PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gullermo Vargas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alek Krushnov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Gullermo Vargas has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Vargas
vs
Krushnov

177 cm
22
183 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

190 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Gullermo Vargas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Alek Krushnov!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, John Mangel and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vargas throws a right and a left that both miss.

Vargas rushes Krushnov and presses him up against the cage.
Krushnov changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Vargas fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Krushnov shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Vargas pinned against the cage. Vargas gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Vargas darts in trying to clinch

so Krushnov counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Krushnov tries to free his leg and advance position but Vargas is retaining full guard.
Krushnov pushing down on Vargas's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Krushnov is taking a breather. Vargas says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Let's hope that Krushnov 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.
Vargas is looking to control Krushnov's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Vargas avoid being mounted?
Krushnov is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Vargas trying to control but Krushnov postures up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Vargas gets a clinch.
Vargas blocking some punches.
Vargas tries to pull guard but Krushnov forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vargas jumps guard but Krushnov turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Krushnov stalling the fight.
Vargas wants to get back to striking at distance but Krushnov won't allow it.
Krushnov content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Vargas looking to stall.
Vargas is trying to break the clinch but Krushnov is controlling him.
Krushnov manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Krushnov turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Krushnov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Vargas keeps working.

Krushnov stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Vargas jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Krushnov dives in and grabs Vargas's left leg, looking for a takedown. Vargas pushes down on Krushnov's head and hops out.
Gullermo Vargas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alek Krushnov.
Vargas ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Krushnov shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Vargas but Vargas pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Vargas gets a clinch.
Krushnov blocks the elbow strike.
Vargas drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Krushnov gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Vargas tries to score a body lock takedown but Krushnov shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Vargas breaks from the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Krushnov showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Vargas.
Vargas shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Krushnov but Krushnov pushes him off and we're back to square one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alek Krushnov dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Krushnov tries for a takedown but Vargas sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Vargas misses with a low kick.
Krushnov displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Vargas.
Vargas tries to clinch up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vargas throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Krushnov.
Krushnov throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Vargas jabs Krushnov to the body, keeping him at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Krushnov moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Krushnov shoots in for a takedown but Vargas shows good takedown defense.

Vargas clinches up with Krushnov and pushes him back against the cage.
Vargas is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Krushnov is keeping busy.
Krushnov jumps guard but Vargas turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Gullermo Vargas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alek Krushnov.
Vargas is trying to pull guard but Krushnov turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Krushnov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Vargas will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
No joy there for Vargas, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vargas swats away the attempt to clinch by Krushnov.
Vargas stalks Krushnov and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Krushnov's face. Krushnov staggers backwards, shaken.
Krushnov slaps away a takedown attempt from Vargas, before circling back to the center of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Krushnov manages to pull guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Krushnov trying to keep a closed guard but Vargas is proving a slippery customer.
Krushnov manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Vargas manages to get himself to full guard.

Krushnov gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Nice sprawl there from Krushnov as Vargas shoots in.
Horrible takedown by Vargas or perhaps it was just good defense by Krushnov which made him look bad.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Krushnov throws a right hand that misses
and Vargas counters with a left and a right that stings Krushnov.
Vargas throws a one two combo.
Vargas throws a left and a right that both miss

and Krushnov holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vargas tries to circle away but Krushnov has him pinned against the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Vargas.
Vargas prevents the takedown attempt.
Vargas wants to break the clinch but can't.
Krushnov manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Vargas prevents a takedown attempt there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vargas gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Krushnov.
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 Gullermo Vargas will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Krushnov fails with the takedown.
Vargas's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Vargas duly obliges.
Vargas tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Krushnov is able to avoid easily.
Vargas throws a right hand that Krushnov ducks under and follows up with a left that Krushnov also avoids with ease.
Nice takedown defense from Krushnov. No joy for Vargas on that attempt.
A combination from Vargas does no damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck for Krushnov with that takedown attempt.

Krushnov scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Vargas tries to buck Krushnov off but Krushnov is having none of it.
Krushnov slows the pace down.
Vargas tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Krushnov wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Krushnov moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Vargas might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Krushnov is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Vargas is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Vargas being controlled for a moment.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Alek Krushnov.

Vargas moves into range and clinches up with Krushnov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vargas tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Krushnov's elbow.
Vargas is trying to break the clinch but Krushnov is controlling him.
Vargas is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Gullermo Vargas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alek Krushnov.

Krushnov gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Krushnov stopping the sweep attempt from Vargas.
Krushnov's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Vargas is trying to control the position but Krushnov postures up.
Krushnov sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Vargas's guard.
Krushnov is taking a breather. Vargas says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Alek Krushnov wasn't active enough on the ground.
Vargas tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Vargas misses with a few strikes there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Vargas gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Krushnov to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Vargas being controlled here, momentarily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alek Krushnov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Krushnov 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alek Krushnov!