PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between David Horn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Ruslan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Horn
vs
Ruslan

190 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, David Horn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Igor Ruslan!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Dmitry Maklakov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horn is looking to clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Ruslan is defended easily by Horn.

Horn has closed the distance and engaged Ruslan in a clinch.
Horn lands an elbow inside that Ruslan shrugs off.
Horn connects with a knee to the head.
With the fighters up against the cage, Horn throws an elbow but misses.

Horn breaks the clinch.
Horn circles away from the clinch attempt

and Horn counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Horn utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
A knee to the head by Horn.
Ruslan looks gassed!
Horn prevents Ruslan from breaking the clinch.
A knee to the head by Horn.

Horn breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Horn moves into the clinch.

Horn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Horn forces Ruslan back against the cage and clinches.
Ruslan tries to circle away but Horn has him pinned against the cage.
Ruslan tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Horn just stands there and leans against the cage.
Horn missing with knees to the body.
Ruslan on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Horn pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
David Horn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fight stays on the outside here - Horn looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Horn doesn't manage to clinch there - Ruslan circles away.

Horn darts in and clinches Ruslan up against the cage.
Horn is stalling here.

Horn breaks the clinch.

Horn rushes Ruslan and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Horn connects with a knee to the head.
Horn is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Ruslan is defending well for now.
Horn utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Horn tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

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

Horn pushes Ruslan up against the cage in a clinch.
Ruslan blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Horn landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Ruslan fails to pull guard.
David Horn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Igor Ruslan.

Horn breaks the clinch.

Horn has managed to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horn misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ruslan.
Horn pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Ruslan jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Horn walks away with a smile on his face. Ruslan gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ruslan throws a sloppy head kick

and Horn counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Ruslan on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Horn scores with a knee to the head.
Horn looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Ruslan missing with knees to the body.

Horn breaks the clinch.

Horn clinches with his opponent.
Ruslan drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Horn breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ruslan misses with a takedown

and Horn counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Horn.

Horn breaks from the clinch.
Horn moves in looking to clinch but Ruslan pushes him off.

Horn moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Horn pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Horn content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Horn misses with a knee strike.
Horn using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ruslan has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ruslan has Horn pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Horn manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Ruslan blocks an elbow strike.
Ruslan goes for a takedown in the clinch but Horn prevents it.
Ruslan drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Horn gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Horn putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Ruslan in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Ruslan goes for a takedown in the clinch but Horn prevents it.
Horn with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Horn breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Horn closes the distance but Ruslan moves to the side
and Ruslan counters with a solid body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Horn tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Ruslan counters with a body kick.
Horn tries to clinch but Ruslan is having none of it.
Ruslan keeps the fight on the outside.

Horn takes the fight into the clinch.
Horn keeps control of Ruslan as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Horn manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
A frustrated look appears on Horn's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ruslan jumps guard but Horn stands there with Ruslan around his waist. Ruslan gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ruslan tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Horn smiles and moves away.
Ruslan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Horn dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Horn closes the distance but Ruslan moves to the side

and Ruslan counters by moving into the clinch.

Horn manages to break the clinch.

Horn closes the distance and clinches.

Horn breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Horn moves into the clinch.
Horn misses with a knee to the head.
Ruslan looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Horn dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Ruslan stalling in the clinch but Horn improves position.
Ruslan blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Horn throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Ruslan fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Horn landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Horn has Ruslan pressed against the cage, preventing Ruslan from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Ruslan avoiding damage as Horn throws knees to the body.
Horn crunches a lovely knee into Ruslan's ribcage.
Ruslan jumps guard but Horn stands there with Ruslan around his waist. Ruslan gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Horn manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Horn darts in and clinches Ruslan up against the cage.
Horn misses with an elbow over the top.
Ruslan fails to pull guard.
David Horn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Igor Ruslan.
Ruslan has had enough of the clinch but Horn keeps him there for the moment.
Ruslan tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Horn just stands there and leans against the cage.

Horn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Horn rushes Ruslan and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Horn tries to land knees in the clinch but Ruslan avoids the damage to the body.

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

Horn drives through and clinches with Ruslan against the cage.
Horn tries a knee to the head but Ruslan blocks it.
Horn avoiding damage as Ruslan throws knees to the body.
Horn throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ruslan drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Horn gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Ruslan tries to pull guard but Horn holds him up against the cage and eventually Ruslan drops back down to his feet.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Ruslan tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Horn just stands there and leans against the cage.
Horn lands a knee to the body.
Horn stalling the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horn stops a takedown attempt from Ruslan.
Ruslan has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Ruslan tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Ruslan tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Horn just stands there and leans against the cage.
Horn gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Ruslan is trying to drag Horn to the mat but Horn just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Ruslan is trying to break free.
Horn tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ruslan tries to pull guard but Horn holds him up against the cage and eventually Ruslan drops back down to his feet.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Horn just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ruslan's brow.
Ruslan is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Horn gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Horn misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ruslan.

