PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joonas Tuska (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Duka Begovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Begovic has chosen Gigolo Americana as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Tuska
vs
Begovic

187 cm
20
188 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
187 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight 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, Joonas Tuska!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Duka Begovic!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tuska misses with a takedown attempt - Begovic sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Begovic with a lazy takedown attempt
and Tuska connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A nice leg kick lands there from Tuska.
Begovic connects with a high kick.
Tuska lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Tuska.
Begovic pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Tuska shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Tuska wants to stand up but Begovic is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Begovic is trying to stand.
Tuska is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Tuska controlling the action here.

Tuska escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Begovic throws a head kick that misses.
Tuska is looking to clinch but Begovic is avoiding it.
Begovic pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Begovic falls off balance throwing a combination

and Tuska counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Begovic's guard now.
Begovic looking to control.
Begovic keeping moving, preventing Tuska from controlling successfully.
Begovic is trying to keep Tuska in close.

Begovic kicks Tuska off and gets to his feet.
Tuska is breathing heavily.
Begovic throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Begovic drives through and clinches with Tuska against the cage.

Begovic breaks the clinch.

Begovic looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Tuska!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Begovic won't let Tuska get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Tuska working to try and regain half guard.
Begovic can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tuska is looking to escape.
Tuska is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Tuska is looking to get to half guard.
Begovic wants to control the pace but Tuska is squirming around nicely.

Tuska bucks Begovic off and manages to get back to his feet!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuska misses with a double jab

and Begovic counters with a takedown into side control.
Tuska is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Begovic asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Begovic decides to stand back up. Begovic steps back and let's Tuska get back to his feet.

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

Tuska stands up from Begovic's guard - Tuska perhaps looking for a knockout.
Tuska wants to clinch up but Begovic keeps it at a distance.
Tuska tries to clinch but Begovic moves out of range.
Tuska lands a high kick!
Tuska misses with the body kick
letting Begovic counter with a right hand.
Tuska lands a slapping body shot.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Tuska!
Tuska explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Tuska thuds his shin into the meat of Begovic's side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tuska closes the distance and clinches.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Tuska escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tuska swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Begovic.
Tuska throws a sloppy head kick and Begovic moves out of range easily.
A slapping leg kick lands for Tuska.

Tuska shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Tuska sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Tuska with good strikes from the mount here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tuska lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Tuska scoring with strikes but Begovic is staying in there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Tuska throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tuska pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Some bone on bone action there as Begovic checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

Tuska bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Begovic is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Begovic struggling a bit here.
Begovic defending against the ground and pound.

Tuska stands up and beckons Begovic to his feet.
Tuska tries to clinch there but Begovic circles away.
Begovic has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Begovic throws a head kick that misses
and Tuska finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Tuska misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
No joy there for Tuska, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Begovic throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Tuska's waist but Tuska gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Begovic off to one side.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Tuska.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuska throws a series of strikes that have Begovic backpedaling.
Begovic fails with the takedown.
Tuska throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Begovic fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Tuska sprawls well initially but Begovic persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Tuska wants to get back to full guard but Begovic has mounted him!
Begovic looking to control but Tuska is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Begovic sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Joonas Tuska overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tuska is squirming around, avoiding Begovic's attempts to control the action.
Begovic controlling the pace for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuska is squirming around, avoiding Begovic's attempts to control the action.
Begovic controlling his opponent.

Despite being in the dominant position, Duka Begovic just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Begovic slips a jab from Tuska.

Tuska decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Begovic tries to get to full guard but Tuska has control of the leg.
Begovic moves into full guard.

Tuska gets to his feet. Begovic looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Begovic throws a sloppy head kick

and Tuska counters with a single leg into guard. Begovic didn't expect that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuska trying to control but Begovic is working from the bottom.
Tuska controls from within his opponent's guard.
Tuska trying to control but Begovic is working from the bottom.
Tuska wants to pass the guard but Begovic is keeping the position.

Tuska stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Begovic moves in looking to clinch but Tuska pushes him off.
Begovic tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A left and a right from Tuska both land. Nice combination.

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.
Tuska shoots and misses
and Begovic counters with a body kick.
Begovic stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Tuska.
Tuska darts in trying to clinch

and Begovic holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Begovic leaning his opponent against the cage.

Tuska breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Begovic wants to clinch.
Tuska circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tuska misses with a double jab
and Begovic counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Tuska misses with a double jab.
Begovic throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tuska.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joonas Tuska dominated that second round.
That's time! Tuska's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Begovic attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

Tuska has closed the distance and engaged Begovic in a clinch.
Tuska gets underhooks to prevent Begovic's takedown attempt.
Tuska wants to break free but Begovic has control.
Begovic gets underhooks to prevent Tuska's takedown attempt.
Begovic can't find room to land a body shot as Tuska controls the action.
Tuska tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Begovic just stands there and leans against the cage.
Tuska prevents Begovic from breaking the clinch.

Tuska drags the fight down to the ground.
Tuska looking to hit a scissor sweep but Begovic is one step ahead there.
Tuska wants to improve his position but instead Begovic has moved into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tuska wants to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Begovic wants to get back to his feet.
Tuska slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Begovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Tuska is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tuska looking to hit a scissor sweep but Begovic is one step ahead there.
Tuska looking to control.

Tuska scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Tuska moves in looking to clinch but Begovic pushes him off.

That's two 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.
Tuska tries a head kick but it misses.
Tuska throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Begovic throws a head kick that misses

and Tuska counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Tuska is tying to control. Begovic wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Tuska keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Tuska stops Begovic from getting back to his feet.
Begovic won't allow Tuska to pass to mount.

Tuska escapes and gets back to his feet.

Begovic shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Tuska is looking to improve his position but Begovic isn't that keen on the idea.
Begovic controlling his opponent.
Tuska is squirming around, avoiding Begovic's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Begovic controlling from the full mount.
Tuska tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Begovic controlling his opponent.
Begovic can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tuska is looking to escape.
Tuska really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Tuska wants to try and get back to his feet.

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.
Tuska is trying desperately to improve position.
Tuska is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Tuska is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Tuska is trying to stand.
Tuska tries to hold on but Begovic postures up.
Tuska is trying desperately to improve position.
Begovic controlling the pace for now.
Tuska tries to reverse the position but Begovic maintains control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joonas Tuska showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Tuska, 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joonas Tuska!