PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sagara Sanosuke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikolai Luzhin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Luzhin is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Enae Volare Mezzo by Era. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Sanosuke
vs
Luzhin

190 cm
20
199 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

190 cm
21
195 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sagara Sanosuke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nikolai Luzhin!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Johanna Lukiainen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Luzhin with a nice cross.
Luzhin misses the shot to the body.
Nikolai Luzhin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A combination from Luzhin does no damage.
Luzhin works the jab nicely.
Luzhin throws the left hand but Sanosuke avoids the punch easily.
Luzhin throws a series of punches but Sanosuke avoids them all with ease.
Luzhin throws a looping overhand right but Sanosuke ducks down to avoid it.
A swing and a miss from Luzhin.
Sanosuke lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Danga de danga de dang - Luzhin scores with a four punch combination!
Luzhin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Luzhin throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Sanosuke sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Sanosuke slips a jab from Luzhin.
Luzhin fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanosuke throws a low kick but it's checked well by Luzhin.
Sanosuke throws a chopping leg kick but Luzhin manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Some wild striking there from Luzhin.
Luzhin misses with a wild combination.
Luzhin takes a swing at Sanosuke's ribcage but misses.
Sanosuke avoids the body shot from Luzhin.
Sanosuke tries a head kick but it misses.
Luzhin scores with a shot to the body.
Luzhin looks to land a left hand but Sanosuke moved out of range nicely.
Sanosuke scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Sanosuke throws a leg kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luzhin misses with a wild body shot.
Sanosuke keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Luzhin throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Sanosuke sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Luzhin thows a body shot but no joy.
Sanosuke with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Sanosuke moves out of range as Luzhin strikes.
Luzhin scores with a hook.
A jab from Luzhin misses.
The fighters circling - Luzhin throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Luzhin swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sanosuke throws a head kick but Luzhin moves out of range.
Luzhin misses with a straight left.
Luzhin blocks a low kick nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luzhin avoids a kick to the body.
Luzhin connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Luzhin misses with a wild body shot.
Sanosuke is looking to slow Luzhin down with leg kicks.
Some bone on bone action there as Luzhin checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
That kick from Sanosuke tenderised Luzhin's leg. Luzhin is trying to keep his angry face on.
Luzhin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sanosuke.
Luzhin throws a series of punches but Sanosuke avoids them all with ease.
Sanosuke dodges the punch combination from Luzhin.
Luzhin throws a nice looking combination but Sanosuke bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sanosuke scores with a leg kick.
Luzhin thows a body shot but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luzhin lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sanosuke circles away quickly and effectively.
Sanosuke displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Luzhin throws out the jab.
Luzhin misses with an uppercut. Sanosuke saw that one coming.
Sloppy strikes from Luzhin. Those never looked like landing.
Luzhin takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Sanosuke avoids the body shot from Luzhin.
Luzhin thows a left - swing and a miss!
Luzhin throws a big shot that misses.
Luzhin throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sanosuke wants to land a leg kick but Luzhin is out of range.
Luzhin misses the shot to the body.
Luzhin throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Luzhin throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolai Luzhin dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Luzhin throws a shot from downtown. Sanosuke moves away and avoids it.
Luzhin chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Sanosuke can pounce on him.
Sanosuke scores with a head kick. Luzhin tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Sanosuke lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Luzhin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sanosuke.
Sanosuke fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Luzhin has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Luzhin looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
No joy there for Luzhin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Luzhin looks to score with a jab to the body but Sanosuke is just out of range.
Sanosuke dodges the punch combination from Luzhin.
Luzhin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sanosuke cracks the inside of Luzhin's front leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luzhin missing with a left hand there. Sanosuke was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Luzhin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Luzhin takes a swing at Sanosuke's ribcage but misses.
Sanosuke uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Luzhin.
Luzhin throws out a loose jab but Sanosuke uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sanosuke turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Sanosuke moves out of range of the strikes.
Sanosuke connects with a high kick.
A slow jab from Luzhin misses its intended target.
Luzhin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sanosuke moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Luzhin takes a swing at Sanosuke's ribcage but misses.
Luzhin's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Sloppy strikes from Luzhin. Those never looked like landing.
