PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tantric Yogi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Russell Kairouz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kairouz comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Metallica - Seek and Destroy kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Yogi
vs
Kairouz

180 cm
19
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
24
177 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Very quick

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tantric Yogi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Russell Kairouz!
The judges for this bout are , and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Kairouz is defended easily by Yogi.

Kairouz feints and as Yogi raises his hands in defense, Kairouz changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Yogi wants to sweep here but Kairouz controlling him for the moment.
Yogi is trying to control the position but Kairouz postures up.
Yogi manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Yogi tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Kairouz is in all sorts of trouble here.
Yogi with shots to the head and body - Kairouz looks very uncomfortable down there.
Yogi scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Yogi throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Kairouz keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Yogi unloading with bombs!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kairouz bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Yogi trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Kairouz wants to control from the top but Yogi keeps moving.
Yogi keeping full guard, as Kairouz tries to pass.
Yogi trying to keep a closed guard but Kairouz is proving a slippery customer.
Kairouz trying to control the position from guard on top but Yogi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yogi keeping full guard, as Kairouz tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Yogi shoots in and bounces Kairouz off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Kairouz controls Yogi momentarily but Yogi frees himself.
Kairouz is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Kairouz escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Yogi gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kairouz avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kairouz looking for a sweep. Not yet Kairouz, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yogi trying to control the position from guard on top but Kairouz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Yogi is looking to slow Kairouz down with leg kicks.

Yogi changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Kairouz looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Kairouz tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Yogi is looking to take a break and control but Kairouz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kairouz is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Kairouz prevents Yogi from improving position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kairouz tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Yogi wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Kairouz gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Kairouz on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Yogi scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Kairouz works his way to full guard. Good work.
Kairouz looking to control but Yogi passes into half guard.
Yogi not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Yogi is trying to control. Kairouz wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Kairouz wants to get back to full guard.

Kairouz makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tantric Yogi dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Kairouz avoids the head kick by Yogi.
Kairouz has his takedown stuffed

and Yogi counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Kairouz is looking to improve his position.
Kairouz slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Kairouz looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yogi is one step ahead there.
Yogi trying to control the position from guard on top but Kairouz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kairouz lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Yogi!
Kairouz trying to control but Yogi is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yogi tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kairouz avoids the attempt from Yogi to control.
Kairouz lands a nice shot to the head.

Kairouz looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Kairouz throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Yogi because Kairouz loaded up on that one.
Kairouz prevents Yogi from getting the reversal.
Kairouz trying to control but Yogi is having none of it.
Yogi wants to control but Kairouz is having none of it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Yogi really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Tantric Yogi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Yogi sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Yogi actively working from the bottom here.

Kairouz is looking for a kimura but Yogi is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kairouz to get the leverage.

Kairouz is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Kairouz is looking for a kimura but Yogi is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kairouz to get the leverage.
Yogi punching from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yogi trying to control from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Kairouz shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Kairouz was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Kairouz works his way to his opponent's back.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Kairouz's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Yogi tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kairouz can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Yogi is looking to escape.
Yogi really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Kairouz looking to control and managing it successfully.
Kairouz looking to control but Yogi is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Yogi defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Kairouz.
Yogi tries to hold on but Kairouz postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Russell Kairouz will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Kairouz with a lazy takedown attempt

and Yogi counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kairouz won't be happy with that.
Yogi trying to control the action but Kairouz is working from the bottom.
Kairouz is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Yogi off and has taken his back!
Kairouz not allowing Yogi to control his hands.
Kairouz tries to keep control of the position but Yogi is staying busy.

Yogi defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kairouz doesn't have the hooks in and Yogi manages to turn into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kairouz avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Yogi's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Kairouz kicks Yogi off and gets to his feet.
Yogi throws a leg kick but Kairouz sees it coming and moves out of range.

Yogi throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Kairouz was covering up waiting for the punch and Yogi finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Kairouz wants to sweep but no luck.
Yogi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Yogi won't allow Kairouz to sweep him here.
Yogi postures up in Kairouz's guard and throws a big left but Kairouz blocks it.
Yogi tries to free his leg and advance position but Kairouz is retaining full guard.

Kairouz has his foot on Yogi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Yogi works his way back into a safe position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yogi showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Kairouz keeping moving, preventing Yogi from controlling successfully.
Kairouz wants to sweep here but Yogi controlling him for the moment.
Kairouz is trying to keep Yogi in close.
Yogi tries to free his leg and advance position but Kairouz is retaining full guard.
Kairouz is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Yogi works over Kairouz with some ground and pound from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kairouz looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yogi is one step ahead there.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Kairouz fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Yogi sprawls well initially but Kairouz persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Kairouz prevents Yogi from improving his position.
Kairouz is trying to control the action in half guard but Yogi is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Yogi wants to get back to full guard.
Kairouz seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Yogi does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Yogi trying to control from the bottom.
Kairouz passes the guard and advances to mount!
Kairouz trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yogi is wriggling around trying to escape.

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

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

Kairouz is trying to get an arm triangle but Yogi is defending well.
Yogi struggling a bit here.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Russell Kairouz.
I think Kairouz 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 Suge Night scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Russell Kairouz!