PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mike Hester (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Victor Bonovsk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hester comes into the arena with The Prayer - KiD CuDi blaring out of the sound system. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hester
vs
Bonovsk

185 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

182 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Hellbent - Pit Inc

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mike Hester!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Victor Bonovsk!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Vladimir Khabensky and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bonovsk shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Hester sprawls well. Hester wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bonovsk gets slowly back to his feet.
Horrible takedown by Bonovsk or perhaps it was just good defense by Hester which made him look bad.
A head kick by Bonovsk misses
and Hester makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Bonovsk closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hester circles away.
Mike Hester has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Victor Bonovsk.
Bonovsk misses with a takedown attempt

and Hester counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Hester.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Hester looking to pass the guard.
Hester throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hester has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Bonovsk keeping full guard, as Hester tries to pass.
Hester 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.
Bonovsk wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hester throws a big right hand that misses.
Hester won't allow Bonovsk to sweep him here.
Hester lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Bonovsk is looking to sweep but instead, Hester has passed into half guard.
Hester drops an elbow to the side of Bonovsk's head.
Bonovsk moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Hester wants to control from the top but Bonovsk keeps moving.

Hester stands up and waves to Bonovsk to follow him.
Bonovsk looks gassed!

Hester has Bonovsk up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hester manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Bonovsk wants to control from the top but Hester keeps moving.
Hester being controlled here, momentarily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bonovsk postures up in Hester's guard and throws a big left but Hester blocks it.
Hester looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Hester keeping moving, preventing Bonovsk from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Victor Bonovsk hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Bonovsk.
Mike Hester seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A solid body kick from Hester.
Hester pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hester lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Bonovsk backs up against the cage.
Hester fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Hester moves into the clinch.
Hester wants a takedown but no success here.

Bonovsk has Hester pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Bonovsk pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Hester tumbling to the mat - Bonovsk dives into Hester's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bonovsk stopping the sweep attempt from Hester.
Bonovsk tries to free his leg and advance position but Hester is retaining full guard.
Bonovsk trying to control the position from guard on top but Hester is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bonovsk must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hester has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
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!
Hester keeping full guard, as Bonovsk tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Hester dominated that round.
That's time! Hester's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hester fails to land the takedown.
Hester dives in and grabs Bonovsk's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bonovsk pushes down on Hester's head and hops out.
Bonovsk shoots in and drives through. Hester sprawls well.
Hester misses with a jab, cross combination.

Bonovsk gets a takedown into half guard.
Bonovsk controlling the action here.
Bonovsk is stalling here. Hester is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Bonovsk seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Hester has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hester working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
You can see the frustration on Bonovsk's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Bonovsk is trying to improve his position.

Hester decides to stand up, so the ref orders Bonovsk to his feet.
Bonovsk will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bonovsk blocks a head kick by Hester.
Hester changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bonovsk tries to avoid it but Hester manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bonovsk to the ground. Bonovsk escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Hester. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bonovsk connects with a right hand. Hester shakes it off.
Bonovsk misses with a takedown attempt - Hester sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Hester shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bonovsk pinned against the cage. Bonovsk gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Bonovsk shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hester but Hester pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Hester looks for a takedown but Bonovsk sprawls well.
Bonovsk looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hester misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bonovsk fails with a takedown attempt.
Hester looks for a takedown but Bonovsk sprawls well.

Hester feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Bonovsk working a defensive guard here.
Bonovsk is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Bonovsk tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bonovsk wants to improve his position but instead Hester has moved into half guard.
Hester wants to pass to mount but Bonovsk is defending the position.
Hester trying to control from half guard but Bonovsk is working away.

Hester is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Bonovsk works his way to full guard. Good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Victor Bonovsk will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Hester stuffs the takedown.

Bonovsk gets the takedown into side control.
Bonovsk trying to control the action but Hester is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hester is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Mike Hester overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bonovsk wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hester keeps working.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hester struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bonovsk is looking to take a break and control but Hester is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Victor Bonovsk.
Bonovsk fails with the takedown
and Hester counters with a leg kick.
Hester lands a two punch combo.
Bonovsk stuffs the takedown.
Bonovsk defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Hester.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bonovsk shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Mike Hester has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Victor Bonovsk.
Bonovsk misses with a takedown

and Hester counters with a nice double leg into side control. Bonovsk won't be happy with that.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hester throws an elbow but Bonovsk slips to the side and avoids it well.
Bonovsk is looking for a sweep.
Bonovsk struggling a bit here.
Bonovsk being controlled for a moment.
Bonovsk wants to control but Hester postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hester tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Sloppy strikes there by Hester.
Hester wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bonovsk keeps working.
Bonovsk wants to control but Hester postures up.
Bonovsk tries to buck Hester off but Hester is having none of it.
Hester scores with a couple of short elbows.
Bonovsk is looking to reverse the position.

Hester decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hester throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Bonovsk has a takedown stuffed.

Hester decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bonovsk manages to get to full guard.
Hester stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bonovsk swivels though and keeps the full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bonovsk keeping moving, preventing Hester from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bonovsk is trying to keep Hester in close.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Hester showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hester has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Hester!
Post fight, Mike Hester stared into the camera and said 'I just want to fight, nothing fancy. If you take it to the ground ill submit you, if you wanna stand up I'm game. In the end a fight is a fight and I wanna make it a good one.'.