PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kendall Swanson (ranked 25628 p4p, 0 weight class) and Victor Stroev (ranked 5777 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Swanson
vs
Stroev

212 cm
18
161 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

175 cm
25
157 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kendall Swanson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Victor Stroev!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Illya Tyunina and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Stroev manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Swanson on his heels. He'll look to pass Swanson's guard now, I'm sure.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Stroev wants to pass the guard but Swanson is keeping the position.
Stroev 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.
Swanson controls Stroev momentarily but Stroev frees himself.
Stroev sitting in guard here, content to control.
Swanson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Swanson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Swanson scrambles and gets back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Stroev closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Stroev lands in his opponent's guard.
Swanson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stroev is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Stroev stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Swanson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stroev looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Swanson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Stroev really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Swanson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Stroev 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.
Let's hope that Stroev has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Stroev prevents Swanson from getting back to his feet.

That's two 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.
Swanson working a defensive guard here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Stroev shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Stroev was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Swanson wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Swanson is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Swanson looks like he's trying to stand up.
Stroev looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stroev with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Swanson wants to get back to his feet.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Stroev trying to control the pace.
Stroev is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Stroev seems to be looking for submissions.
Swanson is looking to escape.
Swanson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Swanson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Stroev.
Swanson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Swanson has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Stroev is on him like a limpet, forcing Swanson back against the cage.

Stroev turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Stroev controls the position.
Stroev's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Stroev lands a few punches from side control.

Swanson bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

Stroev decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Swanson is breathing heavily.
Swanson trying to hold on to Stroev's head to control him but Stroev postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Victor Stroev will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Stroev decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Swanson looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Stroev 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.
Swanson missing with punches from the bottom.
Stroev is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Swanson is trying to control but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stroev controlling the action here.
Swanson looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Swanson trying to control from the bottom.
Stroev stalling.
Stroev tries to pass the half guard into mount. Swanson knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Swanson pushes Stroev off looking to stand but Stroev dives back in and keeps control.
Stroev trying to control the pace.
Stroev wants to take a breather but Swanson is having none of it.
Swanson pushes Stroev off looking to stand but Stroev dives back in and keeps control.

That's two 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.
Stroev slows the pace down in half guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Swanson gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Swanson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Stroev is one step ahead there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Swanson working a defensive guard here.
Stroev prevents Swanson from getting back to his feet.
Stroev is in close to Swanson's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Swanson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stroev looking to pass the guard.
Stroev passes Swanson's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Still in half guard, Stroev seems content to control.

Stroev is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Still in half guard, Stroev seems content to control.
Stroev has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Swanson makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Swanson.
Swanson wants to get back to his feet but Stroev is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Stroev with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Swanson looking to control.
Stroev 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.
Stroev is looking to stand up but Swanson won't let him.
Stroev wants to control from the top but Swanson keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Swanson tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Stroev defends well and Swanson ends up having to push Stroev into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Stroev stuffs the takedown attempt from Swanson. Swanson gets slowly back to his feet.
It seemed like Stroev was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Victor Stroev 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! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Stroev decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Swanson is trying to maintain the position but Stroev is very close to passing his half guard.
Stroev content to control rather than advance.
Swanson is trying to stand.
Stroev tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Swanson.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Swanson regains full guard. Nicely done.
Swanson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Stroev is controlling him.
Stroev postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stroev not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Stroev scoring with punches to the head and body.
Stroev's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Stroev wanted to stand there but Swanson had control of the position.

Swanson pushes Stroev off and scrambles back to his feet.
Swanson goes for a double leg but Stroev avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Stroev continues to drive forward.

Swanson clinches up with Stroev and pushes him back against the cage.
Stroev dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Swanson has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Stroev is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stroev prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kendall Swanson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Stroev tightens his grip and picks Swanson up, before dumping him to the ground. Swanson manages to land in guard.
Stroev is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Stroev trying to stand up but can't free himself from Swanson's guard.
Swanson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Stroev's guard.

The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Swanson is looking to work some ground and pound but Stroev has wrist control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Stroev can do anything to dispel that myth.
Stroev tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Stroev keeps trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stroev is wriggling around but Swanson manages to pass to half guard.
Stroev controlling the position for now.
Stroev wants to improve his position but Swanson is controlling well.
Stroev wants to get back to full guard but Swanson has passed into side control.
Who's going to make the next move?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Stroev trying his best to control but Swanson has mounted him.
Swanson in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Swanson moves to the back position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stroev is in bad spot here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kendall Swanson showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Stroev 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Victor Stroev!