PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Earl Raymond (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sasha Strunin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sasha Strunin will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Raymond
vs
Strunin

173 cm
24
215 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

192 cm
25
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Earl Raymond!
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, Sasha Strunin!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Ivan Kurochkin and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Raymond gets a takedown into half guard.
Strunin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Strunin has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Raymond is on him like a limpet, forcing Strunin back against the cage.

Strunin drags the fight down to the ground.
Raymond loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Raymond missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Strunin bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Raymond's guard.

Raymond keeping moving, preventing Strunin from controlling successfully.
Strunin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Raymond swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Raymond has an active guard here but Strunin has managed to pass into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strunin controlling the pace.
Raymond really is a fat lump.
Strunin prevents Raymond from improving his position.
Well, if Strunin is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Strunin works his way into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Strunin sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Raymond is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Strunin throwing strikes but Raymond manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Raymond working away.
Strunin sneaks back into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Raymond scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Strunin tries to get to full guard but Raymond has control of the leg.
Strunin holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raymond looks to land a strike but Strunin avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Raymond won't allow Strunin to sweep him here.
Strunin pulls Raymond in to control the position.
Strunin is trying to keep Raymond in close.
Raymond is in close to Strunin's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Raymond throws a big right hand that misses.
Raymond postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Raymond might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Strunin controls Raymond momentarily but Raymond frees himself.

Raymond decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Strunin scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Raymond is in trouble now - Strunin has advanced to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strunin looking to control but Raymond is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Raymond is in all sorts of trouble here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Strunin tries to control but Raymond wriggling away.
Raymond is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sasha Strunin dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Strunin tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Raymond is able to avoid easily.

Strunin shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Raymond manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Strunin engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Raymond working for a triangle but Strunin defends it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Strunin stands up and waves to Raymond to follow him.
Earl Raymond is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Strunin shoots in and gets a takedown into Raymond's guard.
Strunin wants to control from the top but Raymond keeps moving.
Strunin looking to sit in guard and control but Raymond gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raymond with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Strunin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Raymond gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Raymond throwing strikes from guard but Strunin blocks nicely.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Strunin is on top in guard.

Strunin stands up and waves to Raymond to follow him.

Strunin shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Raymond manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strunin sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Raymond's guard.

Strunin is working for a kimura but Raymond is defending it quite comfortably.
Raymond tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Strunin manages to move to mount!
Strunin landing strikes from the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Strunin jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Raymond is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Raymond and Strunin has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

Strunin goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Raymond has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Strunin but great work by Raymond.

Strunin throws Raymond to one side and escapes!

Raymond has Strunin up against the cage in a clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Raymond is trying to drag Strunin to the mat but Strunin just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sasha Strunin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Strunin shoots in and bounces Raymond off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Raymond is looking for a triangle but Strunin pushes his legs off easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Strunin gets to his feet - Raymond follows without any prompting.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Strunin throws a head kick that misses.

Strunin closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strunin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Raymond keeps working.

Strunin thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Strunin just content to control the position.

Raymond explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Raymond tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Strunin paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Strunin shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Raymond's guard.
Strunin controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Strunin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Raymond has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Strunin has managed to get both his arms back between Raymond's legs - danger averted.
Sasha Strunin has got the better of the ground game so far.

Strunin decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Strunin tries to clinch up.
Strunin throws a body kick that misses.
Raymond tries to counter by clinching up but Strunin breaks away and moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raymond is looking to clinch but Strunin is avoiding it.
Raymond tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Strunin paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Strunin moves into the clinch successfully.
Raymond trying to control the position but instead, Strunin has worked for underhooks and has pushed Raymond into the cage.
Raymond tries to pull guard but Strunin won't allow it.

Strunin has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Raymond uses from the top position.

Strunin is looking for a triangle but Raymond pushes his legs off easily.
Strunin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strunin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Strunin trying to control the position.
Raymond stopping the sweep attempt from Strunin.
Raymond has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Strunin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Raymond throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Strunin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Raymond throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Raymond wants to stand but Strunin is controlling his posture from full guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Raymond tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Strunin counters with a series of strikes. Raymond will be more careful next time no doubt.

Strunin shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Raymond manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Earl Raymond has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sasha Strunin is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Strunin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Raymond keeping moving, preventing Strunin from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sasha Strunin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Strunin 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sasha Strunin!