Nikolai Luzhin seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Luzhin throws out a loose jab but Sanosuke uses good head movement to avoid it.
Luzhin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Sanosuke lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Luzhin has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Luzhin and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
A big left from Luzhin misses.
Sanosuke lands with a nice body kick.
Sanosuke pivots, looking for a leg kick but Luzhin is out of range and Sanosuke settles back down.
Sanosuke takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Luzhin checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Luzhin tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Luzhin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sanosuke manages to avoid it.
Nikolai Luzhin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Good leg kick by Sanosuke there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Luzhin lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sanosuke circles away quickly and effectively.
Sanosuke lands a leg kick that knocks Luzhin off balance momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Luzhin misses.
The fighters circling - Luzhin throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A left and a right from Luzhin both land. Nice combination.
Luzhin cracks Sanosuke with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Sanosuke lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Nice jab there from Luzhin.
Luzhin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sanosuke connects with a high kick.
Sanosuke tries a head kick but it misses.
Luzhin misses with a body shot.
Luzhin throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Sanosuke slips a straight right by Luzhin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanosuke ducks under a wild hook from Luzhin.
Luzhin looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Luzhin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sanosuke slips a jab and a cross from Luzhin.
Sanosuke lands a leg kick that knocks Luzhin off balance momentarily.
Sanosuke keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Luzhin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sanosuke plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Sloppy strikes from Luzhin. Those never looked like landing.
A clash of legs there as Luzhin blocks the low kick.
Luzhin throws a jab when Sanosuke was well out of range.
Sanosuke lands a head kick!
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Sanosuke lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Luzhin has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Luzhin and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sagara Sanosuke dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Sanosuke showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Luzhin.
A big right from Luzhin misses.
Luzhin throws a big shot that misses.
A punch combination from Luzhin misses.
Luzhin lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sanosuke circles away quickly and effectively.
Sanosuke pushes Luzhin away with a front kick.
Luzhin scores with a body shot.
Luzhin takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Luzhin checks a low kick from Sanosuke.
Luzhin scores with a sloppy right hand. Sanosuke should have avoided that one.
Luzhin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sanosuke fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Luzhin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanosuke slips a straight right by Luzhin.
A good leg kick by Sanosuke.
Sanosuke uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Luzhin.
Sanosuke throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sanosuke throws a head kick but Luzhin moves out of range.
Luzhin smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
An inside leg kick lands from Sanosuke.
Sanosuke dodges the punch combination from Luzhin.
Luzhin misses with a few strikes there.
Luzhin checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luzhin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sanosuke moves away.
Sanosuke keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sanosuke goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Luzhin stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Sanosuke throws a sloppy head kick and Luzhin moves out of range easily.
Luzhin loads up on a big right hand but Sanosuke slips the punch.
Sanosuke misses with a body kick.
Luzhin misses the shot to the body.
Luzhin stuns Sanosuke with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Luzhin takes a swing at Sanosuke's ribcage but misses.
Luzhin misses with a double jab.
Sanosuke ducks under a wild hook from Luzhin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luzhin misses with a two punch combination.
Nice shot lands for Luzhin.
Luzhin misses with a wild body shot.
A slapping leg kick lands for Sanosuke.
A solid body kick from Sanosuke.
Luzhin throws a right and a left that Sanosuke avoids nicely.
Sanosuke uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Luzhin.
Luzhin just misses with a punch to the body.
Luzhin takes a swing at Sanosuke's ribcage but misses.
Luzhin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sanosuke throws a wild body kick that Luzhin sees coming a mile off.
Sanosuke uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Luzhin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanosuke buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Both fighters circling a little - Sanosuke finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Luzhin connects with a good right hand that stumbles Sanosuke. Sanosuke circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Sanosuke throws a low kick, looking for Luzhin's leg but Luzhin calmly moves out of range.
Luzhin has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Sanosuke.
Luzhin looks to throw the jab but Sanosuke is out of range.
Luzhin misses with a body shot.
Sanosuke lands a head kick. Luzhin smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
A slow jab from Luzhin misses its intended target.
Sanosuke uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Luzhin.
Nice straight punches there by Luzhin. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Luzhin.
Sanosuke moves away from the strike by Luzhin.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nikolai Luzhin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Luzhin has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikolai Luzhin!