PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jospeh Pollard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Slava Rusnak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Slava Rusnak has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Pollard
vs
Rusnak

216 cm
24
162 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

175 cm
23
164 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jospeh Pollard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Slava Rusnak!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Ivan Kurochkin and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rusnak shoots in and gets a takedown into Pollard's guard.
Rusnak slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Rusnak is looking to stand up but Pollard won't let him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Pollard looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Pollard is trying to keep Rusnak in close.

Pollard is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rusnak looking to pass the guard.
Pollard really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Rusnak keeps trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rusnak wants to stand but Pollard has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Pollard wants to sweep but no luck.

Rusnak got a little sloppy there for a moment and Pollard has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rusnak has managed to get both his arms back between Pollard's legs - danger averted.
Rusnak wants to control from the top but Pollard keeps moving.

Pollard looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Pollard wants to sweep here but Rusnak controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rusnak wants to pass the guard but Pollard is keeping the position.
Pollard manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Rusnak is trying to escape the mount.
Rusnak in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Rusnak takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Rusnak is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pollard lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Rusnak hang on?
Pollard is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Rusnak bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Rusnak must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Rusnak trying to control but Pollard is working from the bottom.

Pollard is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Pollard is looking for a triangle here but Rusnak uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rusnak throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Pollard works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Rusnak is trying to control the action in half guard but Pollard is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Rusnak throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rusnak wants to take a breather but Pollard is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pollard is looking for a sweep. Rusnak is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rusnak performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Rusnak stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Pollard to get to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Slava Rusnak will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rusnak moves into the clinch.
Pollard lands a knee to the body.
Pollard has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Rusnak avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Pollard gets control of Rusnak's arms and successfully pulls guard. Pollard will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Rusnak's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Pollard will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Rusnak wants to stand but Pollard has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Pollard looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Slava Rusnak has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rusnak sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Rusnak trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rusnak wants to control from the top but Pollard keeps moving.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Slava Rusnak has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Rusnak decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Pollard is trying to get back to full guard.
Pollard is pressing down on Rusnak's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rusnak trying to control but Pollard is working from the bottom.
Rusnak sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Pollard's guard.
Pollard is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rusnak trying to pass the guard but Pollard defending well.
The fighters are battling for position here. Pollard manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Rusnak throws a big elbow that misses.

Pollard escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rusnak gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rusnak drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Pollard manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Rusnak has Pollard in his guard.
Rusnak looking to control but Pollard passes into half guard.
Pollard sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rusnak defending well though.
Pollard is nestled in close to Rusnak, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Rusnak trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Pollard manages to pass to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pollard works his way to his opponent's back.
Pollard is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Pollard gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Pollard gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Pollard apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Rusnak tries a head kick but it misses.
Rusnak pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Pollard tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rusnak paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rusnak looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pollard tries to clinch up
and Rusnak counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jospeh Pollard will probably get the nod.
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!

Rusnak manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Pollard on his heels. He'll look to pass Pollard's guard now, I'm sure.

Rusnak decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Rusnak gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Pollard changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rusnak fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Slava Rusnak seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Rusnak shoots in and gets a takedown into Pollard's guard.
Rusnak trying to control but Pollard is working from the bottom.

Pollard looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rusnak passes into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rusnak stands up and beckons Pollard to his feet.
Rusnak thows a body shot but no joy.

Rusnak dives in and scores a takedown into Pollard's guard.
Rusnak throwing strikes from guard but Pollard blocks nicely.
Rusnak forces his way into half guard.
Rusnak takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Pollard is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rusnak is looking to stall here but Pollard recovers full guard.
Rusnak works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Pollard works his way to full guard. Good work.

Pollard had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rusnak defends it easily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pollard wants to sweep but no luck.
Pollard is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rusnak tries to get to full guard but Pollard has control of the leg.
Pollard is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Rusnak is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rusnak wants to control but Pollard is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Rusnak wants to get back to full guard.
Pollard 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.
Pollard thows a huge punch but Rusnak dodges it nicely.
Pollard working over Rusnak with some ground and pound. Rusnak looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Rusnak wants to get back to his feet.
Rusnak blocking the ground and pound attempt from Pollard.
Pollard sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rusnak defending well though.
Pollard thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Pollard landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Nice strikes from Pollard there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pollard throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rusnak wants to control but Pollard is keeping busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Slava Rusnak comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rusnak has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Slava Rusnak!