PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Harrison Duke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stefan Struve (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Duke comes to the cage accompanied by Posse!. Struve is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Whiplash . Stefan Struve will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Duke
vs
Struve

188 cm
22
235 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

211 cm
22
260 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Vandal Fight Boutique

Resistance
KAISER

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Harrison Duke!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Stefan Struve!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Igor Prikhodko and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Struve tries a head kick but it misses.
Duke fails with an attempt to clinch.
Duke tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Struve paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Struve lands a leg kick that knocks Duke off balance momentarily.
Struve throws a quick inside leg kick.
Struve plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Harrison Duke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A bone on bone clash there as Duke blocks the leg kick.
Donk. Duke catches Struve right on the button with a cross.
Duke is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Duke clinches.
Struve stops a takedown attempt from Duke.
Struve managing to block the knees to the body from Duke.
Duke lands a damaging elbow.
Struve wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Struve blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Struve has had enough of the clinch but Duke keeps him there for the moment.
Duke keeps control of Struve as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Struve has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duke is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Struve is defending well for now.
Struve avoids a wild elbow strike from Duke.
Duke lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Struve backwards.
Duke lands a right hand that snaps the head of Struve backwards.
Duke connects with a knee to the head.
Duke throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Duke lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Duke tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Duke pushes off an throws an elbow but Struve leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Duke throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Struves head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Duke.
Duke misses with an elbow strike.
Duke looking for a takedown.
Duke is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Struve is defending well for now.
Duke keeps control of Struve as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Duke misses with an elbow strike.
Struve takes an elbow to the forehead.
Struve blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Duke throws an elbow but it misses.
Duke creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duke pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Duke scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Duke tries a knee to the head but Struve blocks it.
Duke missing with knees to the body.
Duke misses with an elbow strike.

Struve breaks the clinch.

Duke throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Struve tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Duke is in Struve's guard.
Struve 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.
Duke content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Duke is in close to Struve's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Struve wants to sweep here but Duke controlling him for the moment.
Duke throws a strike but Struve rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Duke is looking for a triangle here but Struve uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duke is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Duke wants to control but Struve postures up.
Duke tries to bench press Struve off him but Struve keeps the position.
Struve is looking to take a break and control but Duke is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Duke manages to get back to half guard.
Duke is trying to get back to full guard.

Struve moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Duke.
Duke manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Struve gets back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Harrison Duke will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Struve with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Duke checks the leg kick nicely there.
Struve keeps Duke at a distance using the push kick.
Duke throws a poor cross that misses
and Struve counters with a head kick.
Struve throws a nice inside leg kick.
Duke misses with a left hand
and Struve counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Struve pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Struve bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Struve feints and then cracks Duke's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Duke down.
Duke checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Struve is looking to chop away at Duke's legs.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Struve.
Struve throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
The fight stays on the outside here - Duke looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duke blocks a leg kick.
Stefan Struve seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A slapping leg kick lands for Struve.
Struve throws a nice inside leg kick.
Struve lands a nice shot to the body.
Duke blocks a head kick by Struve.
Struve misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Struve. That's going to slow Duke down.
Duke is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Struve pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Duke tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A telegraphed right hand from Duke misses the target.
Duke throws a left and a right that both miss
and Struve counters with a flying knee. Nice.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Struve fakes the leg kick and cracks Duke in the body.
Struve throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Duke.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duke closes the distance but Struve moves to the side
and Struve counters with a thumping low kick.
Struve scores with a head kick.
Duke throws a sloppy head kick
and Struve counters with a big head kick but Duke shrugs it off.
A looping hook to the body misses from Struve. Duke does a little dance to reset his feet.
Struve fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Struve connects with an inside leg kick.
Struve throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Duke tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Struve manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Struve connects with a high kick.
A clash of legs there as Duke blocks the low kick.
A head kick misses from Struve.
Struve feints and then cracks Duke's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Duke down.
Duke wants to clinch but Struve slips to the side
and Struve counters with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A bone on bone clash there as Struve blocks the leg kick.
Duke avoids the head kick by Struve.
Duke darts in trying to clinch
and Struve counters with a thumping low kick.
Struve is looking to slow Duke down with leg kicks.
Duke blocks a head kick by Struve.
Struve tries a head kick but it misses.
Struve tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Struve buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Struve lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A slapping leg kick lands for Struve.
Struve has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Struve throws a nice head kick!

