PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kendall Swanson (ranked 8437 p4p, 0 weight class) and Victor Stroev (ranked 7961 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Swanson
vs
Stroev

212 cm
18
161 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

175 cm
20
157 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Tends to cut

Pit Bull Development

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kendall Swanson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Victor Stroev!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Fedor Mirinova and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stroev shoots for a takedown but Swanson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Swanson tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Stroev manages to circle out of the way.
Stroev ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Stroev shoots in and drives through. Swanson sprawls well.
Victor Stroev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stroev throws a body kick that misses.
Swanson shoots in but no luck this time.
Stroev shoots in and drives through. Swanson sprawls well.
Kendall Swanson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Victor Stroev.
Stroev slips a jab and a cross from Swanson.

Swanson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Swanson is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Stroev escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Swanson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Swanson gets the takedown into side control.
Stroev is looking to get back to his feet here but Swanson is keeping cool and he's managed to take Stroev's back.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Will Swanson go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Swanson lands a shot to the body.
Stroev looking very determined here, making life difficult for Swanson.
Stroev trying to control but not successfully.
Stroev tries to escape but Swanson has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Stroev looks winded!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Stroev keeps trying to improve his position.
Swanson struggling to keep hold of the position.
Swanson is working the ground and pound. Can Stroev escape?
Stroev rolls, trying to escape but Swanson keeps control of the position.
Swanson misses with an elbow to the head.
Stroev wants to control his opponent's hands but Swanson gets his hands free.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Swanson.
Stroev trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Swanson 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.
Swanson tries to get the hooks in deep but Stroev pushed the leg off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
I really don't envy Stroev right now.
Swanson has good solid back control here.
Swanson gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Swanson somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Swanson punches Stroev on the ear.
Swanson softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Good control from Swanson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Swanson lands punches and elbows.
Stroev covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Swanson is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Stroev just trying to survive but Swanson is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Swanson is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Swanson is not going to allow Stroev to sit and survive in this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Swanson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Stroev slaps away a takedown attempt from Swanson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Stroev is defended easily by Swanson.
Swanson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Stroev pinned against the cage. Stroev gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Stroev is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Swanson with a body shot.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kendall Swanson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Swanson shoots in but Stroev avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stroev looks to land a combination but Swanson avoids it well.
Stroev is breathing heavily.
Swanson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Stroev avoids it really well and circles away.
Swanson leaves Stroev with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Swanson is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Stroev.

Swanson gets caught flat footed, as Stroev shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Swanson is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Stroev is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Swanson tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Stroev trying to control from the bottom.
Stroev is looking for a sweep. Swanson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Stroev is looking to get back to full guard here but Swanson has managed to pass to side control instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Swanson has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Swanson slaps away a takedown attempt from Stroev, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Stroev defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Swanson.
Swanson fails to land the takedown.
Stroev avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Stroev throws a push kick but Swanson slaps the foot to one side.
Swanson has a takedown stuffed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Swanson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Stroev swivels and escapes.
Stroev shoots in looking for a takedown. Swanson tries to sprawl out of it but Stroev keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Swanson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Swanson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Stroev pinned against the cage. Stroev gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Stroev takes the fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Victor Stroev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Stroev tries to clinch up.
Swanson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Stroev circles away.
Swanson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Stroev tries a head kick but it misses.
Stroev tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Swanson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Stroev tries for a takedown but Swanson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Swanson has his takedown stuffed
and Stroev counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kendall Swanson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Stroev rushes Swanson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stroev has Swanson pressed against the cage, preventing Swanson from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Swanson has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Stroev is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Swanson has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Stroev is trying to keep an underhook but Swanson manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Stroev scores with a few weak punches.
Stroev is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Swanson jumps into side control!

Swanson decides to stand back up. Swanson steps back and let's Stroev get back to his feet.
Swanson has a takedown stuffed.
Stroev looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Swanson went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Swanson shoots in looking for a takedown. Stroev tries to sprawl out of it but Swanson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Stroev manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Swanson with that takedown attempt.
Swanson avoids the head kick by Stroev.
Swanson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Stroev circles away.
Kendall Swanson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Swanson fails with a takedown attempt.
Stroev looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Swanson is looking to counter the offense by Stroev and move into the clinch.
Swanson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Stroev but Stroev pushes him off and we're back to square one.
It seemed like Stroev was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stroev throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Swanson's waist but Swanson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Stroev off to one side.
Swanson seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Swanson misses with a takedown attempt - Stroev sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Stroev stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Stroev wants it to stay on the feet.
Stroev throws a head kick but Swanson moves out of range.
Stroev wants to clinch up but Swanson keeps it at a distance.

Swanson closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Stroev's guard.
Stroev trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stroev avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stroev is looking to sweep but instead, Swanson has passed into half guard.
Stroev wants to get back to full guard.
Swanson stops Stroev from getting back to his feet.
Swanson working over Stroev with some ground and pound. Stroev looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Stroev avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Swanson.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stroev trying to control here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Swanson misses with a series of wild punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Victor Stroev.
I think Stroev 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Victor Stroev!