PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Stepka Gusarov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Konstantin Snegov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Konstantin Snegov told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Gusarov
vs
Snegov

168 cm
19
145 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

185 cm
18
151 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Аптека

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Stepka Gusarov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Konstantin Snegov!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Ivan Kurochkin and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown by Snegov or perhaps it was just good defense by Gusarov which made him look bad.
Snegov swats away the attempt to clinch by Gusarov.

Gusarov clinches.
Snegov working hard to break the clinch.
Snegov is trying to break free.
Gusarov working aggressively here.
Snegov works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Gusarov is trying to break the clinch but Snegov has him pressed against the cage.

Snegov breaks from the clinch.
Snegov is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Snegov uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gusarov.

Gusarov looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Gusarov postures up in Snegov's guard and throws a big left but Snegov blocks it.
Snegov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gusarov.
Gusarov throws and elbow that misses. Snegov uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Gusarov's guard. Nice move by Snegov!
Gusarov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Snegov is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gusarov is looking to stand up but Snegov isn't so interested in that idea.
Snegov has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Gusarov is proving hard to escape from.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Gusarov doesn't manage to clinch there - Snegov circles away.

Gusarov decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Gusarov prevents Snegov from standing back up.
Gusarov scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gusarov throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Snegov looks like he's trying to stand up.
Snegov is looking to control Gusarov's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Snegov avoid being mounted?
Snegov works his way to full guard. Good work.

Snegov uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Gusarov looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Gusarov scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Gusarov working Snegov over with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Snegov is trying to stand up here but Gusarov is controlling him well.
Snegov looks gassed!
Gusarov wants to get back to his feet.
Snegov tries to roll over but Gusarov keeps him under control.
Snegov has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gusarov is working away from the top position though.
Snegov is looking to escape.
Gusarov lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Gusarov working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Gusarov working the head and body with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Snegov on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Gusarov wants to take a breather but Snegov is having none of it.
Gusarov stops Snegov from getting back to his feet.
Gusarov looks to land a strike but Snegov avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Snegov avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gusarov postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Snegov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gusarov.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stepka Gusarov dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Gusarov fails with an attempt to clinch.
Snegov fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gusarov shoots and misses
and Snegov connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Gusarov closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Snegov is trying to get back to his feet.
Gusarov knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Snegov on the ground.
Gusarov working the head with strikes.
Gusarov lands some shots froms side control.
Gusarov fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Gusarov is working Snegov over with some ground and pound from side control.
Snegov is breathing heavily.
Gusarov looks up at the clock and then as Snegov takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Gusarov smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Gusarov working the head and body with strikes.
Gusarov just content to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Snegov wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Snegov can't do much from the bottom here.
Gusarov working the head with strikes.
Snegov takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Gusarov postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Gusarov working the ground and pound.
Snegov taking punishment in the form of punches.

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.
Gusarov is chipping away with strikes.

Gusarov decides to stand back up. Gusarov steps back and let's Snegov get back to his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gusarov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Snegov is trying hard to land a takedown here. Gusarov sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Gusarov shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gusarov showed some decent athleticism there.
Gusarov looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Snegov with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Snegov wants to control but Gusarov is keeping busy.
Gusarov scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Snegov is trying to stand back up but Gusarov is controlling him
Ground and pound from Gusarov.
Gusarov seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Snegov wants to get back to full guard.
Gusarov lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Snegov won't allow Gusarov to pass to mount.
Gusarov seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Snegov does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Snegov keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Gusarov controlling the action here.
Gusarov throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Snegov is refusing to be controlled, as Gusarov sits in half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gusarov looks to clinch

and Snegov counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gusarov wants to sweep but no luck.
Gusarov trying to keep a closed guard but Snegov is proving a slippery customer.
Gusarov trying to strike off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stepka Gusarov dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Snegov swats away the attempt to clinch by Gusarov.
Gusarov closes the distance but Snegov moves to the side

and Snegov counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Snegov trying to stand up but can't free himself from Gusarov's guard.
Gusarov wants to sweep here but Snegov controlling him for the moment.
Gusarov wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Gusarov is trying to keep Snegov in close.
Gusarov wants to sweep here but Snegov controlling him for the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gusarov punching to the body, from the bottom.

Snegov stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Snegov connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Gusarov shoots in looking for a takedown. Snegov tries to sprawl out of it but Gusarov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Snegov manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Stepka Gusarov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Snegov connects with a right hand. Gusarov shakes it off.
Gusarov takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Gusarov takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Snegov throws a nice outside leg kick.
Snegov keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gusarov.
Snegov swats away the attempt to clinch by Gusarov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Snegov ducks under a wild hook from Gusarov.
No luck for Gusarov with that takedown attempt.
Gusarov is looking to clinch.

Snegov darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Gusarov is refusing to be controlled, as Snegov sits in half guard.
Snegov prevents Gusarov from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Snegov thows a huge punch but Gusarov dodges it nicely.
Snegov tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Gusarov is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gusarov lands one or two decent shots to the body here. Although from his own half guard, he's not going to be causing too much damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gusarov slaps away a takedown attempt from Snegov, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Gusarov shoots in looking for a takedown. Snegov tries to sprawl out of it but Gusarov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Snegov 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 Stepka Gusarov. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Gusarov bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Snegov is looking to regain half guard here but Gusarov keeps moving and retains side control.
Gusarov working the ground and pound.
Gusarov working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Gusarov landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Gusarov landing a few strikes.
Konstantin Snegov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stepka Gusarov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Snegov taking punishment in the form of punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Konstantin Snegov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gusarov has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stepka Gusarov!