PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jesse Dom (ranked 4886 p4p, 0 weight class) and Costel Rusu (ranked 6489 p4p, 0 weight class). Rusu is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by "Deșteaptă-te, române!" by Anton Pann. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Dom
vs
Rusu

182 cm
19
186 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
26
190 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jesse Dom!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Costel Rusu!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Vladimir Khabensky and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dom with a lazy takedown attempt
and Rusu counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Dom closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rusu circles away.
Dom tries to clinch there but Rusu circles away.
Dom tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rusu swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jesse Dom. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rusu will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rusu looks winded!
Nice sprawl there from Rusu as Dom shoots in.
Rusu doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Dom misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rusu slaps away a takedown attempt from Dom, before circling back to the center of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dom fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Dom fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Dom stuffs the takedown attempt from Rusu. Rusu gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dom tries to clinch but Rusu is having none of it.
Rusu keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Dom clinches up against the cage.
Dom wants to take the fight to the mat but Rusu manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Rusu blocking some punches.
Rusu is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Dom is defending well.
Rusu wants to take the fight to the mat but Dom manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Rusu tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Dom smiles and moves away.
Dom fails to land the takedown.
Jesse Dom seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rusu defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Dom.

Rusu tries to keep at a distance but Dom has taken the fight into the clinch.
Dom crunches a lovely knee into Rusu's ribcage.
Dom creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Dom pressing his opponent against the cage.
Rusu content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Rusu has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Dom seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Rusu can turn it around.
Rusu has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Dom is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dom breaks the clinch.
Rusu is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Dom tries to score a power double leg takedown but Rusu sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Dom somewhat.
Rusu with the counter takedown but Dom avoids it easily.
Rusu shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Dom rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rusu moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rusu steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Dom.
Rusu goes for a double leg but Dom avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Dom continues to drive forward.
Dom fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Dom shoots for a double leg takedown but Rusu sprawls well. He's pushed Dom's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Dom stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Dom wants it to stay on the feet.
Dom shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Rusu defends it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dom shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rusu counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Dom chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Dom shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rusu sprawls well. Rusu wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Dom gets slowly back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Rusu fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Dom, pushing him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Costel Rusu will probably get the nod.
That's time! Dom's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Dom goes for a double leg but Rusu avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Rusu continues to drive forward.
Jesse Dom is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rusu keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Dom shoots in looking for a takedown but Rusu manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Dom's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jesse Dom. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rusu avoids a punch combination nicely.
Dom shoots in but Rusu avoids the takedown attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rusu avoids a punch combination nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Dom crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Rusu - the referee stops the clock and Dom gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Rusu. Dom manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rusu tries for a takedown but Dom sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Dom tries to clinch but Rusu moves out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Rusu. No joy for Dom on that attempt.
Rusu will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Rusu clinches with his opponent.
Dom misses with a knee strike.
Rusu blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Dom manages to break the clinch.
Dom gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Rusu counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Dom prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Come on Dom - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Dom letting Rusu take a breather here.
Dom can't get the takedown.
Knees in the clinch landing for Rusu.
Dom changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rusu fights it off and pushes away nicely.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dom is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Rusu stops a takedown attempt from Dom.
Dom is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Rusu will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Dom up against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Dom breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four 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.

Rusu has taken the fight to the clinch.
Rusu stalling the fight.
Rusu is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Dom is keeping busy.

Rusu breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dom cracks the inside of Rusu's front leg.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dom slaps away a takedown attempt from Rusu, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Rusu misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Costel Rusu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Dom's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Dom darts in looking for a takedown but Rusu gets double underhooks and turns Dom into the cage.
A countering left hand to the body from Rusu misses.
Dom moves in looking to clinch but Rusu pushes him off.
Rusu misses with a takedown attempt - Dom sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Dom plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

It looks like Costel Rusu has been cut.
Dom has a takedown stuffed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rusu gets tackled into the cage by Dom. Dom maintains the clinch.
Rusu prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jesse Dom. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dom successfully pulls guard.
Rusu won't allow Dom to sweep him here.
Dom manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rusu manages to get himself to full guard.

Rusu looking for a sweep. Not yet Rusu, not yet.

Rusu is looking for a triangle but Dom pushes his legs off easily.
Dom is looking to work some ground and pound but Rusu has wrist control.
Dom sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dom trying to control the position from guard on top but Rusu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dom throws a big right hand that misses.
Dom trying to control but Rusu is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Dom throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Rusu counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dom clinches with his opponent.
Rusu prevents a takedown attempt there.
Dom misses with a short punch on the inside.

Rusu breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Costel Rusu seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Dom goes for a double leg but Rusu avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Rusu continues to drive forward.
Rusu lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Dom fails with a takedown attempt.
Rusu with the counter takedown but Dom avoids it easily.
Nice takedown defense from Rusu. No joy for Dom on that attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown attempt by Rusu or perhaps it was just good defense by Dom, which made it look bad.

Dom closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Dom tries to land a knee to the head but Rusu blocks with his arms.
Dom is looking to take this one to the mat.
Rusu lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Dom is pressed up against the cage. Rusu has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Dom down to the mat. Dom avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dom swinging wildly here.
Jesse Dom has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Costel Rusu is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Dom darts in looking for a takedown but Rusu gets double underhooks and turns Dom into the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jesse Dom.
I think Rusu 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Costel Rusu!
A victorious Costel Rusu thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.