PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jake Photo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gonzo Bunga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Jake Photo has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Photo
vs
Bunga

178 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jake Photo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Gonzo Bunga!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Ivan Kurochkin and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Photo tries for a takedown but Bunga sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Photo fails with the takedown.
No luck for Photo with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Photo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bunga shoots and misses

and Photo counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Photo.
Photo trying to control the position from guard on top but Bunga is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Photo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bunga is keeping the position for now.
Photo trying to control the position from guard on top but Bunga is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Photo looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bunga keeping full guard, as Photo tries to pass.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Bunga can do anything to dispel that myth.
Photo wants to control from the top but Bunga keeps moving.

Bunga is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Photo shoots and misses

and Bunga counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Photo's guard now.
Bunga stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Photo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bunga looks gassed!
Bunga working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Photo looking to control.
Bunga throws a strike but Photo rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Photo pushes down on Bunga's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Photo seems content to control.
Photo passes the guard and advances to mount!

Photo working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Photo looking to control but Bunga is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Photo breaks from Bunga's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Photo tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Photo has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Bunga's face.
Photo breaks from Bunga's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Photo is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Bunga really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Photo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Photo lands with some strikes.
Photo lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Bunga is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Photo landing punches.
Photo looking to control and managing it successfully.
Photo lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Bunga hang on?
Photo can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Bunga is looking to escape.
Photo pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bunga tries to hold on but Photo pushes him away.
Photo can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Bunga is looking to escape.
Bunga is desperately trying to improve his position but Photo has a good base and remains in mount.
Photo blocks Bunga's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Bunga wants to hold on but Photo pushes him away.
Photo can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Bunga is looking to escape.
Bunga tries to hold on but Photo postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Photo dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Photo shoots and misses

and Bunga counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Photo managing to control the position.
Photo wants to sweep here but Bunga controlling him for the moment.

Photo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Bunga preventing the sweep.
Photo has control of Bunga's left arm, preventing Bunga from doing any damage.

Photo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Bunga controls from within his opponent's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Photo wants to sweep here but Bunga controlling him for the moment.
Photo is working hard here to advance position.
Bunga sitting in guard here, content to control.
Bunga preventing the sweep.
Photo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Photo looking for a sweep. Not yet Photo, not yet.
Bunga must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Photo misses with a takedown

and Bunga counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Photo controls Bunga momentarily but Bunga frees himself.

Photo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Bunga can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Photo is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Photo looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Photo throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Photo is controlling the pace.
Photo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bunga does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Photo content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Bunga is staying active underneath Photo, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Well, if Photo is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Photo is working for a kimura but Bunga is defending it quite comfortably.
Photo trying to control the action but Bunga is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Jake Photo just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Photo fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Bunga sprawls well initially but Photo persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Photo not doing much here.

Photo is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Bunga is just riding it out for now. Photo eventually gives up the hold.
Bunga trying to control but Photo postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Gonzo Bunga will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Photo feints and as Bunga raises his hands in defense, Photo changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Bunga holds on and takes a little breather.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Photo wants to control from the top but Bunga keeps moving.
Bunga has Photo pulled in close to control his posture.
Photo trying to control but Bunga is working from the bottom.
Photo postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Bunga avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Photo sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bunga has control of Photo's left arm, preventing Photo from doing any damage.
Photo throws a big right hand that misses.
Photo trying to control but Bunga is working from the bottom.
Bunga is trying to keep Photo in close.
Bunga wants to sweep here but Photo controlling him for the moment.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Photo tries for a takedown but Bunga circles away easily

and Bunga counters with a nice double leg into side control. Photo won't be happy with that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Photo struggling a bit here.

Bunga is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Photo has escaped the position, nice work there.
Jake Photo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bunga working away.
Photo is looking to reverse the position.
Photo manages to get back to half guard.

Photo is defending against the submission attempts here by Bunga.

Photo looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Photo trying to control from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Photo darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Still in half guard, Photo seems content to control.
Photo wants to advance to full mount but Bunga doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Photo slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bunga keeping moving, preventing Photo from controlling successfully.
Photo slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Photo trying to control the position from guard on top but Bunga is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Jake Photo just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Photo fails with the takedown

and Bunga counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Photo is looking to control Bunga's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Photo avoid being mounted?

And that's the end of the fight!
Gonzo Bunga comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bunga has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight for Jake Photo!
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight for Gonzo Bunga!

The fight ends as a draw!