PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kurtis Hugs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vasiliy Lebedenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Hugs
vs
Lebedenko

180 cm
22
170 lbs
4 - 1 - 1

180 cm
19
180 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 4 - 1 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kurtis Hugs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vasiliy Lebedenko!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Fedor Mirinova and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hugs tries to score a power double leg takedown but Lebedenko sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hugs somewhat.
Lebedenko moves in looking to clinch but Hugs pushes him off.
Lebedenko fails with an attempt to clinch.
Lebedenko misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hugs.
Donk. Hugs catches Lebedenko right on the button with a cross.
Hugs throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Lebedenko shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Hugs cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hugs throws a hook to the side of Lebedenko's head but Lebedenko sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hugs swats away the attempt to clinch by Lebedenko.
Lebedenko tries to close the distance and clinch but Hugs swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hugs pivots, looking for a leg kick but Lebedenko is out of range and Hugs settles back down.
Hugs avoids the body shot from Lebedenko.
Hugs walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Lebedenko checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

Lebedenko has Hugs up against the cage in a clinch.
Hugs is trying to break the clinch but Lebedenko is controlling him.

Lebedenko jumps guard and drags Hugs to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Hugs scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hugs throws and elbow that misses. Lebedenko uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hugs's guard. Nice move by Lebedenko!

Hugs working for a triangle but Lebedenko defends it easily.
Lebedenko advances position into side control!
Lebedenko in side control lands a decent elbow.
Hugs looks to move to half guard but instead Lebedenko has passed into mount! Damn!
Hugs tries to hold on but Lebedenko pushes him away.
Hugs throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Hugs on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hugs tries to get out of the position.
Lebedenko putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lebedenko prevents Hugs from getting the reversal.
Hugs throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Hugs tries to lock up and control but Lebedenko gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Hugs throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Hugs taking shots to the head.
Hugs keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Lebedenko blocks Hugs's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Lebedenko scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Lebedenko landing shots from mount.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Lebedenko cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Hugs is looking to get to half guard.
Hugs is working hard here to advance position.
Hugs is breathing heavily.
Lebedenko landing punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hugs is looking to improve his position but Lebedenko isn't that keen on the idea.
Lebedenko landing strikes, looking to finish!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lebedenko scoring with strikes but Hugs is staying in there.
Lebedenko lands a nice shot to the head.
Lebedenko lands a big shot there that rocks Hugs but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Lebedenko blocks Hugs's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Lebedenko landing shots from mount.
Lebedenko landing shots from mount.
BOOM! Lebedenko connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Hugs takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lebedenko is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Lebedenko scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Hugs?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hugs is squirming around, avoiding Lebedenko's attempts to control the action.
Lebedenko has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Lebedenko looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

Hugs is rocked!
Lebedenko lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Lebedenko looking to finish Hugs with some ground and pound. This is bad for Hugs!
Lebedenko with a couple of short strikes.
Hugs is working to get back to half guard.
Lebedenko is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Hugs can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Hugs tries to reverse the position but Lebedenko maintains control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lebedenko lands with some strikes.
Hugs is working to get back to half guard.
Hugs throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vasiliy Lebedenko dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Lebedenko fails in his attempt to clinch.

Hugs closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Sloppy strikes there by Hugs.
Vasiliy Lebedenko has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lebedenko is looking for a sweep.
Lebedenko manages to get back to half guard.
Hugs missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Hugs throws a strike but Lebedenko avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Hugs is fighting to break Lebedenko's control of his arms but Lebedenko is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Lebedenko avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lebedenko has control of Hugs's left arm, preventing Hugs from doing any damage.
Hugs throws a strike but Lebedenko rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Lebedenko chips away with some ground and pound.
Hugs throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Lebedenko stands up out of Hugs's guard for a moment - Hugs manages to land a nice upkick.
Lebedenko content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Lebedenko lands a couple of elbows.
Hugs looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lebedenko is working Hugs over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hugs preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lebedenko works over Hugs with some ground and pound from guard.
Hugs thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Lebedenko controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Hugs trying to strike off his back.
Hugs trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Hugs is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Hugs throws a strike but Lebedenko avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Hugs throws and elbow that misses. Lebedenko uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hugs's guard. Nice move by Lebedenko!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lebedenko is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Lebedenko sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Hugs's guard.

Lebedenko stands up out of the half guard.
Hugs smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Lebedenko tries to clinch but Hugs is having none of it.
Lebedenko tries to clinch but Hugs is having none of it.
Lebedenko fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hugs avoids it really well and circles away.
Lebedenko tries to clinch
and Hugs makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Hugs takes a swing at Lebedenko's ribcage but misses.
Lebedenko closes the distance looking to clinch

and Hugs counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Hugs throws a strike but Lebedenko rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lebedenko lands a couple of elbows.
Lebedenko is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Lebedenko content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Lebedenko with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lebedenko postures up and lands a big shot to Hugs's brow.

Lebedenko got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hugs has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Lebedenko has managed to get both his arms back between Hugs's legs - danger averted.
Lebedenko trying to control the position from guard on top but Hugs is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lebedenko lands a couple of decent looking shots.
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 Kurtis Hugs 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. This is the final round!

Lebedenko tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hugs paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Lebedenko shoots in and bounces Hugs off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Hugs thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Hugs is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Lebedenko is in close to Hugs's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Lebedenko trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Hugs looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lebedenko is one step ahead there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lebedenko trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hugs manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Hugs scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Lebedenko?
Lebedenko really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Lebedenko blocking the ground and pound.
Lebedenko sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Lebedenko manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Hugs keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Lebedenko's head.
Hugs throws a strike but Lebedenko rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Lebedenko content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Lebedenko working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Hugs's head.
Lebedenko working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Lebedenko tries to free his leg and advance position but Hugs is retaining full guard.
Hugs controls Lebedenko momentarily but Lebedenko frees himself.
Hugs lands a couple of shots from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lebedenko scoring with some ground and pound.
Hugs throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Lebedenko landing with the ground and pound.
Hugs keeping moving, preventing Lebedenko from controlling successfully.
Lebedenko working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Hugs changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lebedenko tries to avoid it but Hugs manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lebedenko to the ground. Lebedenko escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Hugs attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Lebedenko shoots in for a takedown but Hugs shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Lebedenko drives through with a takedown into guard.
Lebedenko postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hugs is striking but Lebedenko is not phased and passes to half guard.
Hugs flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Lebedenko is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Lebedenko throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hugs punching from the bottom.
Lebedenko seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Lebedenko working over Hugs with some ground and pound. Hugs looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
The fighters circling - Hugs throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hugs fails with the takedown

and Lebedenko counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Hugs is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lebedenko is in close to Hugs's body, working some short punches and elbows.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vasiliy Lebedenko comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Lebedenko 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vasiliy Lebedenko!