PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Konstantin Kuznetsov (ranked 3331 p4p, 386 weight class) and Jonas Justesen (ranked 21485 p4p, 786 weight class). Jonas Justesen is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Kuznetsov
vs
Justesen

183 cm
23
183 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

183 cm
24
189 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
KO power

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

XFighter Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Konstantin Kuznetsov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jonas Justesen!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Alexandre Firmino and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Justesen misses with a hook.
Kuznetsov misses with a hook

and Justesen counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Justesen.
Justesen 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.
Kuznetsov utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Justesen looking to sit in guard and control but Kuznetsov gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Justesen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Justesen has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Kuznetsov has passed into side control.
Justesen tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kuznetsov decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Kuznetsov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Justesen manages to avoid it.
Kuznetsov looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Justesen blocks a low kick nicely.
Justesen slips a jab from Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Justesen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Kuznetsov seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Justesen throws a body shot but no joy.
Justesen throws a jab but it's blocked by Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov throws a chopping leg kick but Justesen manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Justesen defending well as Kuznetsov loads up on a big left hand.
Justesen with the counter takedown but Kuznetsov avoids it easily.
Kuznetsov throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Justesen tries to move into range but Kuznetsov moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Justesen shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

Justesen shoots in and bounces Kuznetsov off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Justesen controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Justesen's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Justesen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kuznetsov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Justesen.
Justesen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Justesen postures up and lands a big shot to Kuznetsov's brow.
Justesen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kuznetsov works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Justesen's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Justesen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Justesen passes Kuznetsov's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Justesen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Justesen sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kuznetsov defending well though.
Justesen seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Justesen throwing shots but Kuznetsov is blocking nicely.
Justesen sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kuznetsov defending well though.
Justesen slips a nice elbow through Kuznetsov's hands, connecting with Kuznetsov's forehead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Justesen content to control rather than advance.
Justesen is looking to take a break and control but Kuznetsov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Justesen lands strikes from half guard.
Kuznetsov is trying to stand up here but Justesen is controlling him well.
Justesen prevents Kuznetsov from improving his position.
Kuznetsov has hold of Justesen's hands but Justesen slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Justesen is stalling here. Kuznetsov is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Justesen seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Kuznetsov has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jonas Justesen will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Justesen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kuznetsov.
Justesen feints the counter takedown.
Justesen blocks a jab.
Nice defenses there by Justesen.
Justesen tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Kuznetsov misses with a wild body shot.

Justesen scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Kuznetsov is refusing to be controlled, as Justesen sits in half guard.
Justesen with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Justesen looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kuznetsov is looking to control Justesen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kuznetsov avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Justesen drops an elbow to the side of Kuznetsov's head.
Justesen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Justesen is taking a breather. Kuznetsov says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Justesen thows a huge punch but Kuznetsov dodges it nicely.
Justesen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Justesen looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Justesen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Justesen looks to land a strike but Kuznetsov avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Justesen is looking to work some ground and pound but Kuznetsov has wrist control.
Justesen throwing strikes from guard but Kuznetsov blocks nicely.
Kuznetsov utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Justesen stays in close to Kuznetsov's body and controls the position.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Justesen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Kuznetsov lands a lovely overhand right.
Kuznetsov tries to score with a low kick but Justesen moves his leg out of the way.
Kuznetsov throws a right hand that Justesen ducks under and follows up with a left that Justesen also avoids with ease.
Justesen drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Kuznetsov defends it well.
Nice defenses there by Justesen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuznetsov rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Justesen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Justesen throws out a loose jab but Kuznetsov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kuznetsov throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Justesen stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Kuznetsov cracks the inside of Justesen's front leg.
Justesen moves away from the strike by Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov throws a body punch but Justesen moves out of range.
Kuznetsov misses the shot to the body.
Kuznetsov waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Justesen.

Kuznetsov tries to sprawl but Justesen drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Justesen wants to take a breather but Kuznetsov is having none of it.
Kuznetsov is trying to stand.
Justesen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Justesen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Jonas Justesen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Justesen is nestled in close to Kuznetsov, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Justesen moves into full mount! Kuznetsov won't be happy about that!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Justesen with good strikes from the mount here!
Justesen landing strikes from the mount and Kuznetsov is in trouble!
Justesen landing strikes, looking to finish!

Kuznetsov is rocked!
Justesen landing strikes from the mount.
Oh Kuznetsov is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
A big strike lands for Justesen! That's really hurt Kuznetsov and he's turned his back - Justesen keeps firing away and the ref dives in to stop the fight! Justesen jumps to his feet to celebrate the victory!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jonas Justesen!