PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vlad Gusev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Blake Stevenson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gusev comes to the cage accompanied by Bad to the Bone. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gusev
vs
Stevenson

192 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

186 cm
19
215 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vlad Gusev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Blake Stevenson!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gusev lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

It looks like Blake Stevenson has been cut.
Stevenson misses with a hook.
No joy there for Gusev, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Stevenson avoids a punch combination nicely.

Stevenson feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Gusev is looking to stand up but Stevenson isn't so interested in that idea.
Stevenson wants to control from the top but Gusev keeps moving.
Gusev knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Stevenson on the ground.
Stevenson might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Gusev kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Gusev is looking to stand up but Stevenson isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson trying to control but Gusev is working from the bottom.
Gusev has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Stevenson is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Gusev is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Gusev has escaped and now he's on top!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gusev wants to get up but he can't break Stevenson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Stevenson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Stevenson working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Gusev trying to stand up but can't free himself from Stevenson's guard.
Gusev is breathing heavily.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Gusev stuns Stevenson with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Gusev displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Stevenson.
Gusev slaps away a takedown attempt from Stevenson, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gusev connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Stevenson's hands.
Stevenson moves forwards but Gusev connects with a nice, crisp jab.

Stevenson clinches up with Gusev and pushes him back against the cage.

Stevenson decides to pull guard.
Stevenson is looking to stand up but Gusev isn't so interested in that idea.
Gusev is looking to stand up but Stevenson won't let him.

Gusev stands up and waves to Stevenson to follow him.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Stevenson is defended easily by Gusev.
Vlad Gusev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Blake Stevenson.
Gusev misses with a jab, cross combination.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Stevenson darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Gusev trying to hold on to Stevenson's head to control him but Stevenson postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stevenson is looking for a kimura but Gusev is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Stevenson to get the leverage.
Stevenson sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Gusev is refusing to be controlled, as Stevenson sits in half guard.
Gusev is controlling Stevenson's trapped leg to prevent Stevenson from advancing to side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Blake Stevenson will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Blake Stevenson's cut.
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.

Nice sprawl there from Gusev as Stevenson shoots in.
Gusev keeps the fight on the outside.
Gusev goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Stevenson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Gusev lands a two punch combo.
Gusev fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gusev closes the distance but Stevenson moves to the side

and Stevenson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Gusev won't be happy with that.
Gusev tries to bench press Stevenson off him but Stevenson keeps the position.
Stevenson trying to control the action but Gusev is working from the bottom.
Gusev tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Gusev tries to improve position but can't.
Gusev wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Gusev is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

Stevenson working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

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.
Gusev is not content to let Stevenson control the position.

Stevenson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Gusev has escaped the position, nice work there.
Stevenson wants to control but Gusev is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gusev is looking for a sweep.
Gusev is trying to control Stevenson's posture but Stevenson avoids it.

Stevenson is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Gusev is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Gusev is looking to regain half guard here but Stevenson keeps moving and retains side control.

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.

Stevenson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Stevenson is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Gusev is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Gusev is working to avoid the ground and pound but Stevenson connects with a decent elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blake Stevenson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Blake Stevenson's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Gusev looks to land a combination. Stevenson sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Gusev throws a series of punches but Stevenson moves out of range.
Gusev circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gusev fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gusev doesn't manage to clinch there - Stevenson circles away.
Vlad Gusev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No luck for Gusev with that takedown attempt.
Stevenson fails with a takedown attempt.
Stevenson shoots in for a takedown but Gusev shows good takedown defense.
Stevenson drops his hands momentarily and Gusev takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Stevenson fails with an attempt to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gusev will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A combination from Gusev does no damage.
Stevenson shoots in and drives through. Gusev sprawls well.
Vlad Gusev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Blake Stevenson.
Gusev's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Gusev duly obliges.

Stevenson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Blake Stevenson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson trying to control the position from guard on top but Gusev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stevenson throwing strikes but missing.
Stevenson stopping the sweep attempt from Gusev.
Stevenson lands a couple of elbows.

That's two 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.

Stevenson 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.
Stevenson throwing strikes but missing.
Gusev wants to stand but Stevenson is controlling the position.
Gusev wants to sweep but no luck.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Stevenson cracks the inside of Gusev's front leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gusev will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Stevenson clinches with his opponent.

Stevenson manages to break the clinch.
Gusev takes a swing at Stevenson's ribcage but misses.
Gusev throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gusev tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Stevenson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gusev paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Stevenson looks for a takedown but Gusev sprawls well.
Gusev is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Stevenson throws a right hand that Gusev ducks under and follows up with a left that Gusev also avoids with ease.
A head kick misses from Gusev.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gusev looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Stevenson clinches up with Gusev and pushes him back against the cage.
Gusev wants to get back to striking at distance but Stevenson won't allow it.
Stevenson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

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.
Stevenson lands an elbow inside that Gusev shrugs off.
Stevenson wants a takedown.
Stevenson is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Gusev pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Stevenson tries to pull guard but Gusev won't allow it.
Stevenson is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Stevenson manages to break the clinch.

Gusev gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Stevenson pulls Gusev into guard.
Gusev wants to stand and escape but instead Stevenson has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Blake Stevenson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Stevenson trying to control the position from guard on top but Gusev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stevenson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

And that's the end of the fight!
Blake Stevenson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Stevenson 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Blake Stevenson!