PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rashad Strasser (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bregan Union (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Strasser
vs
Union

178 cm
23
180 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

178 cm
21
182 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rashad Strasser!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bregan Union!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Illya Tyunina and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Strasser keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Strasser shoots for a takedown but Union saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Union throws a big shot that misses.
Union misses with a body shot.
Union scores with a one two! Strasser had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

It looks like Rashad Strasser has been cut.
Union misses with a left hand

and Strasser counters with a shoot takedown. Union fights it but they end up in guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Strasser throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Union works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Strasser pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Union is keeping the position for now.
Strasser controls from within his opponent's guard.
Strasser throws a strike but Union rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Union looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Strasser is looking to sweep but instead, Union has passed into half guard.
Union wants to take a breather but Strasser is having none of it.
Strasser is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strasser wants to control but Union is keeping busy.
Union prevents Strasser from improving his position.
Strasser trying to control but Union postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Union is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Union is keen to just control but Strasser is a slippery customer.

Strasser looking for a kimura from the bottom but Union passes into side control!
Strasser tries to improve position but can't.
Strasser sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Union has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Union trying to control but Strasser is having none of it.
Strasser regains half guard.
Strasser trying to control here.

Strasser looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Union not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strasser wants to get back to full guard.
Strasser gets back to full guard.

Strasser pushes Union off and scrambles back to his feet.

Strasser shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Union trying to control but Strasser postures up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Union desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Union trying to control from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashad Strasser dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rashad Strasser's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A jab from Union misses.
Union throws the left hand but Strasser avoids the punch easily.
Union lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Strasser at a distance.
Union takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Strasser takes a jab right on the kisser.
Strasser shoots for a double leg takedown but Union sprawls well. He's pushed Strasser's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rashad Strasser is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Strasser is defended easily by Union.
Some wild striking there from Union.
Union pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Union throws a jab when Strasser was well out of range.
Union throws a lazy right hand but Strasser sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Union throws a right and a left that Strasser avoids nicely.
Union throws a poor cross that misses
and Strasser counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Bregan Union is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Union throws a lazy right hand but Strasser sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Strasser clobbers Union with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Union on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Union misses with a combination
letting Strasser counter with a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strasser will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rashad Strasser. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Strasser slips a straight right by Union.
Bregan Union seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Strasser drops his hands momentarily and Union takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Strasser takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Union throws a lazy uppercut

and Strasser counters with a takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Strasser lands some shots froms side control.
Union is trying to get back to his feet.

Strasser goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Union rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Strasser's guard! Nice work there by Union!
Union trying to control the position from guard on top but Strasser is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Strasser looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Strasser looking for a sweep. Not yet Strasser, not yet.

Strasser escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Union gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Union postures up.
Union would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Strasser wants to sweep here but Union controlling him for the moment.
Rashad Strasser overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Strasser is working hard here to advance position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Union is pushing down on Strasser's leg trying to pass to half guard. Strasser is fighting to maintain full guard but Union has managed to sneak the leg through.
Strasser trying to control here.
Union prevents Strasser from standing back up.
Strasser has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Union is working away from the top position though.
Strasser wants to get back to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
It looks like Union is going to stand back up.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Strasser moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashad Strasser dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rashad Strasser's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Union swinging wildly here.
Strasser defending well as Union loads up on a big left hand.
Strasser fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Union avoids it really well and circles away.
Union misses with a straight right.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Union throws a jab when Strasser was well out of range.
Union looks to score with a jab to the body but Strasser is just out of range.
Union might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Union throws a right hand that misses

and Strasser counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Strasser.
Union has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Union's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Union wants to stand up but Strasser is controlling him.
Strasser passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Union managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Strasser.
Union wants to control but Strasser postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Union sneaks back into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Union pushes Strasser off looking to stand but Strasser dives back in and keeps control.
Union won't allow Strasser to pass to mount.
Strasser seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Union does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Strasser landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Strasser is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Union wants to get back to his feet.
Rashad Strasser is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strasser looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Union is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Strasser perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rashad Strasser.
Union throws a combination that misses
and Strasser counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Union just misses with a punch to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strasser throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Union's waist but Union gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Strasser off to one side.
Strasser slips under a jab.
Union displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Strasser throws out the jab.
Strasser shoots in for a takedown but Union shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rashad Strasser. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Union throws a good cross that connects.
Union misses with a left hand
and Strasser counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Union is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Bregan Union has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Strasser throws a head kick but Union moves out of range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Union's jab looks to have found its range, popping Strasser under the eye.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Union falls off balance throwing a combination
and Strasser counters with a stiff right hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Rashad Strasser.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Strasser, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rashad Strasser!
An out of breath Rashad Strasser thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.