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Okoye moves out of range as Korolev strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Okoye looks to land a left hand but Korolev moved out of range nicely.
Korolev on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Jab from Korolev.
Korolev throws a poor cross that misses
and Okoye counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Korolev swats away the attempt to clinch by Okoye.
Alexander Korolev seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Korolev misses with a right hand
letting Okoye counter with a right hand.
Okoye lands a jab to Korolev's midsection.
Korolev throws out a loose jab but Okoye uses good head movement to avoid it.
Korolev connects with the punch.
Korolev dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Okoye buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Korolev throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Korolev fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Okoye manages to avoid it.
Korolev looks to land a left hand but Okoye moved out of range nicely.
Okoye swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Korolev might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Korolev takes a swing at Okoye's ribcage but misses.
Okoye throwing a counter right hand but Korolev manages to avoid it.
Korolev's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Okoye swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Okoye steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Korolev.
Okoye misses with a looping left.
Korolev throws a poor cross that misses
and Okoye counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Okoye takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Korolev throws a series of punches but Okoye moves out of range.
Korolev misses with a right hand
and Okoye counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Korolev throws a nice looking combination but Okoye bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Okoye slips a jab and a cross from Korolev.
Okoye connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Korolev scores with a nice right hand.
Okoye looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Korolev catches Okoye with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Korolev swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Okoye makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Korolev is breathing heavily.
Okoye is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Korolev.
Okoye uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Korolev.
Korolev takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Okoye misses with a wild body shot.
A little jabbing left from Korolev on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Okoye dodges the punch combination from Korolev.
As Korolev tries to get set, Okoye tries to push him back and clinch up but Korolev manages to avoid the attempt.
Okoye ducks under a wild hook from Korolev.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Korolev connects with the punch.
A nice leg kick lands there from Okoye.
Okoye dips to his left and cracks Korolev with an uppercut!
A combination from Korolev does no damage.
Nice shot by Korolev.
An inside leg kick lands from Okoye.
Okoye misses with an uppercut. Korolev saw that one coming.
The fighters circling - Korolev throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Okoye showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Korolev.
Okoye slips a jab from Korolev.
Okoye looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Okoye tries to clinch but Korolev is having none of it.
Okoye moves away from the strike by Korolev.
A telegraphed right hand from Korolev misses the target.
Okoye misses the shot to the body.
Korolev swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Okoye tries to counter by clinching up but Korolev breaks away and moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Korolev throws a shot from downtown. Okoye moves away and avoids it.
Okoye slips a jab and a cross from Korolev.
Okoye tried to counter with a leg kick but Korolev avoided it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A cross from Okoye lands.
Korolev misses with an uppercut. Okoye saw that one coming.
Okoye misses with a body shot.
Alexander Korolev is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Korolev swings widly with a right hand
and Okoye counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Korolev misses with a hook.
Okoye uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Korolev.
A little feinted left hand from Okoye on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
A punch combination from Korolev misses.
Okoye tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Korolev manages to circle out of the way.
Okoye wants to clinch.
Okoye fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Korolev has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Alexander Korolev will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Alexander Korolev's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Korolev throws a lazy right hand but Okoye sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Korolev just misses with a punch to the body.
Good standup being displayed there by Okoye as he connects with a hook.
Korolev throws a right hand that Okoye ducks under and follows up with a left that Okoye also avoids with ease.
Korolev throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Okoye counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Korolev slips under a jab.
Okoye pivots, looking for a leg kick but Korolev is out of range and Okoye settles back down.
Korolev throws a body shot but no joy.
Korolev rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Okoye moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Okoye appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Korolev checks a low kick from Okoye.
Korolev is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Okoye misses with a low kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Korolev swings for the body but Okoye moves out of range.
Okoye tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Korolev paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Okoye uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Korolev.
Okoye slips under a jab from Korolev.
Okoye scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okoye swings for the body but Korolev moves out of range.
Okoye takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Okoye lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Okoye uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Korolev.
Korolev wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Okoye has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Okoye there as he acknowledges the shot.
Korolev fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Okoye manages to avoid it.
Korolev keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Korolev is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Okoye.
Korolev misses with a left hand
and Okoye counters with a left to the body.
Okoye tries to clinch but Korolev is having none of it.
Korolev throws a big shot that misses.
Okoye is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
A jab from Korolev finds it's way through Okoye's defenses.
No joy there for Korolev, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Okoye jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Okoye does it's job there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Korolev throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Korolev takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Okoye tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Korolev manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Okoye throws a body shot but no joy.
Okoye with the inside leg kick.
Korolev throws an off balance right hand
and Okoye counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Nice shot lands for Okoye.
No joy there for Korolev, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Korolev keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Okoye moves out of range of the strikes.
Korolev takes a body punch but keeps moving.
A telegraphed right hand from Korolev misses the target.
Okoye ducks under a wild hook from Korolev.
Korolev throws a lazy right hand but Okoye sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A little feinted left hand from Okoye on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
A swing and a miss from Korolev.
As Korolev backs away, Okoye returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Korolev.
Korolev takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Korolev throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Okoye lands with a hook. Korolev tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Okoye misses with a wild body shot.
Korolev drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Korolev misses the shot to the body.
Korolev uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Okoye.
Okoye takes a swing at Korolev's ribcage but misses.
Korolev misses with a looping right.
Okoye takes a swing at Korolev's ribcage but misses.
Okoye staying out of range there.
A jab from Korolev finds it's way through Okoye's defenses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Korolev throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Okoye holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Okoye tries to pull guard but Korolev won't allow it.
Okoye misses with a hook from the clinch.
Okoye misses with a short punch on the inside.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Okoye tries to pull guard but Korolev holds him up against the cage and eventually Okoye drops back down to his feet.
Okoye throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Korolevs head.
Okoye is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Korolev manages to break the clinch.
Okoye tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Korolev paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Good standup being displayed there by Korolev as he connects with a hook.
Korolev misses with a lunging right hand

and Okoye counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Korolev breaks the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ikemba Okoye.
I think Korolev has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 David Schapiro scores the fight for Alexander Korolev!
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight for Alexander Korolev!
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight for Alexander Korolev!

Alexander Korolev wins by unanimous decision!
An out of breath Alexander Korolev thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.