PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Vinny Russo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johan Larsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Larsson has chosen Foo Fighters - My Hero as his entrance music. Vinny Russo has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Russo
vs
Larsson

181 cm
23
183 lbs
6 - 1 - 1

185 cm
26
183 lbs
15 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
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 6 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vinny Russo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Johan Larsson!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Colin Fotheringham and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Russo moves out of range as Larsson strikes.
A left lands for Larsson.
Russo throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Larsson takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Larsson misses with a few strikes there.

Russo shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Russo showed some decent athleticism there.
Russo is looking to advance position but Larsson won't allow it.
Russo with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo wants to control but Larsson is keeping him busy.
Larsson is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Russo slows the pace down in half guard.
Russo is trying to control the action in half guard but Larsson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Vinny Russo.

Russo shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Larsson napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Russo just content to control the position.
The strikes coming from Russo are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Larsson is looking to reverse the position.
Larsson is not content to let Russo control the position.
Larsson struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo trying to control the action but Larsson is working from the bottom.
Russo is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Larsson's shoulder. That is not cool.
Russo throws a strike aimed at the side of Larsson's head but Larsson avoids it well.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Larsson looks to score with a jab to the body but Russo is just out of range.
Russo scores with a hook to the body. Larsson takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Larsson throws a hook but Russo avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Russo throws a jab but it's blocked by Larsson.
Russo throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Larsson counters with a good low kick that Russo was not able to check.
Russo throws a combination that misses
and Larsson counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Larsson misses with a straight left.

Russo looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Larsson trying to control the position.
Russo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Russo trying to control the position from guard on top but Larsson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Larsson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Russo controls the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vinny Russo dominated that round.
That's time! Russo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Russo throws a looping overhand right but Larsson ducks down to avoid it.
Larsson looks to land a right hand but Russo moved out of range.
Russo waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Larsson.
Larsson throws a front kick aimed at Russo's knee but Russo avoids it well.
Larsson turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Vinny Russo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Larsson throws the left hand but Russo avoids the punch easily.
Russo misses with a combination
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
enabling Larsson to counter with a crisp jab.
A jab from Larsson misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Russo lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Larsson throws a right hand that Russo ducks under and follows up with a left that Russo also avoids with ease.
Larsson looks to score with a jab to the body but Russo is just out of range.
Russo scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Russo throws out a loose jab but Larsson uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larsson takes a jab right on the kisser.
Larsson misses with a hook.
Larsson throws a nice inside leg kick.
Larsson waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Russo.
A big right from Larsson misses.
Russo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Larsson.
Russo throws a body punch but Larsson moves out of range.
Larsson avoids the body shot from Russo.
Jab by Russo.
Larsson staying out of range there.
Larsson just misses with a punch to the body.
Nice takedown defense from Larsson. No joy for Russo on that attempt.
Russo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Larsson, as that shot connected.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russo throws a push kick but Larsson slaps the foot to one side.
Larsson wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Larsson throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Russo.
Russo takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Russo tries to score a power double leg takedown but Larsson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Russo somewhat.
Larsson lands with a good body shot.
Russo lands a body shot.
Russo slips a straight right by Larsson.
Larsson connects with a nice looking jab.
Larsson throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Russo moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Larsson misses with a looping right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larsson looks to land a left hand but Russo moved out of range nicely.
Russo misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Russo lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Larsson thuds his right hand into Russo's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Russo moves away from the strike by Larsson.
Russo closes this distance looking for a takedown but Larsson circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vinny Russo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Russo misses the shot to the body.
Russo misses with a series of wild punches.
Larsson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Russo moves away.
Jab, jab by Larsson - just one landing.
Russo will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Russo throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Larsson misses with a hook. Russo ducked under it nicely.
Larsson ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Russo takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
A jab from Larsson misses.
Larsson cracks the inside of Russo's front leg.
Russo takes a swing at Larsson's ribcage but misses.
Johan Larsson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Russo is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Larsson throws the left hand but Russo avoids the punch easily.
Russo lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Larsson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Johan Larsson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Russo keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Larsson.
Larsson misses with an uppercut. Russo saw that one coming.
Larsson swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Larsson lands a nice shot to the body.
Larsson throws a hook but Russo blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Johan Larsson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Russo misses with a few strikes there.
Larsson throws a right hand that Russo ducks under and follows up with a left that Russo also avoids with ease.
Russo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Larsson.
Larsson throws out a loose jab but Russo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Larsson misses with a straight left.
The fighters circling - Larsson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Russo misses with a looping left.
Larsson getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Russo has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Russo there as he acknowledges the shot.
Larsson misses with a body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Larsson bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Russo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Larsson.
Larsson misses with a double jab
letting Russo counter with a right hand.
A slow jab from Russo misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larsson just misses with a punch to the body.
Russo takes a swing at Larsson's ribcage but misses.
Russo throws a hook but Larsson avoids it easily.
Larsson throws a hook to the side of Russo's head but Russo sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Larsson slips a jab and a cross from Russo.
A punch combination from Russo misses.
Larsson does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Russo throws a left and a right that both miss
and Larsson counters with a series of strikes. Russo will be more careful next time no doubt.
Larsson pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Russo misses with a double jab.
Russo jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Russo misses with a straight right.
Larsson throws a body punch but Russo moves out of range.
Russo takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larsson moves out of range as Russo strikes.
Larsson slaps away a takedown attempt from Russo, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Larsson swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Russo counters with a nice uppercut.

Russo scores a takedown into full mount!
Russo sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Russo's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Russo landing shots from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Russo thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

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.
Russo wants to control the pace but Larsson is squirming around nicely.
Russo controlling from mount.
Larsson is in all sorts of trouble here.
Russo controlling from the full mount.
Russo has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vinny Russo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Russo has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vinny Russo!