PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Arthur Carvalho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Valentin Shovkovskyj (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Carvalho
vs
Shovkovskyj

171 cm
22
184 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
20
195 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Hates pizza

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Arthur Carvalho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Valentin Shovkovskyj!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Winston Alpacca and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Carvalho darts in looking for a takedown but Shovkovskyj gets double underhooks and turns Carvalho into the cage.
Carvalho goes for a takedown attempt but Shovkovskyj pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Shovkovskyj defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Carvalho.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Arthur Carvalho. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Carvalho has his takedown stuffed

and Shovkovskyj counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carvalho misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Shovkovskyj is trying to work for a kimura but Carvalho is defending well.
Shovkovskyj trying to control from half guard but Carvalho is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shovkovskyj is working for a submission of some sort.

Carvalho looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Carvalho wants to control but Shovkovskyj is keeping busy.
Carvalho is looking for a sweep. Shovkovskyj is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Carvalho actively working from the bottom here.

Shovkovskyj is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Carvalho gets back to full guard.

Shovkovskyj thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Carvalho is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Carvalho could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Carvalho working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Shovkovskyj has passed into half guard!
Carvalho is looking for a sweep. Shovkovskyj is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Shovkovskyj seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Carvalho does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Shovkovskyj is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carvalho wants to control but Shovkovskyj is keeping busy.
Carvalho is trying to get back to full guard.
My spies in Foot Loves inform me that Shovkovskyj has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!

Shovkovskyj seems to be working for a kimura but Carvalho defends the submission attempt.

Carvalho is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Shovkovskyj pulls his head out easily.
Carvalho taking some punishment here, with Shovkovskyj in his half guard.
Shovkovskyj thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Carvalho's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Carvalho is looking to improve his position.
Carvalho is working hard here to advance position.

Carvalho looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Carvalho looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Shovkovskyj wants to work for an arm triangle but Carvalho is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Valentin Shovkovskyj dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Carvalho shoots for a double leg takedown but Shovkovskyj sprawls well. He's pushed Carvalho's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Carvalho looking to score a takedown here. Shovkovskyj is defending well but Carvalho drives through and ends up in Shovkovskyj's guard.
Shovkovskyj seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Carvalho looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shovkovskyj trying to keep a closed guard but Carvalho is proving a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shovkovskyj utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Carvalho postures up in Shovkovskyj's guard and throws a big left but Shovkovskyj blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carvalho trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Carvalho wants to control from the top but Shovkovskyj keeps moving.
Shovkovskyj avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Carvalho looking to pass the guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Shovkovskyj decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Carvalho wants to control but Shovkovskyj is keeping busy.

Shovkovskyj is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Carvalho is just riding it out for now. Shovkovskyj eventually gives up the hold.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shovkovskyj is working for a kimura but Carvalho is defending it quite comfortably.

Shovkovskyj is working for a submission of some sort.

Shovkovskyj is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carvalho works his way to full guard. Good work.
Shovkovskyj postures up.
Valentin Shovkovskyj has got the better of the ground game so far.
Carvalho tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Carvalho looking for a guillotine here but Shovkovskyj defends easily.
Shovkovskyj must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Shovkovskyj wants to stand but Carvalho is controlling his posture from full guard.

Carvalho escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Shovkovskyj gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
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.

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

Carvalho misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Carvalho misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Shovkovskyj is looking to reverse the position.

Carvalho is trying to get an arm triangle but Shovkovskyj is defending well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Carvalho misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arthur Carvalho dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Carvalho shoots and misses

and Shovkovskyj counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Shovkovskyj lands a takedown into guard.
Shovkovskyj looking to pass the guard.
Shovkovskyj advances position into side control!

Shovkovskyj tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Shovkovskyj has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Carvalho regains half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carvalho is looking to improve his position.
Shovkovskyj is trying to control the action in half guard but Carvalho is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carvalho gets back to full guard.
Carvalho 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.
Shovkovskyj working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Carvalho's head.

Carvalho throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Carvalho tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Carvalho has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Carvalho misses with the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carvalho trying to control the position but Shovkovskyj is working away.
Carvalho postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

Carvalho thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Carvalho looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Shovkovskyj can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Carvalho tries for a kimura but Shovkovskyj is defending well.

Carvalho working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Shovkovskyj prevents Carvalho from moving into mount.

That's four 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.
Shovkovskyj gets back to half guard.

Carvalho is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Shovkovskyj is trying to get back to full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Shovkovskyj avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Carvalho.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Arthur Carvalho.
I think Carvalho 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 Santiago Holmes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 29:28
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arthur Carvalho!