PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Aleksei Kruschev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tyler Pheonix (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pheonix has chosen Pride (times are changing) by Madball as his entrance music. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kruschev
vs
Pheonix

175 cm
20
175 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
18
180 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aleksei Kruschev!
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, Tyler Pheonix!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Illya Tyunina and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kruschev scores with a hook to the body. Pheonix takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Pheonix circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pheonix drops Kruschev with a right and a left! Pheonix comes rushing in but Kruschev regains his composure and manages to keep Pheonix in guard.

Kruschev is rocked!

It looks like Aleksei Kruschev has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kruschev has his hands on Pheonix's head, controlling the position.
Oh Kruschev is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Pheonix wants to control from the top but Kruschev keeps moving.
Pheonix's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Kruschev seems to have got his legs back now.
Kruschev throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Kruschev is wriggling around but Pheonix manages to pass to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kruschev tries to roll over but Pheonix keeps him under control.
Kruschev on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Kruschev tries to get out of the position.

Pheonix stands up and beckons Kruschev to join him on the feet.
Kruschev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kruschev throws a leg kick but Pheonix moved away.
Kruschev tries to clinch up but Pheonix circles away and keeps his distance.
Kruschev misses with a low kick.

That's two 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.
A big left from Pheonix misses.
Pheonix fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pheonix misses with a takedown attempt - Kruschev sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Kruschev has his takedown stuffed

so Pheonix counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Kruschev is looking to stand back up but Pheonix counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Kruschev.
Pheonix is trying to control. Kruschev wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Kruschev moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pheonix wanted to stand there but Kruschev had control of the position.
Pheonix throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pheonix trying to control the position from guard on top but Kruschev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pheonix's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Pheonix won't allow Kruschev to sweep him here.
Pheonix postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Pheonix accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kruschev looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kruschev is breathing heavily.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Pheonix will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

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.
Pheonix throws a series of punches but Kruschev avoids them all with ease.

Kruschev scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Kruschev missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Pheonix manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Pheonix looks to land a body kick but Kruschev moved away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Kruschev wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyler Pheonix dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Aleksei Kruschev's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kruschev closes the distance and clinches up with Pheonix, looking for a takedown. Kruschev pushes Pheonix against the cage but Pheonix circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Pheonix tries to clinch

and Kruschev counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Pheonix kicks off Kruschev and gets to his feet.
Pheonix shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Kruschev counters with a nice double leg into side control. Pheonix won't be happy with that.
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!
Kruschev working the ground and pound.
Pheonix is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Kruschev has just dragged him back down to the mat.
An elbow from Kruschev crashes against the mat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kruschev stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Pheonix throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Kruschev.
Kruschev shoots in for a double leg but Pheonix sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Pheonix misses with a takedown attempt

and Kruschev counters with a nice double leg into side control. Pheonix won't be happy with that.
Kruschev is trying to ground and pound but Pheonix uses the momentary lack of control by Kruschev to regain half guard.

Pheonix kicks off Kruschev and gets to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pheonix tries to clinch up.
Kruschev has his takedown stuffed

and Pheonix counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aleksei Kruschev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kruschev wants to sweep but Pheonix has passed to side control!
Kruschev tries to buck Pheonix off but Pheonix is having none of it.

Pheonix decides to stand back up.
Pheonix stuffs the takedown attempt from Kruschev. Kruschev gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pheonix goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Kruschev misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Pheonix clinches but Kruschev breaks the clinch

and Kruschev counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Kruschev.

Pheonix has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Kruschev off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Pheonix misses with a takedown attempt

and Kruschev counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kruschev.

Pheonix manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Kruschev preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pheonix keeping full guard, as Kruschev tries to pass.
Kruschev throws a big right hand that misses.
Kruschev stands and throws Pheonix's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Pheonix is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Kruschev has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Pheonix is trying to get back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kruschev working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Pheonix is working to avoid the ground and pound but Kruschev connects with a decent elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksei Kruschev dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Aleksei Kruschev's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Pheonix doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Kruschev counters with a single leg into guard. Pheonix didn't expect that.
Kruschev is fighting to break Pheonix's control of his arms but Pheonix is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Pheonix has momentary wrist control but Kruschev slips an elbow through the middle.
Kruschev wants to control from the top but Pheonix keeps moving.
Kruschev tries to stand but Pheonix is controlling from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kruschev looking to pass the guard.
Kruschev has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pheonix scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Pheonix misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kruschev.
Pheonix tries to clinch but Kruschev moves out of range.
Pheonix looks for a takedown but Kruschev sprawls well.
Kruschev lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Pheonix backs up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pheonix throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kruschev's waist but Kruschev gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Pheonix off to one side.
Aleksei Kruschev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tyler Pheonix.

Kruschev shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Kruschev is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Pheonix manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Pheonix moves into full guard.
Pheonix is controlling Kruschev's posture.
Kruschev tries to free his leg and advance position but Pheonix is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kruschev trying to control the position from guard on top but Pheonix is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Pheonix is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Pheonix avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kruschev working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kruschev postures up in Pheonix's guard and throws a big left but Pheonix blocks it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Pheonix lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

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.
Pheonix scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Pheonix misses with a double jab

and Kruschev moves into the clinch.
Kruschev tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Pheonix unloads a knee to the mid-section. Kruschev lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Pheonix breaks the clinch.
Pheonix gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Kruschev counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Pheonix closes the distance but Kruschev moves to the side

and Kruschev counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aleksei Kruschev showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Kruschev has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aleksei Kruschev!