PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Frankie Valenzuela (ranked 5102 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gena Lap (ranked 6285 p4p, 0 weight class). Gena Lap has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Valenzuela
vs
Lap

151 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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, Frankie Valenzuela!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Gena Lap!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Fedor Mirinova and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lap keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Valenzuela shoots for a double leg takedown but Lap sprawls well. He's pushed Valenzuela's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Valenzuela.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frankie Valenzuela. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice sprawl there from Lap as Valenzuela shoots in.

Lap looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Valenzuela is looking for a sweep. Lap is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lap wants to lay and pray for a moment but Valenzuela keeps working.
Valenzuela manages to get to full guard.
Valenzuela could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valenzuela utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Valenzuela looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Lap content to stall in guard here.
Valenzuela is controlling Lap's posture.
Lap landing with the ground and pound.

Lap stands up from Valenzuela's guard - Lap perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Valenzuela shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lap sprawls well. Lap wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Valenzuela gets slowly back to his feet.
Valenzuela stuffs the takedown.

Valenzuela drives through and clinches with Lap against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Valenzuela.

Lap has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Valenzuela uses from the top position.
Lap wants to stand up but Valenzuela is controlling him.
Valenzuela has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Lap trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valenzuela controls from within his opponent's guard.
Lap is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Valenzuela postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Valenzuela scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Valenzuela stopping the sweep attempt from Lap.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Lap bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Lap looks winded!
Lap wants to control but Valenzuela is keeping him busy.
Lap tries to stand but Valenzuela is controlling his head.
Valenzuela is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Lap trying to control the position but Valenzuela is working away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Valenzuela tries to improve position but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Valenzuela shoots in but Lap avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Lap has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Valenzuela goes for a double leg but Lap avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Lap continues to drive forward.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Lap.

Lap shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Valenzuela is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lap gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Valenzuela drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Lap is breathing heavily.
Lap is trying to control Valenzuela's posture but Valenzuela avoids it.
Valenzuela working the ground and pound but Lap is defending the strikes.

Valenzuela stands up.
Valenzuela shoots in looking for a takedown. Lap tries to sprawl out of it but Valenzuela keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Lap manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Lap replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Valenzuela blocks it well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frankie Valenzuela. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Lap.
Valenzuela is looking to counter the offense by Lap and move into the clinch.
Valenzuela shoots in looking for a takedown but Lap manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Valenzuela's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Lap.
Valenzuela wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Lap trying to control the action but Valenzuela is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valenzuela tries to improve position but can't.
Lap trying to control the action but Valenzuela is working from the bottom.
Valenzuela might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Valenzuela trying to control but Lap flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Lap trying to control.
Valenzuela is in bad spot here.
Valenzuela breaks Lap's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Lap will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Valenzuela controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Lap is trying to control the position but Valenzuela postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Gena Lap will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Lap has managed to clinch.
Lap fails to pull guard.
Come on Lap - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Valenzuela lands with a right to the head.
Valenzuela is struggling to control the position.
Lap is trying to break the clinch but Valenzuela is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lap fails to pull guard.
Lap takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Lap drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Valenzuela gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Lap has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Valenzuela seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Lap can turn it around.
Frankie Valenzuela has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gena Lap.

Lap jumps guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valenzuela controls from within his opponent's guard.
Valenzuela with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lap trying to keep a closed guard but Valenzuela is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Lap is working an open guard so Valenzuela takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
No luck for Valenzuela with that takedown attempt.

Valenzuela gets a takedown into half guard.
Lap is looking for a sweep. Valenzuela is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Valenzuela is working for a kimura but Lap is defending it quite comfortably.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Valenzuela in particular looking to stall.
Lap tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Valenzuela looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Gena Lap seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Valenzuela takes one on the button.

Valenzuela looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Valenzuela seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lap controls Valenzuela momentarily but Valenzuela frees himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frankie Valenzuela showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Lap 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Gena Lap!