PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Santiago Johnston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dmitrij Vasilin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dmitrij Vasilin has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Santiago Johnston's chin.

Johnston
vs
Vasilin

200 cm
24
193 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

188 cm
25
205 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Very confident

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 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Santiago Johnston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dmitrij Vasilin!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Sergei Dronov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vasilin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Vasilin looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Vasilin forces Johnston back against the cage and clinches.

Vasilin has hold of one of Johnston's legs. Johnston is fighting the takedown attempt but Vasilin gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Johnston working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Vasilin doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Vasilin manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Vasilin is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
It looks like Vasilin might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Dmitrij Vasilin hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Johnston gets caught napping as Vasilin dives in and scores a takedown. Johnston manages to retain guard.
Vasilin controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Vasilin prevents Johnston from getting back to his feet.
Vasilin is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Johnston is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vasilin controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vasilin has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Johnston is proving hard to escape from.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Dmitrij Vasilin was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Johnston tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Vasilin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Johnston connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Vasilin gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Vasilin has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Johnston uses from the top position.
Vasilin pulls Johnston in close to prevent any damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Johnston moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vasilin shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Johnston napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Johnston wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Vasilin happy to just control the position for now.
Vasilin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Johnston keeps working.
Johnston is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Vasilin is controlling him well.

Vasilin tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnston is not content to let Vasilin control the position.
Vasilin tries to score with some ground and pound. Johnston controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Vasilin tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Vasilin works to advance to full mount. Johnston defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnston is squirming around, avoiding Vasilin's attempts to control the action.
Johnston really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
You get the feeling that Johnston really doesn't like being in this position too much.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dmitrij Vasilin dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Santiago Johnston's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Vasilin looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Still in half guard, Vasilin seems content to control.
Vasilin wants to pass the guard but Johnston is defending well.
Vasilin not doing much here.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Dmitrij Vasilin.
Johnston connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasilin fails to land with a series of punches.
Johnston fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Vasilin.
Johnston thumps Vasilin with a low kick.
Vasilin 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.
Johnston tries to clinch but Vasilin moves out of range.
Johnston lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Vasilin slaps away a takedown attempt from Johnston, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Johnston lands a head kick!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnston finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Johnston throws a chopping leg kick but Vasilin manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Johnston misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Vasilin takes the fight into the clinch.

Vasilin wants the takedown. Johnston is fighting it off but Vasilin persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Johnston's guard against the cage.

Vasilin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Johnston has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Vasilin has managed to get both his arms back between Johnston's legs - danger averted.
Vasilin 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.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vasilin wants to control from the top but Johnston keeps moving.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Dmitrij Vasilin wasn't active enough on the ground.
Johnston dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Vasilin. That did some damage!
Johnston tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Vasilin moves into the clinch successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Vasilin turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Vasilin manages to end up in side control.
Vasilin tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Vasilin advances to full mount.
Johnston is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Vasilin tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dmitrij Vasilin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Santiago Johnston's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Vasilin darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Johnston flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Johnston tries to roll over but Vasilin keeps him under control.
Vasilin not doing much here.
Vasilin wants to pass the guard but Johnston is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasilin stalling.
Johnston misses with some strikes from the bottom.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Dmitrij Vasilin.

Vasilin closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Johnston did well to prevent Vasilin getting side control.
Vasilin slips a nice elbow through Johnston's hands, connecting with Johnston's forehead.
Dmitrij Vasilin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Johnston is trying to stand up here but Vasilin is controlling him well.
Vasilin content to control rather than advance.
Johnston moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnston can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Vasilin controls the pace.
Vasilin advances position into side control!
Vasilin is staying tight to Johnston's torso, preventing him from escaping.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Johnston is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Vasilin asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The referee asks Vasilin politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Vasilin prefers to stall for the moment though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnston is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Dmitrij Vasilin has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Vasilin throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Johnston was covering up waiting for the punch and Vasilin finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Johnston is looking for a triangle here but Vasilin uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
You can see the frustration on Johnston's face as Vasilin controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vasilin trying to control the action but Johnston is working from the bottom.
Vasilin controlling the position from side mount.
Vasilin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Vasilin tries to stand but Johnston is controlling his head.
Santiago Johnston has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dmitrij Vasilin is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnston trying to remain calm as Vasilin controls from the top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dmitrij Vasilin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Vasilin winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dmitrij Vasilin!