PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Vladimir Girya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joca Fenomeno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Girya
vs
Fenomeno

183 cm
21
183 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
28
180 lbs
6 - 8 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight 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, Vladimir Girya!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Joca Fenomeno!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Ivan Kurochkin and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Girya fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Fenomeno, pushing him back against the cage.
Girya fails to pull guard.

Girya wants the takedown. Fenomeno is fighting it off but Girya persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Fenomeno's guard against the cage.
Fenomeno throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Girya knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Fenomeno on the ground.

Fenomeno throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Fenomeno striking off his back but it's not causing Girya any problems.
Fenomeno trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Fenomeno has a closed guard, preventing Girya from standing up.
Fenomeno trying to strike off his back.
Girya has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Fenomeno is proving hard to escape from.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fenomeno scores with a couple of body punches from the bottom.
Fenomeno manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Girya manages to get himself to full guard.
Fenomeno trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Fenomeno is looking to work some ground and pound but Girya has wrist control.
Girya preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Girya wants to stand up but Fenomeno is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fenomeno postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Girya wants to get back to his feet but Fenomeno is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Fenomeno throws a big right hand that misses.
Fenomeno connects with a couple of short punches.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
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!
Fenomeno throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Girya working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Fenomeno.
Fenomeno scoring with some ground and pound.
Girya is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Fenomeno scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fenomeno connects with a couple of short punches.
Fenomeno won't allow Girya to get back to his feet.
Fenomeno with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Fenomeno stops Girya from standing up.
Fenomeno lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Girya on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Girya tries to get out of the position.
Girya is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Fenomeno is controlling him.
Fenomeno loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Fenomeno throwing strikes but missing.
Fenomeno throws a big right hand that misses.
Fenomeno postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Fenomeno working some strikes from top position.
Girya wants to stand and escape but Fenomeno is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Girya keeping moving, preventing Fenomeno from controlling successfully.
Fenomeno prevents Girya from getting back to his feet.
Girya utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Fenomeno stands up over Girya, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Fenomeno is looking to work some ground and pound but Girya has wrist control.
Girya wants to get back to his feet but Fenomeno is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Girya is breathing heavily.
Fenomeno postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Fenomeno trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Girya working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Fenomeno.
Girya wants to stand and escape but Fenomeno is having none of it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Girya pushes Fenomeno off and scrambles back to his feet.

Girya moves into the clinch.
Fenomeno working hard to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joca Fenomeno dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Fenomeno changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Girya tries to avoid it but Fenomeno manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Girya to the ground. Girya escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Girya just misses with a punch to the body.
A punch combination from Girya misses.
Girya slaps away a takedown attempt from Fenomeno, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Fenomeno shoots in looking for a takedown but Girya manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Fenomeno's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Vladimir Girya has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joca Fenomeno.
Girya tries a head kick but it misses.
Fenomeno tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Girya swivels and escapes.
Fenomeno avoids a punch combination nicely.
Fenomeno blocks a head kick by Girya.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Fenomeno.
Girya throws a right hand that Fenomeno ducks under and follows up with a left that Fenomeno also avoids with ease.
Fenomeno slips a jab and a cross from Girya.
Fenomeno on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Girya goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Fenomeno shoots for a takedown but Girya saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Girya misses.
Fenomeno shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Fenomeno is breathing heavily.
Girya throws a right and a left that Fenomeno avoids nicely.
Fenomeno dives in and grabs Girya's left leg, looking for a takedown. Girya pushes down on Fenomeno's head and hops out.
Fenomeno slips a jab and a cross from Girya.
Girya throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Some wild striking there from Girya.
Fenomeno fails with the takedown.
Girya scores with a three punch combo!
Fenomeno fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Girya moves into the clinch.
Fenomeno prevents a takedown attempt there.
Girya is trying to drag Fenomeno to the mat but Fenomeno just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Girya manages to pull guard.
Girya wants to stand up but Fenomeno is controlling him.
Fenomeno keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Girya's head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fenomeno sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Girya's guard.
Girya pushes Fenomeno off looking to stand but Fenomeno dives back in and keeps control.
Girya keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Girya is trying to stand back up but Fenomeno is controlling him
Fenomeno thows a huge punch but Girya dodges it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Fenomeno there.
Fenomeno working the head and body with strikes.
Fenomeno has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Fenomeno not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Girya is refusing to be controlled, as Fenomeno sits in half guard.
Fenomeno not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Fenomeno missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Fenomeno thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Girya's head.
Girya tries to kick Fenomeno off but Fenomeno keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Fenomeno throwing shots but Girya is blocking nicely.
Girya blocking the ground and pound attempt from Fenomeno.
Fenomeno seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Fenomeno trying to control from half guard but Girya is working away.
Fenomeno thows a huge punch but Girya dodges it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fenomeno stops Girya from getting back to his feet.
Fenomeno landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Fenomeno is nestled in close to Girya, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Fenomeno not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Fenomeno is nestled in close to Girya, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Girya wants to get back to his feet.
Girya blocking the ground and pound attempt from Fenomeno.
Girya is trying to stand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fenomeno not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Fenomeno throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Fenomeno is looking for a kimura here.
Fenomeno slips a nice elbow through Girya's hands, connecting with Girya's forehead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joca Fenomeno showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, 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.

Sloppy strikes from Girya. Those never looked like landing.
Fenomeno fails with a takedown attempt.
Girya connects with a crisp jab.
Fenomeno dives in and grabs Girya's left leg, looking for a takedown. Girya pushes down on Fenomeno's head and hops out.

Girya gets a double leg takedown into Fenomeno's guard.
Fenomeno looking to hit a scissor sweep but Girya is one step ahead there.
Girya would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Fenomeno throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Fenomeno will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Girya trying to stand up but can't free himself from Fenomeno's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fenomeno working for a triangle but Girya defends it easily.
Joca Fenomeno has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Girya wants to stand and escape but instead Fenomeno has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Fenomeno stops Girya from standing up.
Fenomeno throwing strikes from guard but Girya blocks nicely.
Fenomeno stands up over Girya, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Girya wants to get back to his feet but Fenomeno is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Fenomeno drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Fenomeno seems to have locked his on tight now - Girya screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Fenomeno, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Joca Fenomeno!
A relieved looking Joca Fenomeno thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.