PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Frankie Russo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mo Lestor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Russo
vs
Lestor

169 cm
25
165 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

165 cm
23
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Frankie Russo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mo Lestor!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Taro Takaoka and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lestor moves in looking to clinch but Russo pushes him off.
Lestor tries to clinch there but Russo circles away.
Lestor should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Russo lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Lestor at a distance.
Russo paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Lestor tries to close the distance and clinch up but Russo swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lestor wants to clinch.
Mo Lestor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Russo scores with the left hand. Lestor knows he should have avoided that one.
Russo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Lestor fails in his attempt to clinch.
Lestor fails in his attempt to clinch.

Russo closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Lestor did well to prevent Russo getting side control.
Lestor has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Russo is working away from the top position though.
Russo seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Russo is looking to take a break and control but Lestor is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Lestor looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo is pressing down on Lestor's thigh, looking to free his foot. Lestor is holding on for now.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Russo connects with a nice short shot to Lestor's temple.
Lestor wants to control but Russo is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Russo lands a nice short elbow.
Russo thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Lestor to regain full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Lestor escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Russo gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Russo working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Russo pushes down on Lestor's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Lestor on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Russo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Lestor does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Lestor taking some punishment here, with Russo in his half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Russo lands a nice short elbow.
Lestor wants to get back to his feet.
Lestor looks gassed!
Russo trying to control from Lestor's half guard. Lestor has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Russo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Lestor trying to keep a closed guard but Russo is proving a slippery customer.
Russo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Russo trying to control but Lestor is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Russo scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

Russo drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Russo is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Russo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Lestor is on top in guard.
Lestor is fighting to break Russo's control of his arms but Russo is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russo 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.
Russo on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Russo tries to get out of the position.
Russo trying to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frankie Russo dominated that round.
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.

Lestor tries to clinch up.

Russo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Russo lands a big elbow.
Lestor tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Russo fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Russo with a couple of short strikes.
Russo is stalling here but it's allowed Lestor to get half guard.
Russo keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Russo not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Lestor on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Russo winds up and cracks Lestor with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo working the head and body with strikes.
Lestor is breathing heavily.
Russo scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Lestor flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Russo thows a huge punch but Lestor dodges it nicely.

Lestor actively working from the bottom here.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Russo lands a nice short elbow.
Lestor on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Russo trying to pass the guard but Lestor defending well.
Russo scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Lestor is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Russo scores with a couple of nice shots.
Russo controlling the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russo is nestled in close to Lestor, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Lestor is trying to get back to full guard.
Frankie Russo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lestor is not content to let Russo control the position.
Russo working the head and body with strikes.
Russo throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Lestor regains full guard. Nicely done.
Russo scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Russo throwing strikes from guard but Lestor blocks nicely.
Lestor has momentary wrist control but Russo slips an elbow through the middle.
Russo works over Lestor with some ground and pound from guard.
Russo wants to control from the top but Lestor keeps moving.
Russo postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Russo wants to control from the top but Lestor keeps moving.
Lestor is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russo is staying active underneath Lestor, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Russo regains full guard. Nicely done.
Russo is pulling down on Lestor's head to control his posture.
Russo lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Lestor!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frankie Russo dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Russo shoots in and bounces Lestor off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Lestor kicks Russo off and gets to his feet.

Russo shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Lestor is trying to defend but Russo finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Lestor works his way to full guard. Good work.
Russo lands a couple of digs.
Lestor working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Russo.
Russo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Lestor takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Lestor working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Russo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo postures up.
Russo sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Lestor's guard.
Russo wants to pass the guard but Lestor is defending well.
Russo prevents Lestor from improving his position.
Russo working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Russo lands with a punch from half guard.
Lestor is looking to improve his position.
Still in half guard, Russo seems content to control.
Nice strikes from Russo there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Russo seems content to control.
Russo lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Lestor wants to improve his position but Russo is controlling well.
Russo not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Russo is nestled in close to Lestor, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Russo connects with a nice short shot to Lestor's temple.
Lestor wants to improve his position but Russo is controlling well.
Russo thows a huge punch but Lestor dodges it nicely.
Russo working the head and body with strikes.
Russo takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lestor wants to control but Russo is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Russo winds up and cracks Lestor with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Russo lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Russo is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Russo with a couple of short strikes.
Russo is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Lestor can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Russo wants to control the pace but Lestor is squirming around nicely.
Lestor is working to get back to half guard.
Lestor tries to buck Russo off but he can't manage it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russo lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Lestor hang on?
Russo unloading with bombs!
Russo looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Russo looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Russo looking to finish Lestor with some ground and pound. This is bad for Lestor!
A nice elbow there by Russo.
Frankie Russo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Russo tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Russo scoring with strikes but Lestor is staying in there.
A nice elbow there by Russo.
Mo Lestor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Russo landing strikes, looking to finish!

And that's the end of the fight!
Frankie Russo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Russo 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27

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