PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alphonse Foley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zach Crusher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alphonse Foley has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Foley
vs
Crusher

203 cm
24
279 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

220 cm
25
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alphonse Foley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zach Crusher!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Illya Tyunina and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Foley lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Crusher misses with an attempted mid kick.

Foley closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Crusher quickly recovers to half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Crusher is doing well to control the position and prevent Foley from advancing to side control.
Foley blocks the strikes from Crusher.
Crusher is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Crusher gets full guard.
Foley wants to get up but he can't break Crusher's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Crusher has his hands on Foley's head, controlling the position.
Crusher controls Foley momentarily but Foley frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Crusher had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Foley defends it easily.
Crusher wants to sweep but no luck.
Crusher working a defensive guard but Foley passes into half guard.
Foley has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Crusher works to full guard.
Crusher is pulling down on Foley's head to control his posture.
Foley might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crusher bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Foley's guard.
Crusher trying to control but Foley is working from the bottom.

Foley has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Crusher can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Crusher gets to his feet - Foley follows without any prompting.
Crusher tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Foley manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Crusher scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

It looks like Alphonse Foley has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Foley avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Crusher shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Foley but Foley pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crusher keeps the fight on the outside.
No luck for Crusher with that takedown attempt.
Crusher shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Foley pinned against the cage. Foley gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Alphonse Foley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zach Crusher.
Crusher doesn't manage to clinch there - Foley circles away.
Crusher closes the distance looking to clinch
and Foley counters with a straight right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crusher throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Crusher tries to clinch up
and Foley counters with a nice body kick.
Crusher swats away the attempt to clinch by Foley.
Crusher fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Foley avoids it really well and circles away.
Foley lands a head kick!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Crusher tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Foley defends well and Crusher ends up having to push Foley into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zach Crusher dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alphonse Foley's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Crusher tries to clinch there but Foley circles away.
Crusher tries to clinch but Foley is having none of it.
Foley tries to clinch up.
Crusher throws a head kick but Foley moves out of range.
Crusher misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Crusher fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Foley avoids it really well and circles away.

Crusher tries to keep at a distance but Foley has taken the fight into the clinch.
Crusher has Foley pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Foley manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Crusher drops down looking for an ankle pick but Foley pulls his leg out and moves away.
Alphonse Foley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zach Crusher.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Foley shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Crusher napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Foley tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Crusher wants to get back to his feet.
Crusher is trying to control Foley's posture but Foley avoids it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Foley decides to stand back up. Foley steps back and let's Crusher get back to his feet.
Zach Crusher is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Crusher circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Foley tries to clinch there but Crusher circles away.
Foley tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Crusher paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A solid leg kick lands there for Foley.
Crusher misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Crusher shoots in but no luck this time.
A looping hook to the body misses from Foley. Crusher does a little dance to reset his feet.
A head kick misses from Foley.
Crusher just misses with a punch to the body.
Crusher shoots in but no luck this time.
Foley wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Crusher darts in and clinches Foley up against the cage.
Foley keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Crusher's efforts to push away.
Foley is pressed up against the cage. Crusher has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Foley down to the mat. Foley avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Foley takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Crusher is breathing heavily.
Foley stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Foley wants it to stay on the feet.
Crusher shoots for a double leg takedown but Foley sprawls well. He's pushed Crusher's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Zach Crusher seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Foley moves into range and connects with a jab.
Crusher fails with the takedown
and Foley counters with an outside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Foley is defended easily by Crusher.
Crusher avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Crusher shoots in for a takedown but Foley shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Foley doesn't manage to clinch there - Crusher circles away.
Crusher misses with a takedown
and Foley counters with an outside leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Crusher stuffs the takedown.
This has been an exciting period of action!
No luck for Foley with that takedown attempt.
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 Alphonse Foley will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Alphonse Foley's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Foley tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Crusher manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Foley bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.

Crusher clinches up against the cage.
Foley tries to pull guard but Crusher won't allow it.
Crusher tries to break the clinch but Foley is controlling the position.
Foley keeps control of Crusher as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Crusher avoiding damage as Foley throws knees to the body.
Foley can't get the takedown.
Crusher wants to get back to striking at distance but Foley won't allow it.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Foley wants to break free but Crusher has control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Crusher jumps guard.
Foley throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Crusher lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Foley pushes Crusher off and scrambles back to his feet.

Crusher moves into range and clinches up with Foley.
Foley pressing his opponent against the cage.
Foley looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Foley tries to pull guard but Crusher won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alphonse Foley. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Crusher decides to pull guard.
Crusher not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Crusher is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Foley would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Crusher pushes Foley off and scrambles back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Foley shoots in for a takedown but Crusher shows good takedown defense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crusher shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Foley defends it nicely.

Crusher gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Foley is trying to maintain a safe position but Crusher gets an underhook and turns Foley into the cage.

Foley breaks the clinch.
Foley defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Crusher.
Foley shoots in for a takedown but Crusher shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A head kick by Crusher misses
and Foley counters with a nice body kick.
Crusher takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Crusher is defended easily by Foley.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crusher shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Foley fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Crusher to the ground. Foley is now in Crusher's guard.
Crusher is trying to control the position but Foley postures up.
Foley has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Foley postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Foley wants to get up but he can't break Crusher's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Foley stopping the sweep attempt from Crusher.
Foley trying to control but Crusher is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Zach Crusher.
Well Crusher has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Zach Crusher!