PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mikey Russo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eves Deuda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Eves Deuda will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Russo
vs
Deuda

183 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

180 cm
20
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mikey Russo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Eves Deuda!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, John Kavanagh and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Deuda tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Russo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Russo shoots in for a takedown but Deuda shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Russo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Deuda misses with a takedown

and Russo counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Russo looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Russo sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Deuda 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.
Deuda keeping hold of Russo's head, controlling as best he can.
Russo is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Russo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Deuda on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo prevents Deuda from improving his position.
Deuda makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Deuda.
Deuda is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Deuda manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Russo manages to get himself to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Deuda trying to control but Russo is working from the bottom.
Deuda slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russo is trying to control Deuda's posture but Deuda avoids it.
Russo wants to get back to his feet.
Russo dodges the ground and pound from Deuda.

Deuda tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Deuda has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Russo is working to avoid the ground and pound but Deuda connects with a decent elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Russo bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Deuda tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Russo fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Deuda looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Deuda looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Russo is fending him off so far but Deuda persists. Nope, Russo circles away and we're back to standing.
Mikey Russo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eves Deuda.
Deuda is trying hard to land a takedown here. Russo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Deuda looks gassed!
Deuda stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Deuda wants it to stay on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A slapping body kick lands there for Deuda.
Russo keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Deuda throws a leg kick that misses.
Good exchange - Deuda coming out on top.
Deuda lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Deuda shoots in but no luck this time.
Russo misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Deuda dives in and grabs Russo's left leg, looking for a takedown. Russo pushes down on Deuda's head and hops out.
Deuda shoots in for a double leg but Russo sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Eves Deuda will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Deuda ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

Deuda moves into range and clinches up with Russo.

Deuda breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Russo throws a body punch but Deuda moves out of range.
Deuda wants to clinch up but Russo keeps it at a distance.
Mikey Russo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Russo keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Deuda looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Russo is fending him off so far but Deuda persists. Nope, Russo circles away and we're back to standing.
Russo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Deuda shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Russo as he avoids it easily.
Mikey Russo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eves Deuda.
Russo misses with a body shot.
Deuda circles away from the clinch attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo throws a lazy head kick

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

Deuda breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Russo slaps away a takedown attempt from Deuda, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Deuda blocks a head kick by Russo.
Deuda slaps away a takedown attempt from Russo, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Deuda tries to clinch but Russo moves out of range.
Deuda closes this distance looking for a takedown but Russo circles away.
Deuda changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Russo tries to avoid it but Deuda manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Russo to the ground. Russo escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Deuda fails with an attempt to clinch.
Russo is trying hard to land a takedown here. Deuda sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Deuda is looking to clinch.

Deuda 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.
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.
Deuda trying to control the position from guard on top but Russo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Russo had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Deuda defends it easily.
Russo is trying to hold Deuda in close to prevent damage but Deuda has managed to pass into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo is looking to improve his position.
Russo tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Deuda has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Deuda lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Russo hang on?

That's four 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.

Deuda has hold of Russo's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Russo manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Deuda pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
A nice elbow there by Deuda.
Russo wants to hold on but Deuda pushes him away.
Russo is just holding on here. Deuda manages to take his back.
Deuda looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Russo can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eves Deuda showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Deuda circles away from the clinch attempt
and Deuda counters with a big head kick but Russo shrugs it off.
Deuda misses with a takedown attempt - Russo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Russo throws a combination that misses
and Deuda counters with a big head kick but Russo shrugs it off.
Deuda shoots for a double leg takedown but Russo sprawls well. He's pushed Deuda's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Russo is looking to clinch.
Russo tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Russo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Deuda paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Deuda tries to clinch there but Russo circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Deuda fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

Deuda closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Russo is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Deuda off and has taken his back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo keeps control of the position as Deuda tries to break free.
Deuda wants to control his opponent's hands but Russo gets his hands free.
Deuda manages to reverse the position and now he's in Russo's guard. Nice work there by Deuda.
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.
Deuda trying to control the position from guard on top but Russo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Deuda trying to stand up but can't free himself from Russo's guard.
Russo trying to keep a closed guard but Deuda is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Deuda trying to control but Russo is working from the bottom.
Deuda trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Deuda passes Russo's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Deuda seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Russo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo is not content to let Deuda control the position.
Russo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Deuda is working for a kimura but Russo is defending it quite comfortably.
Deuda is trying to control the action in half guard but Russo is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Deuda wants to pass to mount but Russo is defending the position.
Deuda is looking to take a break and control but Russo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Eves Deuda.
Russo will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Deuda fails to land the takedown.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eves Deuda comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Deuda 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eves Deuda!