PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Lucky Luke (ranked 3549 p4p, 333 weight class) and George Conor Russell (ranked 5623 p4p, 466 weight class). George Conor Russell will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Luke
vs
Conor Russell

172 cm
26
145 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

190 cm
18
153 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lucky Luke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, George Conor Russell!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Hugh Johnson and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Luke looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Russell is fending him off so far but Luke persists. Nope, Russell circles away and we're back to standing.
A punch combination from Russell misses.
Luke wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Luke throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A countering left hand to the body from Russell misses.
Russell has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Russell there as he acknowledges the shot.
Lucky Luke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A big right from Luke misses.
Luke throws an overhand right that lands on Russell's shoulder, as Russell tries to avoid the shot.
Luke lands a nice shot that snaps Russell's head back.
Luke throws a body shot but no joy.
Russell with the counter takedown but Luke avoids it easily.
Luke lands with a cross.
Luke swings and misses with a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice sprawl there from Russell as Luke shoots in.
Luke shoots in looking for a takedown. Russell tries to sprawl out of it but Luke keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Russell manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lucky Luke. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russell throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Luke.
Luke has his takedown stuffed
and Russell counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Russell rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Luke moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Russell scores with a jab.
Luke throws a sloppy head kick
and Russell counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Luke looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Luke misses with an attempted mid kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Luke.
Luke looks to land a left hand but Russell moved out of range nicely.
Russell unleashes a big counter combination but Luke bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Luke lands a nice looking body shot.
Luke dodges the punch combination from Russell.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luke swinging wildly here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Luke misses with a straight left.
Luke throws a front kick aimed at Russell's knee but Russell avoids it well.
Luke throws a hook but Russell blocks it.
Russell lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Luke misses with an uppercut.
Luke misses the jab.
Russell with the counter takedown but Luke avoids it easily.

Luke shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Russell is trying to defend but Luke finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Russell is trying to stand.

Luke seems to be working for a kimura but Russell defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luke missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Luke works his foot free and advances to mount.
Luke looking to control but Russell is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Luke unloading with bombs!
You get the feeling that Russell really doesn't like being in this position too much.

Luke has control of Russell's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Russell regains control of the situation pretty easily.

Luke moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Russell has worked his arm free - good work by Russell!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Luke is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Russell is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Russell wants to get back to his feet.

Luke thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Luke tries for a kimura but Russell is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lucky Luke dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Luke throws a hook but Russell avoids it easily.

Luke scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Luke thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Luke throwing shots but Russell is blocking nicely.

Luke is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Luke is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Russell is defending against the submission attempts here by Luke.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Russell avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Luke.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Luke seems to be looking for submissions.
Russell pushes Luke off looking to stand but Luke dives back in and keeps control.

Luke seems to be looking for submissions.
Luke missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Russell is looking to escape.
Luke is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Russell can do to turn this around?
Luke thows a huge punch but Russell dodges it nicely.

Luke is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Russell is just riding it out for now. Luke eventually gives up the hold.
Lucky Luke overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Luke stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Luke stops Russell from getting back to his feet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Luke lands a body shot.
Luke throws a right hand that misses
and Russell counters with a series of strikes. Luke will be more careful next time no doubt.
Some wild striking there from Russell.
Luke waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Russell.
Luke swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Luke misses.
Luke closes the distance and clinches up with Russell, looking for a takedown. Luke pushes Russell against the cage but Russell circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Russell moves out of range as Luke strikes.
Luke misses with a wild body shot.
Russell is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Russell avoids the body shot from Luke.
Russell stalks Luke and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Luke's face. Luke staggers backwards, shaken.

Russell tries to sprawl but Luke drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Russell kicks Luke off and gets back to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Luke misses the shot to the body.
Luke misses with a two punch combination.
Russell misses with a wild combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luke tries for a takedown but Russell circles away easily

and Russell decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Luke's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Luke throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Russell wanted to stand there but Luke had control of the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but George Conor Russell will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Luke misses with a few strikes there.
George Conor Russell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Russell doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Luke avoids a punch combination nicely.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Luke.
Luke misses with a wild body shot.
Russell tries to counter by closing the distance.
A combination from Russell does no damage.
Luke showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Russell.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Russell misses with a jab, cross combination.
Luke appears to be looking for a big counter.
Russell uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Luke.
Russell is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Russell is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luke swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Russell wants to counter with a clinch but Luke pushes him away.
Luke misses with a double jab

and Russell counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Luke working a defensive guard here.
Luke seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Russell must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Luke is trying to keep Russell in close.
Russell wanted to stand there but Luke had control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Luke is working an open guard so Russell takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Luke looks for a takedown but Russell sprawls well.
Russell moves away from the strike by Luke.
Russell ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Russell lands a nice hook to Luke's body. Luke takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Luke showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Russell.
Russell scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Luke showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Russell.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luke swings for the body but Russell moves out of range.
Russell misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Luke tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Russell was well out of range. Poor timing from Luke.
Luke throws a big shot that misses.
Luke changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Luke fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Luke doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Luke misses with a shot to the body
and Russell counters with a series of strikes. Luke will be more careful next time no doubt.
Russell takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Luke doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Russell counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lucky Luke. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luke tries to pull guard but Russell forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Russell breaks the clinch.
Russell looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Luke throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Russell stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Luke takes a swing at Russell's ribcage but misses.
Russell changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Luke thows a left - swing and a miss!
Russell with the counter takedown but Luke avoids it easily.
Russell feints a jab promting Luke to slip. Russell then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Luke slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Russell tries to bum rush Luke with a series of wild strikes but Luke uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Russell stuffs the takedown attempt from Luke. Luke gets slowly back to his feet.
Luke walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

And that's the end of the fight!
George Conor Russell comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Russell has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... George Conor Russell!