PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between nikolai stesenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Blake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

stesenko
vs
Blake

196 cm
21
206 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
22
215 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Prefers standup

Pure Fight Science

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, nikolai stesenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Blake!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
stesenko tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Blake paws at him with a jab and circles away.
stesenko shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
stesenko scores with a three punch combo!
stesenko slips under a jab.
Blake misses with the combination.
stesenko closes the distance and clinches up with Blake, looking for a takedown. stesenko pushes Blake against the cage but Blake circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
stesenko moves in looking to clinch but Blake pushes him off.
Blake loads up on a big right hand but stesenko slips the punch.
Blake is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by stesenko.
Blake missing with a left hand there. stesenko was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Blake lands an overhand right.
stesenko keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Blake scores with a punch to the head.
stesenko takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
stesenko is looking to clinch but Blake is avoiding it.
Blake scores with a sloppy right hand. stesenko should have avoided that one.
Blake throws a combination that misses
and stesenko counters with a head kick. That will keep Blake thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Blake is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Blake misses with a wild combination.
John Blake seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

stesenko looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Blake is still in real trouble! Can stesenko finish him?
stesenko missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Blake seems to have recovered his senses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blake is staying active underneath stesenko, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
stesenko controlling the pace.
stesenko is trying to control the action in half guard but Blake is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Blake tries to get to full guard but stesenko has control of the leg.
Blake is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
stesenko tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Blake.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Blake!
stesenko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Blake jabs at stesenko's body.
stesenko looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for nikolai stesenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
stesenko is breathing heavily.
Blake dodges the punch combination from stesenko.

stesenko gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A head punch on the inside from stesenko fails to land.
Blake wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
stesenko stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
stesenko fails to pull guard.
Blake lands with a light punch inside.
Blake blocks a body shot from stesenko.
Blake lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
stesenko tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Blake just stands there and leans against the cage.
stesenko goes for a takedown in the clinch but Blake prevents it.
stesenko is trying to stall.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Blake.
stesenko keeps control of Blake as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
stesenko tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Blake lands a body shot in the clinch.
stesenko tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Blake just stands there and leans against the cage.
Blake tries to break the clinch but stesenko is controlling the position.
Blake tries to break the clinch but stesenko is controlling the position.
Blake is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Blake prevents the takedown attempt.
stesenko looking for a takedown.
A right handed body shot lands from Blake.
Blake has had enough of the clinch but stesenko keeps him there for the moment.

stesenko breaks the clinch.
stesenko staying out of range there.
stesenko shoots in but no luck this time.
Blake scores with a three punch combo!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blake misses with a wild combination.
stesenko lands a brutal head kick. Blake looks out on his feet and stesenko throws more strikes until the ref is forced to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:10 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Kick and Punches). nikolai stesenko!