PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Russo (ranked 2849 p4p, 4777 weight class) and John Doe (ranked 374 p4p, 575 weight class). Doe is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Beastie Boys - Gratitude. On his way into the cage it seems that John Russo has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily John Russo seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Russo
vs
Doe

185 cm
25
219
2 - 1 - 0

199 cm
25
220
1 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Can Moonwalk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, John Russo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, John Doe!
The judges for this bout are Bart Greer, Sandra Marshall and Winston Alpacca.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Russo shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Russo throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Doe is trying to get back to full guard.

Doe looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Russo trying to control the action but Doe is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Russo working over Doe with some ground and pound. Doe looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Russo wants to pass to mount but Doe is defending the position.
Russo thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Doe's head.
Russo definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Doe keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Doe wants to get back to full guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Russo in particular looking to stall.
Russo throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Doe moves into full guard.
Russo passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Russo 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.
Russo working the ground and pound.
Doe gets back to half guard.
Russo scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Doe looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Doe wants to improve his position but Russo is controlling well.
Doe on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Russo is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russo is looking to advance position but Doe won't allow it.
Doe is trying to get back to full guard.
Doe keeps trying to improve his position.
Russo is keen to just control but Doe is a slippery customer.
Russo scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Russo content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Doe works his way to full guard. Good work.
Russo trying to control but Doe is working from the bottom.
Russo postures up.
Russo might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Russo sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Russo stopping the sweep attempt from Doe.
Russo landing with the ground and pound.
Russo trying to control the position from guard on top but Doe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Russo scoring with punches to the head and body.
Russo wants to control from the top but Doe keeps moving.
Doe bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Russo's guard.

Doe postures up and lands a big shot to Russo's brow.
Doe is working Russo over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Doe is working Russo over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Russo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Russo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russo thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Doe prevents Russo from getting back to his feet.
Doe lands a couple of decent looking shots.

It looks like John Russo has been cut.
Doe working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Russo's head.
Doe postures up and lands a big shot to Russo's brow.
Doe working some strikes from top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Doe lands a couple of digs.
Doe cracks Russo with a solid left hand.
Doe is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Doe trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Doe lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Russo controls Doe momentarily but Doe frees himself.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Russo is on top in guard.

Russo won't allow Doe to sweep him here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that John Russo will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on John Russo's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A punch lands to the side of Doe 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Good shot there by Russo.
Russo sizes up Doe with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Decent striking displayed by Doe there.
Doe misses with a wild body shot.
A decent looking cross lands there for Russo.
Russo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Doe.
Russo lands a right hook to the body.

Russo moves into the clinch.
Russo is trying to drag Doe to the mat but Doe just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Russo misses with a body punch.
Russo lands a shot to the body.
Doe swings away with an uppercut that misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A head punch on the inside from Doe fails to land.

Russo gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Doe is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Doe is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Russo landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Russo wants to control but Doe is keeping him busy.
Russo lands strikes from half guard.
Russo lands strikes from half guard.
Russo wants to control but Doe is keeping him busy.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Russo lands a nice short elbow.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Doe can do anything to dispel that myth.
Russo working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Russo not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Doe gets back to full guard.
Russo content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Doe is rocked!

Doe looking for a guillotine here but Russo defends easily.
Doe wants to sweep but no luck.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russo with a nice head shot there.
Russo wants to control from the top but Doe keeps moving.
Russo scoring with some ground and pound.
Doe is still in real trouble! Can Russo finish him?
John Russo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Russo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Doe seems to have recovered his senses.
Russo trying to control the position from guard on top but Doe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Doe is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Russo defends well.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Doe is on top in guard.

Russo 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Doe throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Doe postures up and lands a big shot to Russo's brow.
Russo is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Doe is controlling him.
Doe working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Russo controls Doe momentarily but Doe frees himself.
Doe postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Russo looking for a sweep. Not yet Russo, not yet.
Doe won't allow Russo to get back to his feet.
Russo is trying to keep Doe in close.
Doe postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Russo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Doe with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Russo is on top in guard.

Doe throwing rabbit punches from the bottom - showing the judges that he's keeping busy.

Doe has his foot on Russo's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Russo works his way back into a safe position though.
Russo won't allow Doe to sweep him here.
Russo trying to control but Doe is working from the bottom.

Doe looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Russo with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Russo looking to pass the guard.
Russo trying to control the position from guard on top but Doe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Doe is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

John Russo dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on John Russo's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Russo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Russo slips a straight right by Doe.
Doe throws an off balance right hand
and Russo counters with a stiff right hand.
Russo is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Doe can do to turn this around?
Russo swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Doe misses with an uppercut. Russo saw that one coming.
Doe lunges at Russo with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Russo's hand.

Russo closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Russo tries for a takedown. No joy.
Russo lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Russo misses with a body punch.
Russo prevents a body shot from Doe.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Russo tries to score a body lock takedown but Doe shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Doe misses with the head strike.
Doe struggles to land a body shot inside as Russo controls his hands.
Russo scores with a shoulder strike.
Russo tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Russo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Doe swings wildly with an uppercut but Russo uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Doe gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Russo working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Doe throws a head punch that misses.
Doe prevents a body shot from Russo.
Russo wants to take the fight to the mat but Doe manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Russo swings wildly with an uppercut but Doe uses good head movement to avoid it.
Doe gets underhooks to prevent Russo's takedown attempt.
Doe tries a body shot but Russo blocks it.
Doe lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Doe has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Russo is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Russo is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Doe gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Russo tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Russo misses with a hook to the ribs.

Doe breaks from the clinch.
Doe defending well as Russo loads up on a big left hand.
Russo blocks a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Russo waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Doe.
Russo uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Doe has time to react.
Doe waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Russo.
The crowd cheers as Doe lands an impressive looking overhand right. Russo doesn't seem phased though.
Russo misses with a wild body shot.

Doe clinches with his opponent.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A short right from Russo on the inside.
Doe blocks a body shot from Russo.
Russo tries a body shot but Doe blocks it.
Russo is looking for a takedown.

Doe breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Russo fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Russo instigates a clinch.
John Russo has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Russo blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Doe works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Russo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Doe.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Doe is in close to Russo's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Russo has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Doe 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.
Russo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Doe is one step ahead there.
Doe throws a big elbow that misses.
John Doe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Doe landing with the ground and pound.
John Russo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four 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.
Doe scoring with punches to the head and body.
Doe working some strikes from top position.
Russo wants to sweep here but Doe controlling him for the moment.
Russo seems keen to control Doe's posture.
Russo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Russo wants to stand and escape but Doe is having none of it.
Russo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Russo has Doe pulled in close to control his posture.
Russo has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Doe working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to John Doe.
Well Russo has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Bart Greer scores the fight 30:28
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 29:28
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Russo!
John Russo decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.