PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alek Krushnov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pavel Zarubin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Krushnov
vs
Zarubin

190 cm
27
185 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

176 cm
25
192 lbs
4 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Knockout power

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 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Alek Krushnov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Pavel Zarubin!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zarubin tries to close the distance and clinch but Krushnov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Krushnov gets tackled into the cage by Zarubin. Zarubin maintains the clinch.

Zarubin breaks from the clinch.
Krushnov circles away from the clinch attempt.
Krushnov swats away the attempt to clinch by Zarubin.
Sloppy strikes from Zarubin. Those never looked like landing.
Zarubin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Krushnov moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Krushnov slaps away a takedown attempt from Zarubin, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Zarubin wants to clinch but Krushnov slips to the side

and Krushnov counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Krushnov is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Zarubin sees it coming and defends easily.
Zarubin blocking the ground and pound attempt from Krushnov.

Zarubin makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zarubin is looking to clinch but Krushnov is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Krushnov circles away from the clinch attempt.
Krushnov stuffs the takedown attempt from Zarubin. Zarubin gets slowly back to his feet.
Zarubin throws a right and a left that Krushnov avoids nicely.
Krushnov shoots in for a takedown but Zarubin shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Krushnov tries to clinch there but Zarubin circles away.

Zarubin fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Krushnov, pushing him back against the cage.

Zarubin breaks from the clinch.

Krushnov shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Zarubin manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Krushnov wants to pass the guard but Zarubin is keeping the position.
Krushnov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Zarubin can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Krushnov throwing strikes from guard but Zarubin blocks nicely.
Zarubin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Krushnov is one step ahead there.
Krushnov trying to control but Zarubin is working from the bottom.
Krushnov content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Krushnov trying to move into half guard but instead Zarubin has managed to sweep!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zarubin trying to stand up but can't free himself from Krushnov's guard.
Krushnov will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Krushnov uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zarubin thuds his right hand into Krushnov's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Zarubin is looking to clinch but Krushnov is avoiding it.
Zarubin misses with a series of wild punches.
Zarubin scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Zarubin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Alek Krushnov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pavel Zarubin.
Zarubin tries to clinch but fails miserably

so Krushnov counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Krushnov makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Krushnov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Krushnov is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Krushnov wants to control from the top but Zarubin keeps moving.
Krushnov throwing strikes from guard but Zarubin blocks nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zarubin controls Krushnov momentarily but Krushnov frees himself.
Krushnov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Krushnov is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Zarubin wants to get back to his feet but Krushnov is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Krushnov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zarubin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Zarubin tries to close the distance and clinch but Krushnov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Pavel Zarubin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Zarubin clinches up against the cage.
Nice body punch from Zarubin.
Zarubin works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Zarubin lands with a short shot to the head.
Zarubin lands a shot to the body.
A short body shot lands from Zarubin as the two fighters clinch.
Krushnov is trying to break the clinch but Zarubin has him pressed against the cage.

Zarubin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Zarubin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Krushnov tries to avoid it but Zarubin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Krushnov to the ground. Krushnov escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Zarubin darts in and clinches Krushnov up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zarubin breaks the clinch.
Zarubin tries to clinch up.
Zarubin tries to clinch

and Krushnov counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Krushnov.
Krushnov has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Zarubin avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Zarubin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Zarubin has managed to clinch.
Zarubin stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Zarubin lands a shoulder strike.
A short body shot lands from Zarubin as the two fighters clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A left hand lands to the body for Zarubin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice body punch from Zarubin - that landed with a thud.
Zarubin digs a right hand underneath Krushnov's ribcage. Krushnov let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Zarubin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zarubin tries to clinch up but Krushnov circles away and keeps his distance.
Zarubin shoots in for a double leg but Krushnov sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Krushnov fails with the takedown.
Zarubin wants to clinch.

Zarubin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zarubin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Zarubin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Zarubin lands a left hand.
Krushnov doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Zarubin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Krushnov.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alek Krushnov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zarubin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Krushnov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zarubin wants to clinch up but Krushnov keeps it at a distance.
Zarubin lands a slapping body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zarubin lands a left and a right that send Krushnov crashing to the mat, dazed. Zarubin thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Krushnov is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zarubin throws a nice looking combination but Krushnov bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Oh Krushnov is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Zarubin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Krushnov moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Zarubin has managed to clinch.
Zarubin lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Krushnov backwards.
Pavel Zarubin seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Zarubin lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Zarubin is leaning against Krushnov and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

Zarubin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Zarubin gets a clinch.
Zarubin lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Zarubin pushes Krushnov against the cage. Zarubin is working some dirty boxing. Zarubin pushes off with a quick right hook! Krushnov goes down! Krushnov tries to stand but stumbles back to his kness! Zarubin moves in to finish and the ref steps in to prevent any more damage!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:33 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Pavel Zarubin!
After the fight, Pavel Zarubin was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.