PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Roman Ship (ranked 1146 p4p, 750 weight class) and Dimitri Svyatogor (ranked 66 p4p, 32 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Ship
vs
Svyatogor

195 cm
32
283
20 - 27 - 1

209 cm
33
261
31 - 23 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Shadow Realm Apparel

Brooklyn Apothecary

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 27 - 1, fighting out of London, Roman Ship!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 23 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dimitri Svyatogor!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ship cracks a nice hook into Svyatogor's ribs.
Svyatogor takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Svyatogor digs a good hook to Ship's body.
Ship uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Svyatogor.
Ship half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
A jab from Svyatogor misses.
Ship half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Svyatogor lands with a hook. Ship tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

It looks like Roman Ship has been cut.
Roman Ship seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Svyatogor thows a left - swing and a miss!
Ship lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Svyatogor moves forwards but Ship connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Ship fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Svyatogor avoids it really well and circles away.
Svyatogor throws a leg kick but Ship checks it.
Ship throws a hook to the side of Svyatogor's head but Svyatogor sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Svyatogor moves out of range of the strikes.
Svyatogor ducks under a wild hook from Ship.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ship needs to keep his hands up - Svyatogor had a free shot at his head there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Svyatogor lands a lovely overhand right.
Svyatogor throws a hook but Ship blocks it.
Svyatogor thows a left - swing and a miss!
Dimitri Svyatogor is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The fighters circle momentarily. Ship darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Svyatogor moves out of range as Ship strikes.
Ship has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Svyatogor misses with a straight right.
Ship appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Svyatogor misses with an uppercut.
Svyatogor throws a jab but it's blocked by Ship.
Ship misses with a body shot.
Svyatogor throws a shot from downtown. Ship moves away and avoids it.
Ship slips under a jab from Svyatogor.
Svyatogor misses with an uppercut. Ship saw that one coming.

Svyatogor gets caught flat footed, as Ship shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Svyatogor keeping moving, preventing Ship from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Svyatogor has Ship pulled in close to control his posture.
Svyatogor keeping moving, preventing Ship from controlling successfully.

Svyatogor has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ship can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ship wants to control from the top but Svyatogor keeps moving.
Svyatogor seems keen to control Ship's posture.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ship avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Ship drops back, looking for a kneebar! Svyatogor looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Svyatogor looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Svyatogor!

Ship might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Svyatogor in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Ship is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ship manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Svyatogor wants to take a breather but Ship is having none of it.
Svyatogor is controlling the pace.

Svyatogor is looking for a kimura here.

Svyatogor is trying to work for a kimura but Ship is defending well.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dimitri Svyatogor will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Roman Ship's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ship throws a hook but Svyatogor blocks it.
The crowd cheers as Svyatogor lands an impressive looking overhand right. Ship doesn't seem phased though.
A swing and a miss from Svyatogor.
Ship half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Svyatogor takes a jab right on the kisser.
Ship looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Svyatogor throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Ship bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Ship looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Ship is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Svyatogor knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
A control attempt from Svyatogor but he's now mounted!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ship has hold of Svyatogor's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Svyatogor manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Svyatogor is squirming around, avoiding Ship's attempts to control the action.

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.
Ship avoids the attempt from Svyatogor to control.

Ship is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Svyatogor has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Svyatogor regains half guard.
Svyatogor is looking to control Ship's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Svyatogor avoid being mounted?
Ship controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Svyatogor has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Ship is working away from the top position though.
Roman Ship overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ship takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Svyatogor felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Svyatogor is trying to control but can't.
Svyatogor is controlling Ship's trapped leg to prevent Ship from advancing to side control.
Ship is looking to take a break and control but Svyatogor is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ship is looking to pass Svyatogor's guard but actually Svyatogor recovers to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Svyatogor wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Ship is now in half guard.
Ship is trying to control the action in half guard but Svyatogor is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ship is thwarting Svyatogor's attempts to control the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Svyatogor is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Ship.
Ship feinted with a counter takedown.
Dimitri Svyatogor seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Svyatogor just misses with a punch to the body.
Ship feinted with a counter takedown.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Svyatogor throws out a loose jab but Ship uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ship misses with an uppercut. Svyatogor saw that one coming.
Ship moves out of range as Svyatogor strikes.
Ship darts in trying to clinch
and Svyatogor counters with a stiff right hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Ship dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Roman Ship's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

A shot to the liver by Ship. Beautiful body shot.
Ship throws a good cross that connects.
Ship steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Svyatogor.
Ship appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Ship closes this distance looking for a takedown but Svyatogor circles away.
Ship thows a left - swing and a miss!
Ship drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

Roman Ship's cut is getting worse.
Ship throws a lazy right hand but Svyatogor sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Ship jumps guard but Svyatogor stands there with Ship around his waist. Ship gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Svyatogor lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ship tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Svyatogor's elbow.
Svyatogor can't find room to land a body shot as Ship controls the action.
Svyatogor looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Svyatogor pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Svyatogor misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Svyatogor misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Svyatogor's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ship throws a lazy uppercut
and Svyatogor counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Ship moves out of range as Svyatogor strikes.
Ship moves away from the strike by Svyatogor.

Ship scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Ship wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Svyatogor, who protects the arm well.

Ship working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Ship wants to control but Svyatogor is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Svyatogor can't do much from the bottom here.

Ship tries for a kimura but Svyatogor is defending well.
Ship is looking to take a break and control but Svyatogor is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ship tries to move to mount but Svyatogor blocks the move with his legs.

Ship wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Svyatogor, who protects the arm well.
Svyatogor wants to control but Ship postures up.
Svyatogor is looking for a sweep.
Svyatogor prevents Ship from improving position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Svyatogor tries to buck Ship off but Ship is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Svyatogor is not content to let Ship control the position.
Svyatogor is looking to reverse the position.
You can see the frustration on Svyatogor's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Ship missing with a left hand there. Svyatogor was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Ship misses with a straight right.
Ship just misses with a punch to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ship throws a shot to the body.
Svyatogor slips a jab from Ship.
Svyatogor 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.
Nice defenses there by Ship.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roman Ship showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ship has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roman Ship!
After winning the bout, Roman Ship thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.