PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kerry Larson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Waro Lesten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Waro Lesten will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Larson
vs
Lesten

155 cm
24
279 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
25
260 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 St Petersburg, Kerry Larson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Waro Lesten!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Viktor Lagutenko and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lesten misses the body punch

so Larson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Lesten is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Larson makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Larson could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Larson stopping the sweep attempt from Lesten.
Larson stops Lesten from standing up.
Larson stands up over Lesten, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Larson is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Larson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lesten is looking to stand up but Larson isn't so interested in that idea.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Lesten throws a combination that misses

and Larson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Larson controlling the action here.
Lesten blocking the ground and pound attempt from Larson.
Larson drops an elbow to the side of Lesten's head.
Lesten really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Larson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Larson not doing much here.
Ground and pound from Larson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lesten is trying to stand.
Larson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Lesten is trying to escape back to his feet but Larson uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Larson in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Lesten taking a bit of punishment here - Larson scoring with strikes.
Lesten wants to control but Larson postures up.
Sloppy strikes there by Larson.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lesten takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Larson cracks Lesten with a big right hand but Lesten just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Larson misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Larson remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Larson lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Lesten tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Larson gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Larson scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Lesten is looking for a way out.
Larson lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Larson.
Larson is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Larson throwing wild punches that miss their target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kerry Larson dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

No joy there for Lesten, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Lesten looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Larson feinted with a counter takedown.
Lesten rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Larson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Larson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Lesten.
Larson appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Lesten misses with a wild combination.
Larson moves out of range as Lesten strikes.
Larson avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Larson attempts a counter takedown but Lesten avoids it well and moves away.
Lesten falls off balance throwing a combination

and Larson counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Larson.
Larson lands a couple of elbows.
Larson is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larson won't allow Lesten to sweep him here.
Larson stands up over Lesten, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Larson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Larson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Larson is working Lesten over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Larson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Lesten working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Larson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Larson postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Lesten has momentary wrist control but Larson slips an elbow through the middle.
Lesten wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Larson manages to pass to side control.
Lesten avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Larson.
Lesten looks like he's trying to stand up.
Larson lands with a punch from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Larson gets tackled into the cage by Lesten. Lesten maintains the clinch.
Lesten looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Lesten stops a takedown attempt from Larson.
Larson drops down looking for an ankle pick but Lesten pulls his leg out and moves away.

Lesten moves into range and clinches up with Larson.
Lesten prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kerry Larson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lesten working hard to break the clinch.
Larson tries for a takedown. No joy.
Larson is working for takedown but Lesten is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Larson is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Lesten pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Lesten tries to land a knee to the head but Larson blocks with his arms.
Larson drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Lesten gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lesten prevents a takedown attempt there.
Lesten is trying to push Larson away but Larson has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Lesten breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lesten sizes up Larson with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

It looks like Kerry Larson has been cut.
Lesten misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lesten has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Larson is landing a low percentage of strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
No joy there for Lesten, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Larson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lesten can do to turn this around?
Lesten fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Lesten throws a body punch but Larson moves out of range.
Larson tries to counter with a takedown but Lesten is quick to defend against it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Waro Lesten showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kerry Larson's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Sloppy strikes from Lesten. Those never looked like landing.
Lesten misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A counter left hand to the body from Larson misses its target.
Lesten misses with a wild combination.
Lesten misses with a jab, cross combination.
Larson attempts a counter takedown but Lesten avoids it well and moves away.
Lesten tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Larson is able to avoid easily.
Lesten swinging wildly here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Larson darts in looking for a takedown but Lesten gets double underhooks and turns Larson into the cage.
Despite the aggression on Lesten's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Lesten is throwing punches like he's double parked. Oh my word! Huge right hand from Lesten shuts the power down on Larson. Lights out, game over! Lesten is your winner.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:52 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Waro Lesten!