PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Billington (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sergi Lutsenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Billington might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur.... On his way into the cage it seems that Thomas Billington has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Thomas Billington seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Billington
vs
Lutsenko

190 cm
30
194 lbs
21 - 11 - 1

192 cm
32
193 lbs
24 - 12 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Reaper Combatwear

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 21 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Thomas Billington!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Sergi Lutsenko!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Tarja Halkonen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Billington scores with a punch to the head.
Lutsenko throws a sloppy head kick and Billington moves out of range easily.
Billington throws a looping overhand right but Lutsenko ducks down to avoid it.
Billington misses with a leg kick.

Billington gets tackled into the cage by Lutsenko. Lutsenko maintains the clinch.
Billington has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Lutsenko avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Lutsenko scores with a nice short uppercut.
Billington lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Billington on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Billington turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Billington manages to end up in side control.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Lutsenko sneaks back into half guard.
Lutsenko trying to control here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lutsenko is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Billington's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Billington's back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lutsenko doesn't have the hooks in and Billington manages to turn into his guard.
Lutsenko 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.
Lutsenko manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Billington manages to get himself to full guard.
Lutsenko looking to sit in guard and control but Billington gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Lutsenko looking for a guillotine here but Billington defends easily.

Lutsenko escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Billington gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lutsenko keeping moving, preventing Billington from controlling successfully.
Billington postures up.
Billington looking to sit in guard and control but Lutsenko gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Billington keeping full guard, as Lutsenko tries to pass.
Billington bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Lutsenko's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Billington landing with the ground and pound.
Lutsenko 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.
Lutsenko manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Lutsenko trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Lutsenko landing punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lutsenko avoids the attempt from Billington to control.

Lutsenko working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Billington working to try and regain half guard.
Lutsenko can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Billington is looking to escape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Billington is trying desperately to improve position.
Lutsenko thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergi Lutsenko dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Billington darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Billington throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Lutsenko to regain full guard.
Lutsenko is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Billington trying to control but Lutsenko is working from the bottom.

Billington got a little sloppy there for a moment and Lutsenko has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Billington has managed to get both his arms back between Lutsenko's legs - danger averted.
Billington passes Lutsenko's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Billington tries to pass to full mount but Lutsenko defends it.
Billington sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Lutsenko defending well though.
Lutsenko moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lutsenko tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Lutsenko looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Lutsenko has his foot on Billington's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Billington works his way back into a safe position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Billington trying to control but Lutsenko is working from the bottom.
Billington postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Lutsenko is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Billington throws a strike but Lutsenko rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Billington is trying to control the position but Lutsenko postures up.
Lutsenko advances position into side control!
Billington is trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lutsenko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Billington keeps working.
Lutsenko tries to score with some ground and pound. Billington controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
You can see the frustration on Billington's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Billington parries the strikes from Lutsenko easily there. Lutsenko is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Billington to escape.
Billington is not content to let Lutsenko control the position.
Lutsenko tries to move to mount but Billington blocks the move with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Billington regains half guard.
Billington is not content to let Lutsenko control the position.
Billington is pressing down on Lutsenko's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Billington wants to sweep but no luck.
Billington is trying to keep Lutsenko in close.
Billington manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lutsenko regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Thomas Billington will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're 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.

Lutsenko misses with a body shot.
Billington is looking to chop away at Lutsenko's legs.
Billington keeps the fight on the outside.
Billington looks to throw the jab but Lutsenko is out of range.
Lutsenko swings widly with a right hand
and Billington counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

Lutsenko dives in and scores a takedown into Billington's guard.
Lutsenko stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Billington swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Billington is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lutsenko tries to free his leg and advance position but Billington is retaining full guard.
Billington is pulling down on Lutsenko's head. It's preventing any offense from Lutsenko, at least for the moment.
Billington keeping moving, preventing Lutsenko from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lutsenko stopping the sweep attempt from Billington.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lutsenko blocks a jab.
Lutsenko gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Billington cracks Lutsenko with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Lutsenko on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Billington. Billington obviously looking to wear him down.
Lutsenko closes the distance looking to clinch
and Billington counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lutsenko misses with a wild body shot.
Billington tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Lutsenko was well out of range. Poor timing from Billington.
Billington throws a poor cross that misses
letting Lutsenko counter with a right hand.
Sergi Lutsenko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lutsenko tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Billington was well out of range. Poor timing from Lutsenko.
Lutsenko drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Billington fails with the takedown.
Lutsenko tries to close the distance and clinch up but Billington swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Some wild striking there from Billington.
Lutsenko swings widly with a right hand
and Billington counters with a one-two to the body.
Lutsenko swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lutsenko checks a low kick from Billington.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Billington shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Billington showed some decent athleticism there.
Billington working the head and body with strikes.
Lutsenko moves into full guard.
Sergi Lutsenko has got the better of the ground game so far.
Billington controls from within his opponent's guard.
Lutsenko manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lutsenko controlling the position easily from mount.
Billington is squirming around, avoiding Lutsenko's attempts to control the action.
Lutsenko looking to finish with strikes here!
Lutsenko looking to ground and pound but Billington is blocking nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lutsenko throws some wild stikes that Billington manages to avoid easily.
Billington keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lutsenko can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Billington is looking to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thomas Billington showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Billington has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!