PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Lorenzo Fuerte (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jonathan Karasova (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Fuerte
vs
Karasova

173 cm
25
153 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

150 cm
26
145 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Lorenzo Fuerte!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jonathan Karasova!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Vladimir Khabensky and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karasova shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Fuerte as he avoids it easily.

Fuerte closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Karasova quickly recovers to half guard.
Fuerte not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Karasova is defending against the submission attempts here by Fuerte.

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

Karasova manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Fuerte passes Karasova's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Fuerte seems to be looking for submissions.
Fuerte looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fuerte passes to side control.
Karasova tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Fuerte wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
You can see the frustration on Karasova's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Fuerte just content to control the position.
Fuerte is looking to take a break and control but Karasova is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Fuerte looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

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.
Fuerte has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Fuerte lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Fuerte is landing with some decent strikes but Karasova is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Fuerte 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.
Fuerte trying to control but Karasova is having none of it.
Karasova is in all sorts of trouble here.
Fuerte trying to control but Karasova is having none of it.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Karasova can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fuerte is working for a guillotine from mount but Karasova frees his head quite easily.
Karasova is squirming around, avoiding Fuerte's attempts to control the action.
The referee warns Karasova that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
BOOM! Fuerte connects with a massive shot to the dome!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fuerte avoids the attempt from Karasova to control.
Fuerte lands a couple of good shots and Karasova has given up his back, trying to escape the position!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fuerte is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Fuerte gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Fuerte gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Fuerte apologises and we restart here on the feet.

Fuerte scores with a takedown into Karasova's guard.
Fuerte passes into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Fuerte working Karasova over with strikes.
Fuerte missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Karasova makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Karasova.
Fuerte controls from within his opponent's guard.

Fuerte drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Karasova dives on top into guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lorenzo Fuerte dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Karasova scoring well with a low kick there.
Karasova lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Karasova.
Fuerte is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Karasova.

Fuerte shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Karasova manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Fuerte trying to control but Karasova is working from the bottom.
Karasova trying to control the position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Fuerte's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Fuerte trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fuerte is working hard here to advance position.
Fuerte throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Karasova keeping moving, preventing Fuerte from controlling successfully.
Lorenzo Fuerte overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Jonathan Karasova seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fuerte shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Karasova pinned against the cage. Karasova gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

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.

Karasova gets a double leg takedown into Fuerte's guard.
Karasova controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Fuerte uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Karasova thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Fuerte if he has to take too many more of those.
Karasova will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fuerte shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Karasova pinned against the cage. Karasova gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Fuerte is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Karasova.
Karasova shoots in for a takedown but Fuerte shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Fuerte shoots in and gets a takedown into Karasova's guard.
Fuerte pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Karasova is keeping the position for now.
Fuerte is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Karasova can do to turn this around?
Fuerte wants to control from the top but Karasova keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karasova wants to sweep but no luck.
Karasova is breathing heavily.
Fuerte lands a couple of elbows.
Fuerte stands and throws Karasova's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Karasova is working to avoid the ground and pound but Fuerte connects with a decent elbow.
Karasova tries to buck Fuerte off but Fuerte is having none of it.

Fuerte goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Karasova has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Fuerte but great work by Karasova.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fuerte tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Karasova wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Fuerte manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Fuerte works his way to full guard. Good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jonathan Karasova will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Karasova misses with a series of wild punches.

Karasova gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Fuerte trying to control the position from guard on top but Karasova is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Karasova controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karasova is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Fuerte lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Karasova keeping moving, preventing Fuerte from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fuerte lands a couple of elbows.
Fuerte scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Karasova wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Fuerte postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Karasova is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Fuerte, into his guard.

Fuerte has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Karasova has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Karasova tries to break free but Fuerte pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fuerte tries for a takedown. No joy.
Karasova is stalling here.
Fuerte changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Karasova fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Fuerte stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Fuerte wants it to stay on the feet.
Karasova throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Fuerte.
Karasova takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Fuerte gets the takedown into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Fuerte wants to lay and pray for a moment but Karasova keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fuerte working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Fuerte wants to lay and pray for a moment but Karasova keeps working.

Karasova bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

Fuerte closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Karasova did well to prevent Fuerte getting side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fuerte uses his free foot to push down on Karasova's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Karasova.
Fuerte breaks from Karasova's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Karasova is squirming around, avoiding Fuerte's attempts to control the action.
Fuerte looking to take Karasova's back but Karasova rolls and after a scramble, Karasova ends up on top in guard. Nice escape there from Karasova to escape a tricky position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Karasova trying to control the position from guard on top but Fuerte is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Fuerte has his foot on Karasova's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Karasova works his way back into a safe position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lorenzo Fuerte showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Fuerte has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lorenzo Fuerte!