PBP Commentary

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

Mekhar
vs
Russo

175 cm
21
165 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

172 cm
27
157 lbs
20 - 11 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kalam Mekhar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Donato Russo!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Steve Smith and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mekhar throws a series of punches but Russo moves out of range.
Mekhar looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mekhar throws a sloppy head kick and Russo moves out of range easily.
Russo fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Mekhar swinging wildly here.
Mekhar ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

Mekhar closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Russo quickly recovers to half guard.

Mekhar is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Russo is just riding it out for now. Mekhar eventually gives up the hold.
Russo is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mekhar tries to pass to full mount but Russo defends it.
Russo tries to get to full guard but Mekhar has control of the leg.
Mekhar missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Mekhar wants to control but Russo is keeping him busy.
Russo is trying to control but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Russo regains full guard. Nicely done.
Russo is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Mekhar slips nicely into half guard.
Mekhar is trying to control the action in half guard but Russo is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Mekhar wants to pass to mount but Russo is defending the position.
Russo is looking for a sweep. Mekhar is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Mekhar wants to free his trapped foot but Russo is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo tries to roll over but Mekhar keeps him under control.
Mekhar trying to control the action but Russo is working from the bottom.
Russo is looking to improve his position.
Mekhar seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Mekhar is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Mekhar prevents Russo from standing back up.
Russo is trying to control but can't.
Mekhar is just content to waste time from the top position. Russo takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

Mekhar drops back, looking for a kneebar! Russo looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Russo looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Russo!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Russo tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Russo has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Russo controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kalam Mekhar will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Good work by Mekhar as he checks the leg kick.
Mekhar lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Russo circles away quickly and effectively.
Kalam Mekhar is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mekhar misses with a hook to the body
and Russo counters with a nice kick to the body.
Russo closes the distance and clinches up with Mekhar, looking for a takedown. Russo pushes Mekhar against the cage but Mekhar circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Mekhar throws a sloppy head kick and Russo moves out of range easily.
Russo does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Mekhar thows a leg kick but Russo checks it
and Russo counters with an inside leg kick.
Russo throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Russo stuffs the takedown.
Mekhar misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mekhar tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Russo lands a front kick.
Russo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Russo throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Russo throws a front kick that sends Mekhar stumbling back into the cage.
Donato Russo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Russo thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Mekhar if he has to take too many more of those.
Mekhar walks forward, straight into a front kick from Russo.
Russo throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Russo throws a quick inside leg kick.
Mekhar will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Mekhar blocks a head kick by Russo.
Mekhar misses with a jab, cross combination.
Mekhar misses with an uppercut
and Russo counters with a body kick that stops Mekhar in his tracks momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russo throws a sloppy head kick and Mekhar moves out of range easily.
Mekhar misses the body punch
and Russo counters with a leg kick.
Russo thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Mekhar if he has to take too many more of those.
Russo thumps Mekhar with a low kick.
Russo fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Mekhar is out of range.
Mekhar with a poor takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Russo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Russo connects with a leg kick. Mekhar looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Russo throws a head kick that half lands.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Russo. Mekhar shrugs it off though.
Russo moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo scores with a nice body kick.
Mekhar on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Russo. Russo obviously looking to wear him down.
Russo lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A solid leg kick lands there for Russo.
Mekhar takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Mekhar is rocked!

It looks like Kalam Mekhar has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Russo fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Oh Mekhar is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Mekhar tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Both fighters circling slowly here as the pace drops. Hopefully one of them does someth.. OOOHHHH!!!! Russo throws an absolute beast of a head kick! Mekhar is done! He's out cold, twisted and contorted up against the cage! Wow!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:49 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Donato Russo!