PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Randy Orton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bill Russell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Orton comes to the cage accompanied by Voices - Rev Theory. Bill Russell struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 266.3lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Bill Russell is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Orton
vs
Russell

190 cm
22
225 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

210 cm
23
280 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Randy Orton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bill Russell!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Luis Engracia and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Orton scores with a takedown into Russell's guard.
Orton sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Russell's guard.
Orton tries to pass to full mount but Russell defends it.
Orton scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Russell pushes Orton off and gets back to his feet.
Russell slips a jab from Orton.
Russell misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Orton shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Orton showed some decent athleticism there.
Orton wants to lay and pray for a moment but Russell keeps working.
Orton scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Orton takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Russell keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Orton not doing much here.
Orton trying to control from half guard but Russell is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Orton slows the pace down in half guard.
Orton knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Russell on the ground.
Russell is looking to escape.
Russell looks gassed!
Orton throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Orton lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Orton wants to pass the guard but Russell is defending well.
Russell is looking to escape.
Orton is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Russell!
Orton takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Orton has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
BOOM! Orton connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Orton lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Orton tries to control but Russell wriggling away.
Orton with a couple of short strikes.
A nice elbow there by Orton.
Orton is landing with some decent strikes but Russell is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Orton with shots to the head and body - Russell looks very uncomfortable down there.
Orton trying to control but Russell is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Orton scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Orton controlling the pace for now.
Orton tries to control but Russell wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Orton connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Russell is wriggling around trying to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Orton lands a big elbow.
Orton working the ground and pound effectively.

Russell is rocked!
Orton has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Russell's face.
Russell is still in real trouble! Can Orton finish him?
Orton in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Russell takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Orton raining down shots from the mount!
Russell takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Russell is squirming around, avoiding Orton's attempts to control the action.
Orton looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
The referee warns Russell that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Russell seems to have recovered his senses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russell is desperately trying to improve his position but Orton has a good base and remains in mount.
Orton looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Orton working the ground and pound effectively.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Orton cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The referee warns Russell that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Orton lands with some strikes.
Orton working the ground and pound effectively.
Orton can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Russell is looking to escape.
Orton lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Russell is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Orton landing strikes, looking to finish!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A nice elbow there by Orton.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Orton dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Orton shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Orton throwing strikes but missing.
Orton connects with a couple of short punches.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Orton's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Orton passes Russell's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Orton not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Orton seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Orton is looking to pass Russell's guard but actually Russell recovers to full guard.
Orton sitting in guard here, content to control.
Russell utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Randy Orton overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Russell is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Orton cracks Russell with a solid left hand.
Orton chips away with some ground and pound.
Russell manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Orton manages to get himself to full guard.
Russell stopping the sweep attempt from Orton.
Russell postures up.
Orton tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Orton throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Orton wants to hit a switch here but Russell passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Orton there!
Orton working to try and regain half guard.
Orton is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Russell trying to control but Orton is having none of it.
Orton manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Russell prevents Orton from improving his position.
Orton misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Orton is trying to get back to full guard.
Russell blocks the strikes from Orton.
Orton gets back to full guard.
Orton is looking to sweep but instead, Russell has passed into half guard.
Orton is looking for a sweep. Russell is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Orton is working hard here to advance position.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Orton here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Orton is trying to control but Russell passes into side control!
Orton is trying to get back to half guard.

Russell has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Orton smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Bill Russell is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Russell tries to bum rush Orton with a series of wild strikes but Orton uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Orton shoots in and bounces Russell off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Orton landing with the ground and pound.
Russell not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Orton trying to control the position from guard on top but Russell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Russell wants to sweep here but Orton controlling him for the moment.

Russell working for a triangle but Orton defends it easily.
Orton prevents Russell from getting back to his feet.

Russell throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Russell looking for a guillotine here but Orton defends easily.
Orton working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Russell's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Orton dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Russell stalks Orton and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Orton's face. Orton staggers backwards, shaken.
Randy Orton is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Orton misses with a combination
and Russell counters with a one-two to the body.

Orton gets the takedown into side control.
Orton working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Russell gets back to half guard.
Russell is looking for a sweep. Orton is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Orton seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Russell does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Orton with the ground and pound but Russell uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Russell 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.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Russell utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Orton has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Russell is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Orton tries to free his leg and advance position but Russell is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Orton clinches.

Orton works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Russell is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Orton postures up in Russell's guard and throws a big left but Russell blocks it.
Russell wants to stand up but Orton is controlling him.
Russell looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Russell looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Orton might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Russell wants to stand but Orton is controlling the position.
Orton stands and throws Russell's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russell regains half guard.
Orton trying to mount his opponent but Russell defends it.
Russell tries to get to full guard but Orton has control of the leg.
Orton working over Russell with some ground and pound. Russell looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Orton stops Russell from getting back to his feet.
Orton is just content to waste time from the top position. Russell takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Orton throws and elbow that misses. Russell uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Orton's guard. Nice move by Russell!
Russell has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Orton is proving hard to escape from.
Orton will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Orton wants to sweep here but Russell controlling him for the moment.
Orton throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Orton looking to control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Russell throws a right and a left that both miss.
Orton shoots for a takedown but Russell saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Russell throws a series of strikes that have Orton backpedaling.
A lazy left from Orton finds it's target.
Orton fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Russell lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Russell gets caught flat footed, as Orton shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Orton wants to control from the top but Russell keeps moving.
Russell trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Orton with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Orton slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Orton keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Russell's head.
Orton chips away with some ground and pound.
Orton with a nice head shot there.
Orton trying to control the position from guard on top but Russell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Russell keeping full guard, as Orton tries to pass.
Orton lands a couple of digs.
Orton throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Russell works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Orton is posturing up here but Russell has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Orton tries to roll out but it's too tight and Orton has to tap! Slick submission there by Russell!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Bill Russell!