PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ilya Kushnevich (ranked 3740 p4p, 24267 weight class) and Aubrey Grant (ranked 451 p4p, 682 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Kushnevich
vs
Grant

179 cm
21
160
3 - 4 - 0

183 cm
21
155
2 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Great low kicks
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Conviction
Conquer

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ilya Kushnevich!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Aubrey Grant!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Russell Pearce and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Grant misses with a series of wild punches.
Grant is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Kushnevich moves in looking to clinch but Grant pushes him off.
Kushnevich ducks under a wild hook from Grant.
As Grant backs away, Kushnevich returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Grant throws a big shot that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kushnevich is looking to chop away at Grant's legs.
Grant appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Grant takes a body punch but keeps moving.
A swing and a miss from Grant.
Kushnevich definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kushnevich throws a hook but Grant avoids it easily.
Grant throws the left hand but Kushnevich avoids the punch easily.
Kushnevich uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Grant.
Kushnevich tries to clinch but Grant is having none of it.
Jab, jab by Kushnevich - just one landing.
Kushnevich lands a nice hook to Grant's body. Grant takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Kushnevich takes a kick to the side of the head.
Grant misses with a hook. Kushnevich ducked under it nicely.
Grant pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Kushnevich slips under a jab from Grant.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Grant.
Kushnevich paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Grant swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kushnevich blocks a jab.
Grant takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Grant slips under a jab from Kushnevich.
Kushnevich misses with a body shot.
Kushnevich looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Grant throws out a counter right but Kushnevich avoids it with no problem.
Grant pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Grant walks into a stiff left hand from Kushnevich.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kushnevich throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Grant keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Grant throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kushnevich sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Kushnevich drops down looking for a counter takedown but Grant sprawls and moves away.
Kushnevich is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kushnevich ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Grant moves away.
Grant might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Grant checks a low kick from Kushnevich.
It seemed like Grant was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Kushnevich slips under a jab from Grant.
Grant throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Kushnevich counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kushnevich lands a body shot.
Grant gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Kushnevich.
Grant prevents a takedown attempt there.
Grant lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Kushnevich backwards.
Kushnevich is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Grant gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ilya Kushnevich. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Grant breaks from the clinch.
Grant scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Kushnevich doesn't seem bothered though.
Grant lands a head shot.
Kushnevich slips under a jab.
Grant connects with a single shot there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kushnevich swings for the body but Grant moves out of range.
Grant now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Aubrey Grant will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Grant connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Kushnevich's hands.
Grant misses with a telegraphed body shot
letting Kushnevich counter with a right hand.
Grant looks to land a right hand but Kushnevich moved out of range.
Kushnevich changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Kushnevich on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Grant pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Kushnevich drops down looking for a counter takedown but Grant sprawls and moves away.
Kushnevich lands with a thumping leg kick.
A swing and a miss from Kushnevich.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grant misses with a series of wild punches.
Kushnevich slips under a jab from Grant.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick by Grant misses

and Kushnevich counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Kushnevich working over Grant with some ground and pound. Grant looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Kushnevich not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Grant is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Grant keeping control of the position.
Kushnevich is pressing down on Grant's thigh, looking to free his foot. Grant is holding on for now.
Kushnevich seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kushnevich not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Kushnevich throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Kushnevich landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Kushnevich connects with a nice short shot to Grant's temple.
Kushnevich missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kushnevich perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Kushnevich 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.
Kushnevich throwing shots but Grant is blocking nicely.
Kushnevich wants to take a breather but Grant is having none of it.
Kushnevich throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Kushnevich throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kushnevich working Grant over with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grant is looking to control Kushnevich's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Grant avoid being mounted?
Kushnevich sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Grant defending well though.
Grant controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kushnevich seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Grant blocking the ground and pound attempt from Kushnevich.
Kushnevich not landing any meaningful shots this time.

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.
Kushnevich looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Kushnevich tries to land a front kick but Grant steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
It seemed like Grant was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Grant fakes the leg kick and cracks Kushnevich in the body.
Kushnevich lands with a shot to the body.
Aubrey Grant seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Grant tries a head kick but it misses.
Kushnevich feinted with a counter takedown.
Grant throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kushnevich feinted with a counter takedown.
Grant tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Grant has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Grant there as he acknowledges the shot.
Kushnevich with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ilya Kushnevich dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Grant throws a sloppy head kick and Kushnevich moves out of range easily.
Grant connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Grant scores with a nice right hand.
Kushnevich dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Jab, jab by Kushnevich - just one landing.
Kushnevich throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kushnevich moves out of range of the strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kushnevich throws a body shot but no joy.
Kushnevich looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Kushnevich ducks under a wild hook from Grant.
It looked like Kushnevich was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Grant.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Kushnevich.
Grant swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A big left from Kushnevich misses.
Kushnevich misses with an uppercut. Grant saw that one coming.
Kushnevich missing with a left hand there. Grant was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Grant looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Kushnevich throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Kushnevich has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Kushnevich misses with a straight right.
Grant throws a poor cross that misses

and Kushnevich counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Grant!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ground and pound from Kushnevich seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Kushnevich working the ground and pound.
Grant struggling a bit here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Grant can do anything to dispel that myth.
Kushnevich tries to score with some ground and pound. Grant controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Kushnevich sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Grant is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Grant dodges the ground and pound from Kushnevich.
Grant trying to remain calm as Kushnevich controls from the top position.
Grant takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Grant wants to control but Kushnevich postures up.
Kushnevich landing a few strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kushnevich working the ground and pound but Grant is defending the strikes.
Kushnevich creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Grant sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
The referee asks Kushnevich politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Kushnevich prefers to stall for the moment though.
Grant takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Kushnevich is putting a hurting on Grant here, landing some big shots from side control.
Kushnevich is chipping away with strikes.
Kushnevich working the head with strikes.
Kushnevich working the ground and pound but Grant is defending the strikes.
Kushnevich looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Grant is avoiding damage well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Check out the look on Kushnevich's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Kushnevich wants to control but Grant is keeping him busy.
Kushnevich throws an elbow but Grant slips to the side and avoids it well.
Kushnevich controls the position.
Grant avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Kushnevich.
Kushnevich tries to score with some ground and pound. Grant controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Grant taking a bit of punishment here - Kushnevich scoring with strikes.
Kushnevich tries to move to mount but Grant blocks the move with his legs.
Kushnevich taking a break here but Grant is having none of it and regains half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ilya Kushnevich showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Kushnevich 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:28
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ilya Kushnevich!
Aubrey Grant spoke after the fight, saying '7.05'.