PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lloyd Brandon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zlatan Struve (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Brandon
vs
Struve

185 cm
25
280 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
25
280 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the 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, Lloyd Brandon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Zlatan Struve!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Tarja Halkonen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Struve connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

It looks like Lloyd Brandon has been cut.
Struve throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Brandon doesn't manage to clinch there - Struve circles away.

Struve tries to sprawl but Brandon drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Brandon throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Struve to regain full guard.
Brandon passes Struve's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Brandon trying to control the action but Struve is working from the bottom.
Struve really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Brandon. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Brandon is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Brandon controlling from the full mount.
Struve is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brandon trying to control but Struve is having none of it.
Struve is desperately trying to improve his position but Brandon has a good base and remains in mount.
Brandon looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Brandon controlling his opponent.
Struve swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Brandon looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brandon with shots to the head and body - Struve looks very uncomfortable down there.
Struve is squirming around, avoiding Brandon's attempts to control the action.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Brandon is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Struve can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Brandon unloading with bombs!
Struve is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Brandon looking to control but Struve is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Brandon landing shots from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Struve is squirming around, avoiding Brandon's attempts to control the action.
A nice elbow there by Brandon.
Struve taking shots to the head.
Brandon takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Brandon cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brandon unloading with bombs!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Brandon postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Struve looks a forlorn figure.
Brandon landing strikes from the mount and Struve is in trouble!
Brandon takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Struve throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Brandon has control of Struve's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Struve regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Struve is squirming around, avoiding Brandon's attempts to control the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lloyd Brandon dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Lloyd Brandon's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Struve throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Brandon.
Struve throws a series of punches but Brandon avoids them all with ease.
Brandon will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Struve throws a nice looking combination but Brandon bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Struve swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Brandon.

Struve moves into the clinch.
Brandon changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Struve fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Struve goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Struve moves into the clinch successfully.

Struve breaks the clinch.
Struve swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Struve lands with a good body shot.

Brandon tries to keep at a distance but Struve has taken the fight into the clinch.
Struve goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Brandon is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Struve pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lloyd Brandon. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Struve escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Brandon looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Struve is fending him off so far but Brandon persists. Nope, Struve circles away and we're back to standing.
Brandon fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Struve avoids it really well and circles away.
Brandon throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Struve's waist but Struve gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Brandon off to one side.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A nice combination there by Struve.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice shot lands for Struve.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brandon swats away the attempt to clinch by Struve.
Struve is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Struve fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Brandon, pushing him back against the cage.

Struve breaks from the clinch.
Struve fails with an attempt to clinch.

Struve lands a left and a right that send Brandon crashing to the mat, dazed. Struve thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Struve gets a clinch.

Struve breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Zlatan Struve seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Struve changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Lloyd Brandon is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Brandon tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Struve scores with a hook to the body. Brandon takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Struve closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Struve breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Struve throws a right and a left that Brandon avoids nicely.
Struve stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Struve ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Struve throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Struve goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
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!

Brandon tries to keep at a distance but Struve has taken the fight into the clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Struve takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Struve breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Struve digs a good body shot into Brandon's ribs.
Zlatan Struve seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Struve closes the distance and clinches.

Struve breaks the clinch.
Struve sizes up Brandon with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Struve is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Struve doesn't manage to clinch there - Brandon circles away.
Struve lands a right hook to the body.
Struve tries to clinch but Brandon is having none of it.
Struve lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Brandon circles away quickly and effectively.
Brandon circles away from the clinch attempt.
Brandon uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Struve.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Brandon drops his hands momentarily and Struve takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Struve slaps away a takedown attempt from Brandon, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Struve tries to clinch but Brandon moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zlatan Struve showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Lloyd Brandon's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Struve tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Struve lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Brandon backs up against the cage.
Brandon changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Struve tries to avoid it but Brandon manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Struve to the ground. Struve escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Struve's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Struve duly obliges.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Struve fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Brandon has managed to clinch.
Struve looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Brandon is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Struve pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Struve breaks the clinch.
Struve will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Struve misses with a jab, cross combination.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sloppy strikes from Struve. Those never looked like landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Struve ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Brandon moves away.
Struve looks to land a combination but Brandon avoids it well.
Struve misses with a few strikes there.
Struve displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Brandon.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lloyd Brandon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Struve moves to clinch but Brandon breaks away

and Brandon moves into the clinch.

Struve breaks the clinch.

Brandon gets a double leg takedown into Struve's guard.
Brandon wants to control from the top but Struve keeps moving.
Lloyd Brandon overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Struve wants to sweep here but Brandon controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brandon trying to control but Struve is working from the bottom.
Struve is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Brandon is controlling him.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Struve wants to sweep but no luck.
Brandon has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Struve keeping moving, preventing Brandon from controlling successfully.

Lloyd Brandon has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Brandon is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Brandon is defended easily by Struve.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Brandon.
Brandon trying to control the position but Struve is working away.
Struve tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Brandon trying to control the position but Struve is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brandon works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Struve avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Brandon.
Struve takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Brandon is looking to take a break and control but Struve is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Brandon tries to score with some ground and pound. Struve controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Zlatan Struve.
I think Struve 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zlatan Struve!
Zlatan Struve tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.