PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Aleksandr Kotlyar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arthur Zloyev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kotlyar's entrance music is P.I.M.P.. A fine choice. Zloyev is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Butterfly Temple - Бегу я рыl. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Kotlyar
vs
Zloyev

164 cm
18
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Aleksandr Kotlyar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Arthur Zloyev!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, David Schapiro and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Kotlyar looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kotlyar moves in looking to clinch but Zloyev pushes him off.
Jab from Zloyev.
Jab from Zloyev.
Kotlyar tries to close the distance and clinch but Zloyev swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kotlyar takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Zloyev smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

Zloyev closes the distance and clinches.
Zloyev is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Zloyev breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kotlyar has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Kotlyar there as he acknowledges the shot.
Kotlyar could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Zloyev connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Kotlyar momentarily.

Kotlyar is rocked!
Kotlyar moves to clinch but Zloyev breaks away
and Zloyev counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Zloyev changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Zloyev lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kotlyar closes the distance but Zloyev moves to the side
and Zloyev counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Zloyev circles away from the clinch attempt
and Zloyev counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Kotlyar thinking.
Kotlyar moves to clinch but Zloyev breaks away
and Zloyev counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kotlyar tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Zloyev counters with a straight right hand.
Kotlyar wants to clinch but Zloyev slips to the side
and Zloyev counters with a left to the body.
Kotlyar is breathing heavily.
Zloyev's corner calls for a 1-2. Zloyev obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Oh Kotlyar is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zloyev lands a glancing blow to the side of Kotlyar's head.
Zloyev ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Zloyev connects with a right hand. Kotlyar shakes it off.
Zloyev stuns Kotlyar with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zloyev darts in and clinches Kotlyar up against the cage.
Zloyev lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Zloyev trying to control the position but instead, Kotlyar has worked for underhooks and has pushed Zloyev into the cage.
Zloyev pushes Kotlyar back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Zloyev throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Kotlyar seems to have got his legs back now.
A short left from Zloyev.
A right handed body shot lands from Zloyev.
Zloyev scores with a hook to the body.
Zloyev wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Zloyev is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Nice body punch from Zloyev.
Zloyev wants to break free but Kotlyar has control.
Zloyev trying to control the position but instead, Kotlyar has worked for underhooks and has pushed Zloyev into the cage.
Zloyev lands with a left to the head.
Zloyev can't break the clinch.
Zloyev holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Zloyev is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Zloyev is looking to break free of the clinch but Kotlyar has double underhooks.
Zloyev wants to break the clinch but can't.
Zloyev scores with a shot to the side of Kotlyar's head.

Zloyev breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zloyev with a jab.

Kotlyar drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Zloyev manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Zloyev is pressing down on Kotlyar's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Kotlyar has gone for a leg lock! Zloyev slips out almost immediately though and dives into Kotlyar's guard.
Kotlyar being controlled here, momentarily.

Zloyev gets to his feet. Kotlyar looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zloyev throws a shot to the body.
Kotlyar takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Nice cross by Zloyev.
Zloyev is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Kotlyar had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
A cross from Zloyev lands.
Arthur Zloyev is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zloyev punishes Kotlyar's body with a nice straight punch.
Zloyev jabs Kotlyar to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Zloyev lands a really nice looking cross but Kotlyar seems unphased.
Kotlyar gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Zloyev connects with a looping right hand.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kotlyar closes the distance looking to clinch
and Zloyev counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arthur Zloyev dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Zloyev has managed to clinch.
Zloyev works on Kotlyar's body with a couple of short punches.
Zloyev lands a nice shot to the body.
Zloyev is trying to break the clinch but Kotlyar is controlling him.
A frustrated look appears on Zloyev's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Kotlyar misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Zloyev lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Zloyev is trying to maintain a safe position but Kotlyar gets an underhook and turns Zloyev into the cage.
Kotlyar working Zloyev over with knees to the body.
Zloyev tries to break the clinch but Kotlyar is controlling the position.
Kotlyar tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Zloyev avoids it.
Zloyev lands a right hand.
Kotlyar is trying to break free.
Kotlyar trying to land knees to the body.
Zloyev lands a body punch.
Zloyev has Kotlyar pushed against the cage.
Zloyev tries to break the clinch but Kotlyar is controlling the position.
Zloyev blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kotlyar letting Zloyev take a breather here.
Zloyev has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Zloyev scores with a hook to the body.
Zloyev is looking to break free of the clinch but Kotlyar has double underhooks.
Kotlyar has Zloyev pressed against the cage, preventing Zloyev from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Zloyev has had enough of the clinch but Kotlyar keeps him there for the moment.
Kotlyar tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Zloyev avoids it.
Zloyev is trying to push Kotlyar away but Kotlyar has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kotlyar tries to work over Zloyev's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Zloyev breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kotlyar doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Kotlyar has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Zloyev scores with a hook to the body. Kotlyar takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Zloyev has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Zloyev fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Kotlyar looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
A shot to the liver by Zloyev. Beautiful body shot.
Zloyev lands with a shot to the body.

Zloyev clinches up against the cage.
Zloyev lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Zloyev lands a shot to the body.
Kotlyar keeps control of Zloyev as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Zloyev cracks Kotlyar with a nice body shot.
Kotlyar stalling in the clinch but Zloyev improves position.
Zloyev wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zloyev has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Zloyev lands a right hand.
Zloyev lands a body punch.

Zloyev breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Zloyev fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Kotlyar takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Kotlyar takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Zloyev works Kotlyar's body with a nice hook.
Zloyev works Kotlyar's body with a nice hook.

Zloyev rushes Kotlyar and presses him up against the cage.
Kotlyar being controlled against the cage.
Zloyev is trying to force a seperation but Kotlyar has the dominant position.
Zloyev gets through Kotlyar's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Zloyev lands a nice shot to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Kotlyar throws an elbow but misses.
Zloyev lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Kotlyar.
Zloyev is leaning against Kotlyar and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short left from Zloyev.

Zloyev breaks from the clinch.
Kotlyar walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Zloyev with a hook.
Zloyev connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Aleksandr Kotlyar is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kotlyar closes the distance looking to clinch
and Zloyev connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kotlyar takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Zloyev lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Zloyev.
Zloyev lands the left hand.
Kotlyar takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Kotlyar takes a jab right on the kisser.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A punch lands to the side of Kotlyar 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Zloyev digs a good body shot into Kotlyar's ribs.
Zloyev lands a jab.
Kotlyar takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zloyev jabs Kotlyar to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Zloyev moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Zloyev fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zloyev lands a jab to the nose.
Zloyev clobbers Kotlyar with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Zloyev scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Kotlyar doesn't seem bothered though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arthur Zloyev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Kotlyar is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Zloyev.
Zloyev lands a lovely overhand right.
Kotlyar is sent reeling backwards by a solid uppercut. He barely regains his balance and Zloyev moves in for the kill throwing a continuous barrage of punches that force the ref to step in.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:15 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Arthur Zloyev!