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WP 68 PBP Commentary |
This TWGC bout is 1 fifteen minute round in the super heavyweight division. Introducing today's competitors. In the red corner, competing out of New York, with a TWGC record of 59 wins and 41 losses; The Reverend Jim Ignatowski! And in the blue corner, fighting out of New York, with a TWGC record of 43 wins and 54 losses; Boris Balkan!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Steven Brown and James Ackerman.
The fighters connect hands in the middle of the mat and we are under way.
Ignatowski drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard. Score +2 for takedown into guard / half guard: Ignatowski (2) vs (0) Balkan
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Ignatowski slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Ignatowski pushing down on Balkan's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Balkan is staying active underneath Ignatowski, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Balkan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Balkan is trying to maintain the position but Ignatowski is very close to passing his half guard.
Ignatowski wants to pass to mount but Balkan is defending the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balkan trying to hold on to Ignatowski's head to control him but Ignatowski postures up.
Balkan looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Ignatowski content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Balkan is looking to control Ignatowski's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Balkan avoid being mounted?
Ignatowski wants to lay and pray for a moment but Balkan keeps working.
Ignatowski has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balkan has a hand on Ignatowski's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Ignatowski takes advantage of the position though and mounts him! Score +3 for passing guard: Ignatowski (5) vs (0) Balkan
Balkan wants to control but Ignatowski is having none of it.
Balkan regains half guard.
Ignatowski prevents Balkan from improving his position.
Balkan is positioning himself well to prevent Ignatowski advancing to mount.
Balkan trying to control but Ignatowski postures up.
Ignatowski is figuring out what he wants to do next.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ignatowski wants to free his trapped foot but Balkan is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Ignatowski wants to control but Balkan is keeping him busy.
Balkan wants to get back to full guard.
Balkan is refusing to be controlled, as Ignatowski sits in half guard.
Ignatowski moves into full mount! Balkan won't be happy about that! Score +3 for passing guard: Ignatowski (8) vs (0) Balkan
Ignatowski controlling his opponent.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balkan is trying to escape the mount.
Ignatowski wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
Balkan is trying desperately to improve position.
Ignatowski looking to control and managing it successfully.
Ignatowski wants to control the action but instead Balkan gets a body lock and reverses into Ignatowski's guard! Nice work! Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Ignatowski (8) vs (2) Balkan
That's five minutes gone in the round.
Balkan advances to half guard.
Balkan is trying to control. Ignatowski wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Ignatowski gets full guard.
Ignatowski 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.
Balkan trying to control the position from guard on top but Ignatowski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Balkan looking to pass the guard.
That's six minutes gone in the round.
Ignatowski wants to sweep here but Balkan controlling him for the moment.
Balkan slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Balkan wants to pass the guard but Ignatowski is keeping the position.
Ignatowski escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Balkan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ignatowski keeping moving, preventing Balkan from controlling successfully.
That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Balkan looking to pass the guard.
Ignatowski can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Balkan controls the pace.
Balkan forces his way into half guard.
Balkan is looking to advance position but Ignatowski won't allow it.
Ignatowski has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Balkan is working away from the top position though.
My spies in Blacktalians MMA II inform me that Balkan has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Ignatowski is looking for a sweep. Balkan is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Ignatowski is controlling Balkan's trapped leg to prevent Balkan from advancing to side control.
Balkan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ignatowski keeps working.
Ignatowski makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Ignatowski.
Balkan is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Ignatowski is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ignatowski is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Balkan is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Balkan stays in close to Ignatowski's body and controls the position.
Balkan looking to pass the guard.
Ignatowski looking for a sweep. Not yet Ignatowski, not yet.
Ignatowski is working hard here to advance position.
Balkan controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Balkan preventing the sweep.
Ignatowski is trying to control the position from the bottom.
That's ten minutes gone in the round.
Balkan looking to pass the guard.
Balkan sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Ignatowski's guard.
Balkan moves into full mount! Ignatowski won't be happy about that! Score +3 for passing guard: Ignatowski (8) vs (5) Balkan
Balkan can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ignatowski is looking to escape.
Balkan fails to take his opponent's back.
That's eleven minutes gone in the round.
Ignatowski has given up his back here.
Score +3 for taking back: Ignatowski (8) vs (8) Balkan
Ignatowski rolls, trying to escape but Balkan keeps control of the position.
A lull in the action here.
Balkan is trying to stick to Ignatowski's back but Ignatowski is turning into Balkan. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Balkan's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Ignatowski. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Ignatowski (10) vs (8) Balkan
Balkan working a defensive guard but Ignatowski passes into half guard.
Ignatowski is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Ignatowski wants to pass the guard but Balkan is defending well.
That's twelve minutes gone in the round.
Balkan wants to control but Ignatowski is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Ignatowski content to control rather than advance.
Ignatowski wants to free his trapped foot but Balkan is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Balkan looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
That's thirteen minutes gone in the round.
Ignatowski trying to control from half guard but Balkan is working away.
Balkan is trying to maintain the position but Ignatowski is very close to passing his half guard.
Ignatowski trying to control from half guard but Balkan is working away.
Ignatowski works his way into side control. Score +3 for passing guard: Ignatowski (13) vs (8) Balkan
Balkan is looking to reverse the position.
That's fourteen minutes gone in the round.
Balkan struggling a bit here.
Ignatowski passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Balkan! Score +2 for reaching mount: Ignatowski (15) vs (8) Balkan
Balkan stops Ignatowski from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Balkan wants to hold on but Ignatowski pushes him away.
Balkan can't escape the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that's the end of the fight!
Ignatowski takes the fight on points by 15 to 8.
The Reverend Jim Ignatowski thanked the fans post fight for their support. |
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