PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Victor Kherson (ranked 4104 p4p, 4350 weight class) and Yingjie Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Kherson
vs
Li

174 cm
18
177
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
174
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 Helsinki, Victor Kherson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yingjie Li!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Johanna Lukiainen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Li will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
A head kick misses from Li.
Kherson lands a jab-cross combination.

Kherson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Li tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Li is letting Kherson control him for a moment.
Li is looking for a sweep.

Kherson tries for a kimura but Li is defending well.
Kherson slows the pace down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kherson landing strikes.
Li wants to control but Kherson postures up.
Kherson throws a strike aimed at the side of Li's head but Li avoids it well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kherson working away.
Li is looking to reverse the position.
Li wants to control but Kherson postures up.
Li is trying to get back to half guard.
Kherson staying calm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kherson decides to stand back up.
Kherson lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Kherson.

Kherson drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Kherson stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Yingjie Li seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Li misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kherson avoids the head kick by Li.
Kherson misses the shot to the body.
Li misses with a leg kick

and Kherson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kherson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Kherson decides to stand and escape the position.
Li looks winded!

Kherson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Kherson showed some decent athleticism there.
Nice strikes from Kherson there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li tries to get to full guard but Kherson has control of the leg.
Kherson throws a strike but Li avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Kherson 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.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Li not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kherson controlling from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kherson is pushing down on Li's leg trying to pass to half guard. Li is fighting to maintain full guard but Kherson has managed to sneak the leg through.
Kherson is pressing down on Li's thigh, looking to free his foot. Li is holding on for now.
Kherson keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Kherson has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Li is trying to get back to full guard.
Kherson looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Kherson is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Li has managed to free his arm - good work.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Li misses with a leg kick

and Kherson counters with a single leg into guard. Li didn't expect that.
Li looking to control.
Kherson pushes down on Li's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Still in half guard, Kherson seems content to control.
Li tries to roll over but Kherson keeps him under control.
Kherson passes into side control, despite Li's attempt to control the position.
Kherson happy to just control the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kherson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Li knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kherson stands up.

Kherson closes the distance and clinches.
Li has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Kherson taking a breather.

Li breaks the clinch.
Li fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kherson has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Li scores with a leg kick.
Kherson misses with a wild body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li throws a low kick but Kherson avoids it.
Li throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Li misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kherson wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.

Kherson darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Kherson content to control rather than advance.
Li is trying to maintain the position but Kherson is very close to passing his half guard.
Kherson working Li over with strikes.
Li has hold of Kherson's hands but Kherson slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kherson with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Li trying to control but Kherson postures up.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Li is trying to control but can't.
Kherson content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Li tries to get to full guard but Kherson has control of the leg.

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.

Kherson is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Li defends it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kherson slips a nice elbow through Li's hands, connecting with Li's forehead.
Li looks like he's trying to stand up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kherson working Li over with strikes.
Kherson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Li can do to turn this around?
Kherson tries to pass the half guard into mount. Li knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Victor Kherson 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!

Kherson has managed to clinch.
Li trying to stall but Kherson improves his position.
Li has a couple of punches blocked by Kherson.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Kherson looking to throw knees to the head but Li is blocking nicely.

Li breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Kherson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Li's guard.
Kherson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kherson seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Li for as long as he can get away with.
Li not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kherson sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Li is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Kherson gets to his feet - Li follows without any prompting.

Kherson fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Li to the ground. Kherson is now in Li's guard.
Kherson might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Kherson drops back looking for a leg! Li is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Li manages to kick Kherson off! Kherson jumps back into Li's guard.
Kherson postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kherson stands up from Li's guard - Kherson perhaps looking for a knockout.
An inside leg kick lands from Li.

Kherson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Kherson in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Kherson gets to mount! Li was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kherson looking to control and managing it successfully.
Li tries to lock up and control but Kherson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Kherson working Li over with strikes here.
Kherson takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Li keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Li takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Li wants to hold on but Kherson pushes him away.
Kherson tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Kherson landing shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Li that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Kherson working for a guillotine from mount but Li is in no mood to give up.
Li tries to lock up and control but Kherson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Kherson landing strikes, looking to finish!
Kherson lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Kherson breaks from Li's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Kherson tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Kherson has hold of Li's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Li manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Yingjie Li has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Victor Kherson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Li is wriggling around trying to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Victor Kherson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kherson, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Victor Kherson!