PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Marduk Thorn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yury Vesnev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thorn comes to the cage accompanied by Rob Dougan - Clubbed to Death. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Thorn
vs
Vesnev

165 cm
26
150 lbs
17 - 5 - 0

170 cm
27
159 lbs
12 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Apex Nutrition
Brute

Project Mayhem

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 17 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Marduk Thorn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Yury Vesnev!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, George Francis and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vesnev ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Thorn moves away.
Vesnev lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Vesnev slips under a jab from Thorn.
Thorn finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Thorn throws a leg kick that is checked

and Vesnev counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Vesnev thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Vesnev is keen to just control but Thorn is a slippery customer.
Vesnev is pressing down on Thorn's thigh, looking to free his foot. Thorn is holding on for now.
Vesnev throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Vesnev looks to land a strike but Thorn avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thorn can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Vesnev controls the pace.
Vesnev with a flurry of punches that miss.
Vesnev throws a big elbow that misses.
Vesnev trying to control the position from guard on top but Thorn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Yury Vesnev hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
A nice inside leg kick there by Thorn. That's going to slow Vesnev down.
Thorn misses with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vesnev moves out of range of the body kick from Thorn.
Marduk Thorn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Vesnev has Thorn up against the cage in a clinch.
Thorn lands a shoulder strike.

Thorn breaks from the clinch.
No joy there for Thorn, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
An inside leg kick from Thorn misses.
Thorn tries to land a front kick but Vesnev steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Vesnev avoids the head kick by Thorn.
Vesnev fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Vesnev fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Vesnev tries to score a power double leg takedown but Thorn sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Vesnev somewhat.
Vesnev jabs Thorn to the body, keeping him at a distance.
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!
Thorn throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thorn lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Thorn walks into a jab.
Vesnev wants to land a leg kick but Thorn is out of range.
Vesnev blocks a leg kick.
Thorn walks into a left hand.
Thorn fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
A low kick from Thorn misses

and Vesnev counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thorn blocking the ground and pound attempt from Vesnev.

Vesnev is working for a submission of some sort.
Thorn looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vesnev works his way into full mount!
Thorn wants to hold on but Vesnev pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yury Vesnev dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Vesnev.
Thorn is trying to get back to his feet.
Vesnev has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Vesnev controls the position.

Vesnev working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Vesnev throws an elbow but Thorn slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vesnev tries for a kimura but Thorn is defending well.
Thorn wants to control but Vesnev postures up.
Thorn is trying to buck Vesnev off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Vesnev lands a nice forearm strike.
Sloppy strikes there by Vesnev.
The ground and pound from Vesnev seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Thorn isn't going anywhere.
Vesnev trying to control the position but Thorn is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thorn is trying to get back to his feet.
Vesnev fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Thorn tries to improve position but can't.
Vesnev cracks Thorn with a big right hand but Thorn just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Vesnev looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Thorn is avoiding damage well.
Vesnev in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thorn manages to work his way to half guard, despite Vesnev's best efforts.
Vesnev trying to control the action but Thorn is working from the bottom.
Vesnev looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Thorn is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yury Vesnev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Thorn fails in his attempt to clinch.
Thorn throws a chopping leg kick but Vesnev manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Vesnev lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Thorn at a distance.

Vesnev drives through and clinches with Thorn against the cage.
Thorn misses with a short punch on the inside.
Vesnev misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Vesnev blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Thorn misses with a knee to the head.
Thorn lands a knee to the body.
Vesnev misses with a short punch on the inside.

Thorn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Thorn wants to land a leg kick but Vesnev is out of range.
Thorn tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Vesnev manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A clash of legs there as Vesnev blocks the low kick.
Vesnev swings and misses with a hook to the body.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vesnev missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Thorn moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Vesnev throws a big elbow that misses.
Vesnev pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thorn is keeping the position for now.
Vesnev with a flurry of punches that miss.
Yury Vesnev is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thorn has Vesnev pulled in close to control his posture.
Vesnev trying to control but Thorn is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Marduk Thorn wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Vesnev throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
A head kick by Thorn misses

and Vesnev counters with a single leg into guard. Thorn didn't expect that.
Vesnev passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vesnev taking a breather here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marduk Thorn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

OK we're going to have a standup here. Yury Vesnev hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Vesnev avoids the body shot from Thorn.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Vesnev looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Vesnev looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yury Vesnev comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Vesnev winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yury Vesnev!
A very excited looking Yury Vesnev made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.