PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Leonardo Garcia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aleksei Kruschev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Leonardo Garcia has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Garcia
vs
Kruschev

189 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
21
175 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Leonardo Garcia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aleksei Kruschev!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Fedor Mirinova and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kruschev throws a nice looking combination but Garcia bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kruschev blocks a head kick by Garcia.
Garcia throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Kruschev counters with a left and a right that stings Garcia.
Garcia tries for a takedown but Kruschev circles away easily

and Kruschev counters with a single leg into guard. Garcia didn't expect that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Garcia is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kruschev defends well.

Kruschev is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Garcia looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kruschev with a flurry of punches that miss.

Garcia had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Kruschev is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Garcia Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Kruschev's back instead.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Garcia gets his hands free as Kruschev looks to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Garcia has the hooks in. Kruschev is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Kruschev turns into Garcia and is now in his guard.
Garcia utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Garcia wants to sweep but no luck.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Garcia fails with the takedown

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

Garcia pulls guard effortlessly.
Garcia is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Garcia is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Garcia gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Garcia moves into the clinch.
Kruschev keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Garcia's efforts to push away.

Garcia has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Kruschev is trying to keep an underhook but Garcia manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Garcia is trying to control the action in half guard but Kruschev is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Garcia thows a huge punch but Kruschev dodges it nicely.
Kruschev works his way to full guard. Good work.
Kruschev keeping moving, preventing Garcia from controlling successfully.
Kruschev looking for a sweep. Not yet Kruschev, not yet.
Kruschev looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia is working Kruschev over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Kruschev keeping moving, preventing Garcia from controlling successfully.
Garcia will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Kruschev trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Kruschev had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Garcia is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Kruschev Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Garcia's back instead.
Garcia tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Garcia wants to control but Kruschev is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Aleksei Kruschev will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Garcia gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Garcia jumps guard and drags Kruschev to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Garcia wants to stand up but Kruschev is controlling him.
Kruschev throwing strikes but missing.
Kruschev won't allow Garcia to sweep him here.
Garcia controls Kruschev momentarily but Kruschev frees himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garcia wants to sweep here but Kruschev controlling him for the moment.
Garcia is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kruschev trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Garcia lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Kruschev backs up against the cage.
Kruschev wants to clinch up but Garcia keeps it at a distance.

Garcia shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Kruschev is trying to defend but Garcia finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Kruschev is breathing heavily.
Kruschev avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Garcia.
Garcia is controlling the pace.
Kruschev strikes from the bottom but Garcia passes into mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kruschev in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Garcia tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Garcia lands a nice shot to the head.
Kruschev takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The referee warns Kruschev that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Garcia trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Garcia takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Garcia scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Kruschev?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia looking to control and managing it successfully.

Garcia stands up from mount. Strange move.

Garcia gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Garcia breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Garcia pushes Kruschev up against the cage in a clinch.

Garcia pulls guard successfully.
Kruschev wants to stand and escape but instead Garcia has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Kruschev is working an open guard so Garcia takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Kruschev looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia looks like he's trying to stand up.
Garcia is doing well to control the position and prevent Kruschev from advancing to side control.

Garcia looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Garcia kicks off Kruschev and gets to his feet.
Garcia wants to clinch up but Kruschev keeps it at a distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Garcia has closed the distance and engaged Kruschev in a clinch.

Kruschev has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Garcia clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Kruschev is trying to stick to Garcia's back but Garcia is turning into Kruschev. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Kruschev's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Garcia.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonardo Garcia dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Garcia shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kruschev but Kruschev pushes him off and we're back to square one.
The fight stays on the outside here - Garcia looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Garcia avoids the body shot from Kruschev.
Garcia misses with a takedown

and Kruschev counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Kruschev.
Garcia is adopting a defensive guard.
Garcia bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kruschev's guard.
Kruschev takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Kruschev throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Garcia working some strikes from top position.
Kruschev controls Garcia momentarily but Garcia frees himself.

Garcia decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Garcia shoots and misses

and Kruschev counters with a shoot takedown. Garcia fights it but they end up in guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonardo Garcia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Garcia is on top in guard.

Garcia stands and steps away. Kruschev gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garcia closes the distance and clinches up with Kruschev, looking for a takedown. Garcia pushes Kruschev against the cage but Kruschev circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Garcia closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Garcia seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Kruschev throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Garcia moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Kruschev.
Garcia advances to full mount.
Garcia pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia controlling the position easily from mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Garcia cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Garcia wants to control the pace but Kruschev is squirming around nicely.
Garcia sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Garcia working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Kruschev really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Garcia. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Kruschev tries to lock up and control but Garcia gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

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.
Garcia landing strikes, looking to finish!
Garcia controlling from the full mount.
Garcia trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Garcia working away from the top, dropping strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Garcia tries to control but Kruschev wriggling away.
Garcia looking to control and managing it successfully.

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 Leonardo Garcia.
I think Garcia 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!