PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Armas Kuusisto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodolfo Gusman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Kuusisto might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to System of a down - Chop Suey. Gusman is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: La sonora santanera - El santo, el cavernario. Armas Kuusisto has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kuusisto
vs
Gusman

179 cm
28
192 lbs
12 - 5 - 1

180 cm
27
191 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Lethal high kicks
KO power

Olympic wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Crashforce Nutrition (Authentic 159Q Recovery $79)

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 12 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Armas Kuusisto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rodolfo Gusman!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Viktor Lagutenko and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gusman tries to clinch up.
Kuusisto looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Gusman stuns Kuusisto with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Gusman misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kuusisto.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gusman. Kuusisto does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rodolfo Gusman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gusman misses with a hook

and Kuusisto counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Gusman wants to stand up but Kuusisto is controlling him.
Kuusisto trying to control the position from guard on top but Gusman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gusman is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Kuusisto is controlling him.
Gusman is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Kuusisto tries to free his leg and advance position but Gusman is retaining full guard.
Kuusisto prevents Gusman from getting back to his feet.
Kuusisto landing with the ground and pound.
Kuusisto trying to control but Gusman is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gusman is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Kuusisto is controlling him.
Kuusisto trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kuusisto prevents Gusman from getting back to his feet.
Kuusisto advances position into side control!
Gusman is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Kuusisto asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Kuusisto wants to control but Gusman is keeping him busy.

That's two 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.
Gusman is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Kuusisto controlling the position.
Gusman is pushing Kuusisto's head away, looking to escape. Kuusisto manages to hold on to the position though.
Kuusisto staying calm.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Kuusisto trying to control the position but Gusman is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuusisto moves into full mount!
Gusman is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Kuusisto looking to control and managing it successfully.
You get the feeling that Gusman really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Kuusisto with a couple of short strikes.
Gusman trying desperately to get to his feet.
Gusman looks gassed!
Kuusisto with a couple of short strikes.
Kuusisto looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuusisto wants to take Gusman's back but he can't do it this time.
Kuusisto content just to control the position here.
Kuusisto trying to control but Gusman is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Kuusisto working for a submission but Gusman is keeping him at bay.
Kuusisto looking to finish Gusman with some ground and pound. This is bad for Gusman!

Kuusisto is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Gusman is surviving well by controlling Kuusisto's body position as best he can.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gusman's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Armas Kuusisto dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kuusisto gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Gusman.
Gusman throws a hook but Kuusisto avoids it easily.

Gusman throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Kuusisto was covering up waiting for the punch and Gusman finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Kuusisto looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gusman is one step ahead there.
Kuusisto working a defensive guard here.
Gusman wants to get up but he can't break Kuusisto's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gusman looking to pass the guard.
Kuusisto looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gusman content to stall in guard here.
Armas Kuusisto overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Kuusisto blocks a jab.
Gusman misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kuusisto.
Gusman shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kuusisto but Kuusisto pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Kuusisto throws a chopping leg kick but Gusman manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Gusman rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Kuusisto makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Gusman tries for a takedown but Kuusisto sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gusman wants to clinch
and Kuusisto counters with a slapping leg kick.
Gusman is breathing heavily.
Gusman digs a good body shot into Kuusisto's ribs.
Kuusisto lands a nice leg kick that just misses Gusman's sensitive parts.
Gusman throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Kuusisto counters with a leg kick.
Kuusisto moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Kuusisto gets the takedown into side control.
Kuusisto controls the position.
Kuusisto wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gusman keeps working.
Kuusisto working the body and head with strikes.

Kuusisto tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Kuusisto has knee on belly and moves into mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuusisto controlling the pace for now.
Gusman is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Kuusisto fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Kuusisto lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Gusman hang on?
Kuusisto wants to control the pace but Gusman is squirming around nicely.
Gusman is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

Kuusisto is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Gusman to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Gusman shrugs it off.
Kuusisto tries to control but Gusman wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gusman trying desperately to get to his feet.
Kuusisto controlling from mount.
Gusman really wants to buck Kuusisto off and get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kuusisto scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Gusman?
Gusman wants to try and get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Armas Kuusisto dominated that second 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Kuusisto keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gusman moves in looking to clinch but Kuusisto pushes him off.
Gusman thows a body shot but no joy.
Kuusisto just misses with a punch to the body.
Kuusisto will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Kuusisto fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Kuusisto connects with an inside leg kick.
Gusman misses with a body shot
and Kuusisto counters with a nice low kick that buckles Gusman's knee momentarily.
Kuusisto throws a low kick but it's checked well by Gusman.
Kuusisto scores with a nice body kick.
Kuusisto lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Kuusisto keeps Gusman at a distance using the push kick.
Kuusisto misses with a head kick.
Kuusisto throws out a powerful jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kuusisto scores with a hook to the body. Gusman takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gusman walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Gusman takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuusisto avoids the body shot from Gusman.
Gusman is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Kuusisto rather than just go for the knockout.
A head kick misses from Kuusisto.
Kuusisto changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Gusman tries to avoid it but Kuusisto manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Gusman to the ground. Gusman escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Gusman slips under a jab from Kuusisto.
Gusman misses the body punch
and Kuusisto counters with an outside leg kick.
Gusman misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Kuusisto counters with a leg kick.
Gusman connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Kuusisto stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kuusisto wants it to stay on the feet.
Kuusisto scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Gusman throws an off balance right hand
and Kuusisto counters with a nice leg kick.
Kuusisto cracks the inside of Gusman's front leg.
Gusman blocks the body kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gusman. Kuusisto does a little dance to reset his feet.
A chopping leg kick lands by Kuusisto.
Kuusisto lands with a kick to the temple. Gusman shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Rodolfo Gusman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuusisto lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Kuusisto lands with a thumping leg kick.
Kuusisto lands with a right hand.
Kuusisto is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gusman can do to turn this around?
Gusman with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Kuusisto takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Gusman misses with a lunging right hand
and Kuusisto counters with a big head kick but Gusman shrugs it off.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gusman lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Kuusisto at a distance.
A shot to the liver by Gusman. Beautiful body shot.
Gusman misses with a looping left.
Gusman fails in his attempt to clinch.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Kuusisto enables Gusman to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Kuusisto manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Gusman preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gusman is fighting to break Kuusisto's control of his arms but Kuusisto is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Gusman preventing the sweep.
Gusman advances position into side control!
Kuusisto is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Gusman's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Kuusisto is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gusman content to control rather than advance.
Armas Kuusisto is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kuusisto moves into full guard.
Gusman throwing strikes but missing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kuusisto manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

And that's the end of the fight!
Armas Kuusisto showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Kuusisto 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Armas Kuusisto!