PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lay Pray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Usikov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Pray
vs
Usikov

180 cm
27
190 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

175 cm
27
195 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Dangerous knees
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Lay Pray!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexander Usikov!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Eddie Farnsworth and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Usikov lands with a nice body punch.
Usikov keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Lay Pray seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pray fails with the takedown.
Nice body punch from Usikov.
Usikov scores with the left hand. Pray knows he should have avoided that one.
Nice sprawl there from Usikov as Pray shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lay Pray. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pray closes the distance and clinches up with Usikov, looking for a takedown. Pray pushes Usikov against the cage but Usikov circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Usikov fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Pray on the side of the head.

It looks like Lay Pray has been cut.
Pray fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Usikov avoids it really well and circles away.
Pray misses with a takedown
and Usikov counters with a straight right hand.
Pray has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Pray there as he acknowledges the shot.
Pray takes one on the button.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Usikov gets caught flat footed, as Pray shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Usikov is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pray being controlled here momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pray throws a strike but Usikov rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Pray looking to hit a scissor sweep but Usikov is one step ahead there.
Pray is working hard here to advance position.
Pray is looking to sweep but instead, Usikov has passed into half guard.
Pray wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pray works his way to full guard. Good work.
Pray manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Usikov manages to get himself to full guard.

Usikov wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Usikov uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Pray has his takedown stuffed

and Usikov counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Usikov.
Usikov tries a knee to the head but Pray blocks it.
Usikov scores with a knee to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Usikov tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Pray goes for a takedown in the clinch but Usikov prevents it.
Pray wants a takedown.
Still in the clinch, Usikov scores with a nice short uppercut.
Usikov lands a knee to the head.

Pray is rocked!
Pray is trying to drag Usikov to the mat but Usikov just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Usikov throws a knee to the head but misses.
Usikov unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Pray is breathing heavily.
Usikov lands an uppercut.
Usikov connects with a knee to the head.
Usikov with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Oh Pray is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Usikov scores a nice knee to the body.
Usikov avoiding damage.
Usikov using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Usikov unloads a knee to the mid-section. Pray lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Usikov lands a big knee! That's hurt Pray! Oh, he's all over the place! Usikov lands another knee that sends Pray to the floor and the referee steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:46 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Alexander Usikov!
A relieved looking Alexander Usikov thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.