PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Oswaldo Fletcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Volodin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Daniel Volodin will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Fletcher
vs
Volodin

155 cm
18
140 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

174 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Oswaldo Fletcher!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Daniel Volodin!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Fletcher gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Volodin advances to half guard.
Volodin wants to stand up but Fletcher manages to regain full guard.
Fletcher looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Volodin slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Volodin working the ground and pound but Fletcher is defending the strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fletcher parries the strikes from Volodin easily there. Volodin is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Fletcher to escape.
Fletcher struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fletcher avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Volodin.

Volodin decides to stand back up. Volodin steps back and let's Fletcher get back to his feet.

Volodin scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Volodin decides to stand back up. Volodin steps back and let's Fletcher get back to his feet.

Volodin shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Volodin postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Fletcher to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Volodin.
Volodin is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Volodin working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Volodin in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

Volodin goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Fletcher rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Volodin's guard! Nice work there by Fletcher!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Volodin 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.
Volodin pulls Fletcher in to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher postures up.

Fletcher avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Fletcher landing some decent shots from guard.
Fletcher is in close to Volodin's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Fletcher throws a strike but Volodin rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Volodin trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Fletcher manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Volodin kicks Fletcher off and gets to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Volodin feints and as Fletcher raises his hands in defense, Volodin changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Volodin looks winded!
Fletcher looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Volodin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Fletcher swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Fletcher wants to sweep here but Volodin controlling him for the moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Volodin trying to control the position from guard on top but Fletcher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Volodin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Fletcher seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

Volodin closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Fletcher quickly recovers to half guard.
Volodin stalling away here and it's allowed Fletcher to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Volodin's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Volodin is looking to work some ground and pound but Fletcher has wrist control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Volodin sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Volodin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Fletcher works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Volodin looking to sit in guard and control but Fletcher gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Volodin had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Fletcher defends it easily.
Fletcher trying to control the position from guard on top but Volodin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fletcher makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Fletcher is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Fletcher loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher postures up in Volodin's guard and throws a big left but Volodin blocks it.
Fletcher scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Fletcher is working Volodin over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Fletcher trying to control the position from guard on top but Volodin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Volodin looking for a sweep. Not yet Volodin, not yet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Daniel Volodin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fight stays on the outside here - Volodin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Volodin throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Fletcher tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Volodin is in Fletcher's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Volodin won't allow Fletcher to sweep him here.
Volodin wants to pass the guard but Fletcher is keeping the position.
Volodin trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Fletcher manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Volodin is breathing heavily.
Fletcher missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fletcher scoring with some ground and pound.
Volodin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Volodin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Volodin managing to control the position.
Fletcher lands a couple of digs.
Fletcher postures up in Volodin's guard and throws a big left but Volodin blocks it.
Fletcher could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Fletcher working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Volodin's head.
Volodin is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Fletcher is controlling him.

Volodin is working an open guard so Fletcher takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Volodin drives through with a takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Daniel Volodin will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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!

Volodin tries to clinch but Fletcher moves out of range.
Fletcher tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Volodin manages to circle out of the way.

Volodin shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Fletcher moves into full guard.
Volodin preventing the sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fletcher is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Volodin wants to stand and escape but instead Fletcher has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fletcher throws a big elbow that misses.
Fletcher working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Volodin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Fletcher content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Volodin is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Volodin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Fletcher accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Volodin wants to sweep but no luck.
Fletcher connects with a couple of short punches.
Fletcher has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Volodin throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's two 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.
Fletcher landing some decent shots from guard.
Fletcher 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.
Fletcher content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Fletcher connects with a couple of short punches.
Fletcher might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Fletcher throws a big right hand that misses.
Fletcher would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Volodin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Fletcher half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Fletcher avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
As Volodin tries to get set, Fletcher tries to push him back and clinch up but Volodin manages to avoid the attempt.

Volodin shoots in and bounces Fletcher off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher tries to strike from the bottom.
Volodin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Fletcher manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Volodin manages to get himself to full guard.

Fletcher drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Fletcher jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Volodin keeping moving, preventing Fletcher from controlling successfully.
Fletcher is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Fletcher makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Volodin is trying to control the position but Fletcher postures up.
Fletcher with a flurry of punches that miss.
Fletcher throws a big elbow that misses.
Fletcher scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Fletcher sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Fletcher keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Volodin's head.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Fletcher trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Oswaldo Fletcher has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Daniel Volodin is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Fletcher with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

And that's the end of the fight!
Oswaldo Fletcher showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Volodin has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daniel Volodin!