PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Diego Russell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Powell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Diego Russell has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Russell
vs
Powell

186 cm
27
205 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

180 cm
25
212 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Diego Russell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jack Powell!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Roger Salmon and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Russell shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Powell sprawls well. Powell wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Russell gets slowly back to his feet.

Russell scores with a takedown into Powell's guard.
Powell not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Powell being controlled here, momentarily.
Russell has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Diego Russell just wasn't active enough.
Russell fails with the takedown.

Russell looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
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!

Powell looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Powell wants to improve his position but Russell is controlling well.
Russell wants to pass the guard but Powell is defending well.
Powell is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Russell trying to pass the guard but Powell defending well.
Powell gets back to full guard.
Russell is stalling in the full guard.
Russell looking to pass the guard.
Russell working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Powell's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Powell is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Russell has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Russell not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Powell wants to sweep here but Russell controlling him for the moment.
Russell is working Powell over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
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!
Russell stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Powell swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Russell slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Russell is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Russell sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Russell passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russell scoring with punches and elbows.
Powell is looking for a sweep.
Powell manages to work his way to half guard, despite Russell's best efforts.
Powell has hold of Russell's hands but Russell slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Russell is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Powell doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Russell.

Russell is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Powell sees it coming and defends easily.
Russell is looking to advance position but Powell won't allow it.
Powell moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Powell is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russell seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Powell 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.
Russell pushes down on Powell's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Russell takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Russell uses his free foot to push down on Powell's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Powell.
Powell sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Russell wants to pass the guard but Powell is defending well.
Russell is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Powell wants to improve his position but Russell is controlling well.
Russell keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Powell is looking to improve his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Diego Russell.
Russell fails with the takedown
and Powell connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diego Russell. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Russell looking to score a takedown here. Powell is defending well but Russell drives through and ends up in Powell's guard.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Russell controlling from the top position.
Russell seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Powell for as long as he can get away with.
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!

Russell has gone for a leg lock! Powell slips out almost immediately though and dives into Russell's guard.
Russell preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Russell wants to get back to his feet but Powell is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Russell is breathing heavily.
Powell sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Russell's guard.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Powell tries to pass to full mount but Russell defends it.
Russell wants to get back to his feet.
Powell throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Powell looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Powell missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Russell blocking the ground and pound attempt from Powell.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Powell sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Russell defending well though.

Powell is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Russell doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Powell.
Powell trying to control from half guard but Russell is working away.
Russell wants to get back to his feet.

Russell is defending against the submission attempts here by Powell.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

Powell is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Russell sees it coming and defends easily.
Powell stops Russell from getting back to his feet.

Powell is looking for a kimura here.
Russell is trying to stand up here but Powell is controlling him well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Powell trying to control the action but Russell is working from the bottom.

Powell is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Russell has managed to free his arm - good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diego Russell dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Russell looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Russell is working for a submission of some sort.
Russell working Powell over with strikes.
Russell is controlling the pace.

Russell is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Powell doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Russell.
Powell gets full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russell sitting in guard here, content to control.
Powell tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Russell wants to control from the top but Powell keeps moving.
Russell forces his way into half guard.

Powell is defending against the submission attempts here by Russell.
Powell is looking to improve his position.

Powell looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Powell wants to improve his position but Russell is controlling well.
Powell on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Russell controlling the pace.
Powell manages to get to full guard.
Russell engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Powell wants to sweep but no luck.

Powell working for a triangle but Russell defends it easily.
Powell is breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Russell passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Powell is looking for a sweep.
Powell stops Russell from passing to mount.
Powell gets back to half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Russell trying to pass the guard but Powell defending well.
Russell content to control rather than advance.
Russell passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Powell!
Russell takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Powell sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Russell prevents Powell from improving his position.
Russell stalling.
Russell lands with a punch from half guard.
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!
Powell is pressing down on Russell's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Russell trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Powell wants to sweep but no luck.

Powell is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Russell controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Russell's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Diego Russell overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Russell trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Powell throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Russell is stalling in the full guard.
Powell wants to sweep here but Russell controlling him for the moment.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Russell sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Russell working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Powell's head.
Russell sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Russell working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Powell's head.
Russell showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Russell stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Powell swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Powell can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Russell controls the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Diego Russell wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Powell slaps away a takedown attempt from Russell, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Diego Russell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Russell looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Powell is fending him off so far but Russell persists. Nope, Powell circles away and we're back to standing.
Russell closes the distance and clinches up with Powell, looking for a takedown. Russell pushes Powell against the ropes but Powell circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diego Russell. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Russell is trying hard to land a takedown here. Powell sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Powell slaps away a takedown attempt from Russell, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Russell misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Russell.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Russell shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Powell defends it nicely.
Russell fails with a takedown attempt.
Russell shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Russell fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Russell shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Powell pinned against the ropes. Powell gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Russell misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Powell as Russell shoots in.
Russell shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Powell pinned against the ropes. Powell gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Russell fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Russell fails with a takedown attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Russell is trying hard to land a takedown here. Powell sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Diego Russell showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Russell 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 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight for Diego Russell!
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight for Diego Russell!
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight for Diego Russell!

Diego Russell wins by unanimous decision!