PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Golovin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Richard Head (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Golovin
vs
Head

182 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
20
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Golovin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Richard Head!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Ivan Kurochkin and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Golovin shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Head sprawls well. Head wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Golovin gets slowly back to his feet.
Head takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Head scores with a body shot.
Head throws a leg kick

and Golovin holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Golovin can't get the takedown.
Golovin stalling the fight.
Head tries to break free but Golovin pushes him back against the cage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Golovin takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Head fails to pull guard.
Head is working for takedown but Golovin is calmly controlling the position for now.
Head swings wildly with an uppercut but Golovin uses good head movement to avoid it.

Golovin is trying to trip Head. He has hold of a leg but Head is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Golovin persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Golovin postures up and lands a big shot to Head's brow.
Golovin stays in close to Head's body and controls the position.

Head is looking for a triangle but Golovin pushes his legs off easily.
Head is trying to hold Golovin in close to prevent damage but Golovin has managed to pass into half guard.
Head really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Golovin. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Head is looking to control Golovin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Head avoid being mounted?
Golovin slips a nice elbow through Head's hands, connecting with Head's forehead.
Head is looking to control Golovin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Head avoid being mounted?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Head tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Golovin manages to move to mount!
Head tries to hold on but Golovin postures up.
Head tries to buck Golovin off but Golovin takes his back!

Golovin looking for the choke but no joy.
Head trying to control the position but Golovin manages to sink in the hooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Golovin has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Head has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Head rolls, trying to escape but Golovin keeps control of the position.
Head trying to control the action but Golovin just sinks the hooks in.

Golovin working for a choke but Head is defending well.
Golovin throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Golovin is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.

Head fending off the submission attempt from Golovin.
Head tries to escape the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Head takes a big shot to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Golovin dominated that 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.

Head tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Golovin counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Golovin.
Golovin tries for a takedown. No joy.
Head wants a takedown but no success here.
Golovin jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Head walks away with a smile on his face. Golovin gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Head misses with a takedown attempt - Golovin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Head displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Golovin.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ivan Golovin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Golovin stuffs the takedown.
Golovin wants to clinch up but Head keeps it at a distance.
Head slaps away a takedown attempt from Golovin, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Golovin looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Golovin throws a series of punches but Head moves out of range.
Head tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Golovin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Head connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Golovin momentarily.
Head has a takedown stuffed.
Head tries to close the distance and clinch but Golovin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Head shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Golovin as he jumps to the side.
Head lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Golovin backs up against the cage.
Head is breathing heavily.
Head throws a leg kick

and Golovin counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Golovin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Head tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Golovin pulls guard.
Golovin doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Golovin is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Head tries to free his leg and advance position but Golovin is retaining full guard.

Golovin is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Golovin is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Head is looking to improve his position.
Golovin not doing much here.

Golovin postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Head to stand up.
Golovin has a takedown stuffed.

Golovin tries to sprawl but Head drives through with a takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Head is pressing down on Golovin's thigh, looking to free his foot. Golovin is holding on for now.
Golovin is trying to control but can't.
Ivan Golovin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Head seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Golovin does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Golovin flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Head working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Golovin's thigh. Golovin counters though and makes it back to full guard.

Golovin is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Richard Head will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Head looks to clinch

and Golovin counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Golovin.
Head tries for a takedown but Golovin manages to get underhooks.
Still in the clinch, Head scores with a nice short uppercut.
Head gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Golovin.
Head tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Head drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ivan Golovin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Richard Head.
Head fails to pull guard.

Golovin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Golovin gets a clinch.
Golovin can't get the takedown.

Golovin breaks from the clinch.
Golovin looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Head throws a head kick that misses.

Golovin closes the distance and pushes Head back into the cage.

Golovin jumps into guard, dragging Head to the mat.
Head tries to free his leg and advance position but Golovin is retaining full guard.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Head tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Golovin easily slips into full mount!

Golovin looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Head is working to get back to half guard.

Golovin has hold of Head's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Head manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Head avoids a series of strikes thrown by Golovin.
Golovin throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Golovin lands a nice shot to the head.
Golovin throwing strikes here but Head is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Head is desperately trying to improve his position but Golovin has a good base and remains in mount.
Golovin thowing shots but they're missing.
Golovin punching from mount but Head doing a good job of avoiding damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Golovin throws some wild stikes that Head manages to avoid easily.
Head is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Head flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Head looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!

Golovin tightening his grip on Head, looking for the choke.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ivan Golovin showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Golovin 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ivan Golovin!