PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Trash Talking (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ruki Pushki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Talking
vs
Pushki

190 cm
25
205 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

190 cm
25
205 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Trash Talking!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ruki Pushki!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Sergei Dronov and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Talking slaps away a takedown attempt from Pushki, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Talking darts in trying to clinch

and Pushki counters with a single leg into guard. Talking didn't expect that.
Pushki wants to control from the top but Talking keeps moving.
Pushki throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Talking works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Talking can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Pushki controls the pace.
Pushki throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Pushki postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Pushki trying to control but Talking is working from the bottom.
Pushki looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pushki trying to control the position from guard on top but Talking is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Pushki is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Pushki trying to control the position from guard on top but Talking is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pushki wants to pass the guard but Talking is keeping the position.
Pushki won't allow Talking to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Pushki engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Pushki trying to control but Talking is working from the bottom.

Ruki Pushki has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Talking wants to clinch

and Pushki counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Pushki.
Talking looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pushki won't allow Talking to get back to his feet.
Pushki throwing strikes from guard but Talking blocks nicely.
Pushki trying to control but Talking is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pushki thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Pushki drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Talking dives on top into guard.
Talking stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pushki swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Talking throws a strike but Pushki rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Pushki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Talking swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Pushki pushes down on Talking's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Pushki trying to control the action but Talking is working from the bottom.
Pushki sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Talking defending well though.
Talking is refusing to be controlled, as Pushki sits in half guard.
Talking keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ruki Pushki dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Talking wants to clinch but Pushki slips to the side

and Pushki counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Pushki trying to control the action but Talking is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pushki trying to control from Talking's half guard. Talking has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

Pushki drops back, looking for a kneebar! Talking looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Talking looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Talking!
Talking scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Pushki to see if he's OK.
Talking knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Pushki on the ground.
Pushki is looking to regain half guard here but Talking keeps moving and retains side control.
Pushki regains half guard, as Talking was trying to land strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Talking throwing shots but Pushki is blocking nicely.
Pushki gets full guard.
Pushki has his hands on Talking's head, controlling the position.
Talking throws a strike but Pushki rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Talking keeping moving, preventing Pushki from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Pushki gets to his feet. Talking looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Talking closes the distance looking to clinch

and Pushki counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Pushki is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Pushki is pushing down on Talking's leg trying to pass to half guard. Talking is fighting to maintain full guard but Pushki has managed to sneak the leg through.
Pushki throwing shots but Talking is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pushki is keen to just control but Talking is a slippery customer.

Talking kicks Pushki off and gets back to his feet.
Pushki shoots and misses
and Talking counters with a three punch combo that has Pushki backing up. Pushki nods at Talking to acknowledge the strikes.
Talking wants to clinch but Pushki slips to the side

and Pushki counters with a single leg into guard. Talking didn't expect that.
Pushki trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Pushki with a flurry of punches that miss.
Pushki is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Pushki trying to control the position from guard on top but Talking is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ruki Pushki has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pushki trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pushki trying to control but Talking is working from the bottom.

Pushki is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Talking is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Talking has escaped and now he's on top!
Talking wants to control from the top but Pushki keeps moving.
Talking throws and elbow that misses. Pushki uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Talking's guard. Nice move by Pushki!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pushki trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ruki Pushki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. 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.

Talking wants to clinch

and Pushki counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Pushki trying to stand up but can't free himself from Talking's guard.
Pushki trying to control the position from guard on top but Talking is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pushki sitting in guard here, content to control.
Talking keeping moving, preventing Pushki from controlling successfully.

Pushki postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Talking is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Pushki, into his guard.
Talking has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Talking postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Talking working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Talking throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pushki works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pushki working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Talking.
Pushki manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Pushki controlling from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Pushki looking to secure an arm triangle but Talking defends it well.

Pushki is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Talking is surviving well by controlling Pushki's body position as best he can.
Pushki throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

Pushki moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Talking has worked his arm free - good work by Talking!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pushki wants to control but Talking is keeping him busy.

Pushki is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Talking knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Talking is not content to let Pushki control the position.

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.

Pushki is trying to get an arm triangle but Talking is defending well.

Pushki is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Talking knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Pushki wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Talking, who protects the arm well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ruki Pushki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Pushki winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ruki Pushki!