It looks like Harrison Duke has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Struve scores with a push kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Struve tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Duke takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Struve will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Struve chopping away at his opponent's legs.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Duke checks a leg kick.
Duke avoids the head kick by Struve.
Duke blocks a head kick by Struve.
Stefan Struve is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Duke moves out of range of the leg kick from Struve.
Struve dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Duke. That did some damage!
A looping hook to the body misses from Duke. Struve does a little dance to reset his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Struve turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Struve lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
A good leg kick by Struve.
Struve throws a nice inside leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stefan Struve showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Harrison Duke's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Duke checks a leg kick.
Duke tries to close the distance and clinch but Struve swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Struve tries a head kick but it misses.
Duke is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Duke moves to clinch but Struve breaks away
and Struve counters with a leg kick.
Duke throws a lazy head kick
and Struve counters with a big head kick but Duke shrugs it off.
Struve throws a nice inside leg kick.
Struve misses with a head kick.
Struve with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Struve throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Struve is looking to slow Duke down with leg kicks.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Struve throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Struve misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Struve throws a head kick that misses.
Duke throws a lazy head kick
and Struve counters with a head kick. That will keep Duke thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Struve tries to work over Duke's front leg with a kick but Duke checks it.
Duke on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Struve misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Duke will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Struve misses with a head kick.
Struve pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Duke avoids the head kick by Struve.
Struve with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Duke throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Duke blocks a head kick by Struve.
Struve swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Struve pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Struve avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Struve throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Duke closes the distance looking to clinch
and Struve counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Duke is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Struve misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Struve drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Duke throws a lazy head kick
and Struve counters with a leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Duke doesn't manage to clinch there - Struve circles away.
Duke checks a leg kick nicely.
Duke tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Struve manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Duke blocks a head kick by Struve.
Struve circles away from the clinch attempt.
Struve pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duke wants to clinch up but Struve keeps it at a distance.
Nice body kick there by Struve.
Struve lands a leg kick that knocks Duke off balance momentarily.
Struve scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Struve lands a body shot.
Duke on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Struve throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Harrison Duke's cut is getting worse.
Struve lands with a kick to the ribs.
A head kick misses from Struve.
A chopping leg kick lands by Struve.
Struve connects with a high kick.
Struve goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Struve throws a sloppy head kick and Duke moves out of range easily.
A head kick misses from Struve.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Duke throws a sloppy head kick
and Struve makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Struve attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Duke tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Struve counters with an outside leg kick.
Struve throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Duke misses with a body kick.
Duke tries to clinch but Struve is having none of it.
Struve throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Struve throws out a leg kick but Duke moves out of range and Struve only half commits.
A good leg kick by Struve.
Struve moves away from the strike by Duke.
Struve keeps the fight on the outside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stefan Struve really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Harrison Duke's cut.
That's time! Duke's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Struve tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Struve fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Duke has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Duke dives in and grabs Struve's left leg, looking for a takedown. Struve pushes down on Duke's head and hops out.
Struve scores with a head kick.
Duke throws a lazy right hand but Struve sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Struve walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Duke checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Struve misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Duke on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Duke avoids the head kick by Struve.
Duke wants to clinch.
Duke tries to clinch up but Struve circles away and keeps his distance.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Duke throws a jab when Struve was well out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duke darts in trying to clinch
and Struve counters with a low kick, right behind Duke 's knee.
Struve misses with a wild body shot.
Struve keeps the fight on the outside.
Duke moves out of range of the body kick from Struve.
Duke doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Struve misses with a head kick.
Struve tries a head kick but it misses.
Duke wants to clinch up but Struve keeps it at a distance.
Struve avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Duke closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Struve did well to prevent Duke getting side control.
Duke looks to land a strike but Struve avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Struve is trying to keep Duke in close.
Duke lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Struve is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Struve has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Duke can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Duke is in close to Struve's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Duke working some strikes from top position.
Duke is looking to work some ground and pound but Struve has wrist control.
Duke missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duke throwing strikes from guard but Struve blocks nicely.
Duke cracks Struve with a solid left hand.
Duke throws a big right hand that misses.
Duke throwing strikes from guard but Struve blocks nicely.
Struve is trying to keep Duke in close.
Duke stopping the sweep attempt from Struve.
Struve keeping moving, preventing Duke from controlling successfully.

That's four 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.
Duke scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Duke might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Duke throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Struve works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Duke throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Duke throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Duke throws and elbow that misses. Struve uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Duke's guard. Nice move by Struve!

Duke looking for subs off his back but Struve has passed one foot through into half guard.
Struve passes to full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stefan Struve dominated that fourth round.
The cut man is working on Harrison Duke's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

A bone on bone clash there as Duke blocks the leg kick.
Struve attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Duke scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Struve swats away the attempt to clinch by Duke.
Struve is looking to slow Duke down with leg kicks.
Duke fails with an attempt to clinch.
Duke scores with a crisp jab that stopped Struve in his tracks.
Duke misses with an uppercut
and Struve counters with a head kick.
Duke is looking to clinch.
Duke wants to clinch.
Duke moves out of range of the body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duke tries to clinch but Struve is having none of it.
Duke wants to clinch up but Struve keeps it at a distance.
Struve tries to score with a low kick but Duke moves his leg out of the way.
Duke throws a lazy head kick
and Struve counters with a nice low kick that buckles Duke's knee momentarily.
Duke doesn't manage to clinch there - Struve circles away.
Struve throws a sloppy head kick and Duke moves out of range easily.
Duke closes the distance looking to clinch
and Struve counters with a good, hard body kick but Duke shrugs it off.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Duke throws a head kick that misses
and Struve counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Struve lands with a kick to the temple. Duke shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Struve throws a sloppy head kick and Duke moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duke tries to clinch up but Struve circles away and keeps his distance.
Struve throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Struve throws a chopping leg kick but Duke manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

Duke scores with a takedown into Struve's guard.
Harrison Duke overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Struve looking for a sweep. Not yet Struve, not yet.
Duke throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Struve works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Duke looking to sit in guard and control but Struve gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Duke has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Struve is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Duke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duke manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Duke actively working from the bottom here.

Duke looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Struve tries to pass to full mount but Duke defends it.
Stefan Struve is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Duke is looking to get back to full guard here but Struve has managed to pass to side control instead.
Duke tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Struve wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Duke tries to escape but Struve is in control.
Duke tries to get back to half guard but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stefan Struve comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Struve 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 44:49
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 44:49
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 44:49

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stefan Struve!
Stefan Struve is the new heavyweight champion!