Horn breaks from the clinch.
Ruslan shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Horn moves into the clinch.

Horn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ruslan shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Horn sprawls well. Horn wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ruslan gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruslan tries a head kick but it misses.

Horn gets a clinch.
Horn lands a knee to the body.
Horn misses with a knee strike.
Ruslan jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Horn walks away with a smile on his face. Ruslan gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Horn stuffs the takedown attempt from Ruslan. Ruslan gets slowly back to his feet.

Horn clinches with his opponent.
Ruslan goes for a takedown attempt but Horn pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Horn gets a clinch.
Ruslan goes for a takedown in the clinch but Horn prevents it.
Horn looking to throw knees to the head but Ruslan is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Horn breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ruslan throws a head kick that misses.

Horn closes the distance and clinches.
Ruslan fails to pull guard.
Horn slows down the pace here.
Ruslan jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Horn walks away with a smile on his face. Ruslan gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Horn doesn't manage to clinch there - Ruslan circles away.
Ruslan throws a head kick but Horn moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Horn looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Horn clinches but Ruslan breaks the clinch
and Ruslan counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Horn is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Ruslan throws a head kick that misses.
Horn tries to clinch there but Ruslan circles away.
David Horn is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Horn tries to clinch but Ruslan is having none of it.
Ruslan closes this distance looking for a takedown but Horn circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Horn dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

A solid body kick from Ruslan.
Horn tries to clinch there but Ruslan circles away.
Ruslan tries a head kick but it misses.

Horn closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Horn manages to break the clinch.
Ruslan tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Horn counters by moving into the clinch.

Horn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Horn tries to clinch but Ruslan is having none of it.
David Horn is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Horn clinches up with Ruslan and pushes him back against the cage.
Horn lands a knee to the head.
Horn tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Horn looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Ruslan is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Horn will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Ruslan up against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Horn using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ruslan has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ruslan tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Horn just stands there and leans against the cage.
Horn misses with a knee strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruslan tries to pull guard but Horn won't allow it.
David Horn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Igor Ruslan.
Horn connects with a nasty looking knee right to Ruslan's face.
Ruslan tries to pull guard but Horn holds him up against the cage and eventually Ruslan drops back down to his feet.
Ruslan can't get the takedown.
Horn tries a knee to the head but Ruslan blocks it.
Ruslan working hard to break the clinch.
Ruslan drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Horn just leaning against Ruslan, taking a breather.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Horn for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Ruslan looking for a takedown.
Ruslan jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Horn walks away with a smile on his face. Ruslan gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ruslan gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Horn holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Horn prevents a takedown attempt there.
Horn holding his opponent close, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horn throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Ruslan blocks it with crossed arms.
Ruslan has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Horn is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Ruslan jumps guard but Horn stands there with Ruslan around his waist. Ruslan gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ruslan tries for a takedown but Horn manages to get underhooks.
Horn looking to throw knees to the head but Ruslan is blocking nicely.

Horn manages to break the clinch.
Horn defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ruslan.
Horn tries to clinch up but Ruslan circles away and keeps his distance.
Horn is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ruslan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Horn rushes Ruslan and presses him up against the cage.
Horn working hard to break the clinch.
Ruslan goes for a takedown attempt but Horn pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Ruslan avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Horn moves into range and clinches up with Ruslan.
Horn stops a takedown attempt from Ruslan.
The referee is keeping an eye on Horn - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Horn keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ruslan's efforts to push away.
Horn stalls.
Horn prevents Ruslan from breaking the clinch.
Horn misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ruslan.
Ruslan drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Horn gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Ruslan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ruslan shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Horn counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Ruslan tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Horn just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruslan takes a knee right on the jaw!
Horn with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Horn is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Horn stalling.
Ruslan tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Horn tries to land a knee to the head but Ruslan blocks with his arms.
Horn tries to land a knee to the head but Ruslan blocks with his arms.
Horn keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ruslan's efforts to push away.
Ruslan is trying to break free.
Ruslan is trying to drag Horn to the mat but Horn just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Horn lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Ruslan tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Horn smiles and moves away.

Horn clinches.
Igor Ruslan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
David Horn is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ruslan wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
David Horn showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Horn 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... David Horn!