PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fedor Lesnar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vinchenzo Fratello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Fratello's choice of entrance music: Made You Look. Fedor Lesnar could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Vinchenzo Fratello's chin.

Lesnar
vs
Fratello

186 cm
23
191 lbs
4 - 3 - 1

175 cm
19
185 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Experienced

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Knockout power

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 4 - 3 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Fedor Lesnar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vinchenzo Fratello!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Valeri Chadov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lesnar tries to close the distance and clinch but Fratello swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lesnar just misses with a punch to the body.

Fratello scores a takedown into full mount!
A nice elbow there by Fratello.
Lesnar is looking to get to half guard.
Fratello raining down shots from the mount!
Lesnar is trying to escape the mount.
Lesnar regains half guard.

Lesnar actively working from the bottom here.
Fratello controlling the pace.
Lesnar trying to control here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lesnar is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Fratello is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fratello throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Lesnar is looking for a sweep. Fratello is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Fratello is controlling the pace.
Fratello wants to take a breather but Lesnar is having none of it.
Lesnar trying to hold on to Fratello's head to control him but Fratello postures up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Lesnar gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Fratello counters with a single leg into guard. Lesnar didn't expect that.
Fratello looking to pass the guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Lesnar controls Fratello momentarily but Fratello frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fratello throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Fratello controls from within his opponent's guard.
Fratello throws a big right hand that misses.
Fratello 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.

Lesnar has his foot on Fratello's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Fratello works his way back into a safe position though.
Fratello stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lesnar swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Lesnar tries to clinch

and Fratello decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Lesnar's guard.
Lesnar keeping full guard, as Fratello tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fratello thows a big elbow that misses.
Fratello scoring with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lesnar looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Lesnar is breathing heavily.
Fratello throwing strikes from guard but Lesnar blocks nicely.
Fratello trying to control the position from guard on top but Lesnar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Lesnar has his foot on Fratello's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Fratello works his way back into a safe position though.
Fratello scoring with punches to the head and body.
Fratello controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Fratello landing with the ground and pound.

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.
Lesnar is trying to keep Fratello in close.
Fratello stopping the sweep attempt from Lesnar.
Fratello wants to control from the top but Lesnar keeps moving.
Fratello looking to pass the guard.
Fratello really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lesnar. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Lesnar is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lesnar misses with a low kick.

Fratello gets a takedown into half guard.
Lesnar has hold of Fratello's hands but Fratello slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vinchenzo Fratello dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Lesnar tries to clinch but Fratello moves away

and Fratello counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Fratello controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Fratello must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Fratello in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Fratello controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Lesnar is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Lesnar looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Fratello controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Lesnar will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Lesnar wants to sweep here but Fratello controlling him for the moment.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fratello sitting in guard here, content to control.
Lesnar is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Fratello throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lesnar works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Fratello with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Fratello trying to control but Lesnar is working from the bottom.

Lesnar has his foot on Fratello's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Fratello works his way back into a safe position though.
Lesnar bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Fratello's guard.
Fratello 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.
Fratello doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Fratello has his hands on Lesnar's head, controlling the position.
Vinchenzo Fratello has got the better of the ground game so far.

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.
Fratello trying to keep a closed guard but Lesnar is proving a slippery customer.
Lesnar pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Fratello is keeping the position for now.
Fratello keeping moving, preventing Lesnar from controlling successfully.
Lesnar tries to free his leg and advance position but Fratello is retaining full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Fratello shoots in and bounces Lesnar off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Lesnar escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Fratello gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Fratello's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lesnar working a defensive guard here.
Fratello cracks Lesnar with a solid left hand.
Lesnar can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Fratello controls the pace.
Fratello trying to control but Lesnar is working from the bottom.
Fratello landing with the ground and pound.
Fratello throwing strikes from guard but Lesnar blocks nicely.

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.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Fratello's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Fratello avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Fratello controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Fratello slips nicely into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vinchenzo Fratello showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A combination from Lesnar does no damage.
Fedor Lesnar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lesnar throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Fratello fails to land the takedown.
Fratello closes the distance and clinches up with Lesnar, looking for a takedown. Fratello pushes Lesnar against the cage but Lesnar circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Lesnar with a poor takedown

and Fratello decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Lesnar's guard.
Lesnar keeping full guard, as Fratello tries to pass.
Lesnar looking to hit a scissor sweep but Fratello is one step ahead there.
Fratello trying to control the position from guard on top but Lesnar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lesnar throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fratello working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lesnar looking for a sweep. Not yet Lesnar, not yet.
Lesnar wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Fratello manages to pass to side control.
Fratello is looking to take a break and control but Lesnar is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Lesnar misses with a double jab.
Lesnar throws a front kick aimed at Fratello's knee but Fratello avoids it well.
Lesnar misses with a takedown

and Fratello counters with a shoot takedown. Lesnar fights it but they end up in guard.
Fratello works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Fratello slows the pace down in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Fratello has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Lesnar is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Fratello scores with a couple of nice shots.
Lesnar looks like he's trying to stand up.
Fratello lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Fratello slips a nice elbow through Lesnar's hands, connecting with Lesnar's forehead.
Lesnar has hold of Fratello's hands but Fratello slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Lesnar with the active half guard here but Fratello passes nicely into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fratello controlling from side mount.
Fratello lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Lesnar down.
Lesnar wants to control but Fratello postures up.
Fratello taking a breather here.
Lesnar tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Fratello working away.
Fratello controls the position.
Fratello wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lesnar keeps working.
A lull in the action here.
Lesnar sneaks back into half guard.
Fedor Lesnar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lesnar is trying to stand up here but Fratello is controlling him well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vinchenzo Fratello comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Fratello winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vinchenzo Fratello!