PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nando Holjevac (ranked 4669 p4p, 0 weight class) and Costel Rusu (ranked 4033 p4p, 0 weight class). Holjevac comes to the cage accompanied by OÄ‡e kurac. Rusu has chosen "Deșteaptă-te, române!" by Anton Pann as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Costel Rusu is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Holjevac
vs
Rusu

181 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
28
190 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes comics

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Knockout power

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, Nando Holjevac!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Costel Rusu!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Fedor Mirinova and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rusu shoots in for a takedown but Holjevac shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rusu looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Holjevac.
Holjevac changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rusu tries to avoid it but Holjevac manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rusu to the ground. Rusu escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Holjevac shoots in and gets a takedown into Rusu's guard.

Rusu manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Rusu drives through and clinches with Holjevac against the cage.
Holjevac is looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nando Holjevac. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Holjevac pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rusu on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Holjevac shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Holjevac showed some decent athleticism there.
Well, if Holjevac is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holjevac drops an elbow to the side of Rusu's head.

Holjevac is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rusu defends it well.
Holjevac seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rusu does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Holjevac is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rusu trying to control from the bottom.

Holjevac wants to work for an arm triangle but Rusu is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Holjevac is looking to stall here but Rusu recovers full guard.
Rusu tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Holjevac wants to control from the top but Rusu keeps moving.
Holjevac tries to free his leg and advance position but Rusu is retaining full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holjevac tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rusu connects with a high kick.
Holjevac misses with a takedown

and Rusu counters by moving into the clinch.
Rusu tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Holjevac escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Holjevac throws a series of punches but Rusu avoids them all with ease.

Holjevac closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rusu to the mat! Rusu manages to get full guard.
Rusu working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holjevac trying to control the position from guard on top but Rusu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Holjevac wants to stand but Rusu is controlling his posture from full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Holjevac trying to control the position from guard on top but Rusu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
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.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Holjevac shoots in and bounces Rusu off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Rusu manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Rusu jumps guard but Holjevac turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Rusu is trying to pull guard but Holjevac turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Rusu misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Holjevac.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holjevac misses with a knee to the head.

Holjevac breaks from the clinch.
Rusu is breathing heavily.
Holjevac throws a nice looking combination but Rusu bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rusu throws a counter combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holjevac shoots and misses

and Rusu counters by clinching up.

Holjevac's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rusu blocks a low kick nicely.
Holjevac lands a front kick.

Holjevac closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Rusu quickly recovers to half guard.
Holjevac wants to get back to his feet.
Rusu keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Holjevac looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holjevac looks to land a strike but Rusu avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Holjevac postures up.
Rusu keeping moving, preventing Holjevac from controlling successfully.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Holjevac is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Rusu is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Rusu has escaped and now he's on top!

Holjevac working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rusu doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rusu manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holjevac looking to control.
Rusu throws a big right hand that misses.
Holjevac knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rusu on the ground.
Rusu postures up.
Rusu throws a big right hand that misses.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Holjevac fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rusu tries for a takedown but Holjevac sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Nando Holjevac has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Costel Rusu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Holjevac shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Holjevac looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Holjevac shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Holjevac takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Holjevac defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rusu.

Holjevac is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Rusu's half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Holjevac is thwarting Rusu's attempts to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Costel Rusu will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Holjevac fails with a takedown attempt.
Despite the aggression on Rusu's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Rusu showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Holjevac.
Holjevac shoots in for a takedown but Rusu shows good takedown defense.
Rusu defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Holjevac.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nando Holjevac. 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.

Rusu closes the distance and clinches.
Rusu slowing the pace effectively.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A bit of stalling here from Holjevac.
Holjevac effectively controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holjevac jumps guard but Rusu stands there with Holjevac around his waist. Holjevac gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Holjevac is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Rusu to keep the fight standing.

Rusu jumps into guard, dragging Holjevac to the mat.
Holjevac trying to control but Rusu is working from the bottom.
Rusu has momentary wrist control but Holjevac slips an elbow through the middle.
Holjevac wants to control from the top but Rusu keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Holjevac wants to pass the guard but Rusu is keeping the position.
Holjevac works over Rusu with some ground and pound from guard.
Holjevac trying to control but Rusu is working from the bottom.
Holjevac might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rusu trying to control the position here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Holjevac looks to clinch
and Rusu counters with a left and a right that stings Holjevac.
Rusu shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Holjevac but Holjevac pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Holjevac bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Holjevac is looking to take a break and control but Rusu is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Holjevac working the ground and pound from side control.
Holjevac lands an elbow.
Rusu is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Rusu is not content to let Holjevac control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rusu is looking to regain half guard here but Holjevac keeps moving and retains side control.
Holjevac landing a few strikes.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rusu is not content to let Holjevac control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Costel Rusu.
I've got Rusu winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 27:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Costel Rusu!
Our winner, Costel Rusu, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.
Nando Holjevac spoke after the fight, saying 'Jebem vam boga vratit cu se jaÄi'.