PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Stuno Mashinata (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Travis Hunter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Mashinata
vs
Hunter

175 cm
21
144 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

170 cm
22
135 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Stuno Mashinata!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Travis Hunter!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Vladimir Khabensky and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hunter circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hunter throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Mashinata closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Hunter to the mat! Hunter manages to get full guard.

Hunter has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mashinata can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Mashinata drops back, looking for a kneebar! Hunter looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Hunter looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Hunter!
Mashinata tries to bench press Hunter off him but Hunter keeps the position.
Hunter working away.
Hunter tries to advance to mount but Mashinata denies him.
Mashinata tries to bench press Hunter off him but Hunter keeps the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hunter looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Hunter tries to advance to mount but can't.
Mashinata manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Mashinata trying to control from the bottom.
Mashinata is looking to improve his position.
Hunter sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Mashinata defending well though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mashinata has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Hunter is working away from the top position though.
Mashinata makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Mashinata.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Mashinata is trying to control the position but Hunter postures up.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Mashinata looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Hunter avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mashinata moves away from the strike by Hunter.
Mashinata moves out of range of the strikes.
Mashinata defending well as Hunter loads up on a big left hand.
Mashinata misses with an uppercut. Hunter saw that one coming.
A punch combination from Hunter misses.
Hunter swats away the attempt to clinch by Mashinata.
Hunter throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hunter is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Mashinata.
Mashinata takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hunter swats away the attempt to clinch by Mashinata.
Mashinata lands a body shot.

Mashinata rushes Hunter and presses him up against the cage.
Hunter tries to circle away but Mashinata has him pinned against the cage.
Mashinata lands a knee to the head.
Hunter on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Mashinata tries to land a knee to the head but Hunter blocks with his arms.
Mashinata crunches a lovely knee into Hunter's ribcage.
Mashinata tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Hunter escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mashinata tries to clinch up but Hunter circles away and keeps his distance.
Hunter misses with a series of wild punches.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mashinata looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hunter keeps the fight on the outside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Mashinata tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hunter paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hunter loads up on a big right hand but Mashinata slips the punch.
Mashinata shoots for a double leg takedown but Hunter sprawls well. He's pushed Mashinata's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Mashinata fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hunter, pushing him back against the cage.
Mashinata is trying to drag Hunter to the mat but Hunter just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Hunter's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hunter misses with the combination.
Mashinata fails in his attempt to clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nice jab there from Mashinata.

Mashinata drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Mashinata in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stuno Mashinata dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Hunter closes the distance looking to clinch
and Mashinata counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Hunter misses with a wild combination.
Mashinata walks into a straight right hand from Hunter.
Hunter throws a jab but it's blocked by Mashinata.
Mashinata lands with a kick to the temple. Hunter shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Mashinata shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Mashinata can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hunter is looking to escape.
Hunter is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mashinata swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Hunter is now in Mashinata's guard. A big mistake from Mashinata there, giving up the dominant position!
Mashinata working a defensive guard here.
Mashinata working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hunter.
Hunter wants to pass the guard but Mashinata is keeping the position.
Mashinata is trying to keep Hunter in close.

Mashinata looking for a guillotine here but Hunter defends easily.
Mashinata is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

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.
Mashinata can't keep his opponent in guard - Hunter advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Mashinata is trying to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hunter is looking to stall here but Mashinata recovers full guard.
Mashinata controlling Hunter's posture.
Mashinata wants to sweep here but Hunter controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mashinata keeping full guard, as Hunter tries to pass.

Mashinata had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Hunter defends it easily.
Hunter works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Mashinata is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Hunter jumps into side control!

Hunter is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Mashinata is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Hunter tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Hunter working away.
Mashinata tries to buck Hunter off but Hunter is having none of it.
Hunter has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Mashinata!
Mashinata wants to control but Hunter is having none of it.

Hunter looking to secure an arm triangle but Mashinata defends it well.
Mashinata is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Travis Hunter showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Mashinata's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Mashinata takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Hunter has his takedown stuffed

and Mashinata counters by clinching up.

Mashinata ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Mashinata no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Hunter pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mashinata is keeping the position for now.

Mashinata looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Hunter is looking to work some ground and pound but Mashinata has wrist control.
Mashinata is trying to control the position but Hunter postures up.
Mashinata wants to sweep here but Hunter controlling him for the moment.

Hunter drops back looking for a leg! Mashinata is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Mashinata manages to kick Hunter off! Hunter jumps back into Mashinata's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hunter lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hunter is pushing down on Mashinata's leg trying to pass to half guard. Mashinata is fighting to maintain full guard but Hunter has managed to sneak the leg through.
Mashinata is trying to control but can't.
Mashinata tries to get to full guard but Hunter has control of the leg.
Hunter moves nicely into side control.
Mashinata can't do much from the bottom here.

Hunter looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mashinata is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Hunter lands a nice short elbow.

Hunter is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Mashinata gets full guard.

Mashinata working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Hunter has passed into half guard!
Mashinata trying to control but Hunter postures up.
Travis Hunter has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hunter looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Hunter works his way into full mount!
Hunter prevents Mashinata from getting the reversal.
Hunter lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Hunter scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Hunter works his way to his opponent's back.
Hunter is trying to stick to Mashinata's back but Mashinata is turning into Hunter. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Hunter's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Mashinata.
Mashinata preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mashinata trying to control but Hunter is working from the bottom.
Mashinata preventing the sweep.
Mashinata passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Hunter is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

Mashinata swings around for an armbar but Hunter sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Mashinata's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Travis Hunter comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hunter 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Travis Hunter!