PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bennett Russell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kaniela Wagner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bennett Russell has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Russell
vs
Wagner

211 cm
24
162 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

173 cm
19
160 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Bennett Russell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kaniela Wagner!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Micheangelo Fripello and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wagner looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Russell is fending him off so far but Wagner persists. Nope, Russell circles away and we're back to standing.

Wagner shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Russell slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Russell throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Wagner avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Wagner wants to stand and escape but instead Russell has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wagner wants to stand up but Russell is controlling him.

Russell stands up and waves to Wagner to follow him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wagner scores with a takedown into Russell's guard.

Wagner gets to his feet - Russell follows without any prompting.
Wagner shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Russell but Russell pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Russell doesn't manage to clinch there - Wagner circles away.
Kaniela Wagner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Wagner throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Russell tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Wagner is in Russell's guard.

Russell had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Wagner defends it easily.

Wagner stands up from Russell's guard - Wagner perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wagner throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Russell's waist but Russell gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Wagner off to one side.
Bennett Russell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kaniela Wagner.
Wagner shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Russell as he jumps to the side.
Wagner fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Russell appears to be looking for a big counter.
Nice sprawl there from Russell as Wagner shoots in.
Russell tries to counter with a takedown but Wagner is quick to defend against it.
Wagner misses with a takedown attempt
and Russell counters with a big head kick but Wagner shrugs it off.
Russell really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Russell is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Wagner will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Wagner tries to keep at a distance but Russell has taken the fight into the clinch.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wagner darts in looking for a takedown but Russell gets double underhooks and turns Wagner into the cage.

Russell tries to sprawl but Wagner drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Wagner prevents Russell from improving his position.
Wagner seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Russell trying to control from the bottom.
The fighters are battling for position here. Russell manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Wagner stands up and waves to Russell to follow him.
Wagner misses with a takedown
and Russell counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Wagner is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Russell instigates a clinch.
Come on Russell - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russell wants to take the fight to the mat but Wagner manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Wagner is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Russell gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Russell breaks from the clinch.
Wagner swats away the attempt to clinch by Russell.
Wagner throws a counter combo.
Russell defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Wagner.
Wagner fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Russell half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

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

Russell tightens his grip and picks Wagner up, before dumping him to the ground. Wagner manages to land in guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Wagner is looking to stand up but Russell isn't so interested in that idea.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bennett Russell dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Wagner with a poor takedown
and Russell counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Wagner doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Russell counters with a nice body shot.

Russell changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Wagner looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Russell wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Wagner, who protects the arm well.
Wagner is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Russell is trying to get an arm triangle but Wagner is defending well.
Russell prevents Wagner from escaping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wagner wants to get back to his feet but Russell is dominant here and he's now got Wagner's back!

Russell tightening his grip on Wagner, looking for the choke.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Wagner is trying escape back to his feet. He turns into his opponent's guard and eventually finds his way back to his feet.
Wagner shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Russell defends it nicely.
Bennett Russell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kaniela Wagner.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russell is looking to clinch.
Russell is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Wagner can do to turn this around?
Wagner shoots in and drives through. Russell sprawls well.
Wagner is trying hard to land a takedown here. Russell sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Russell keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Wagner fails with the takedown.
Russell drops down looking for a counter takedown but Wagner sprawls and moves away.
Wagner shoots in looking for a takedown but Russell manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Wagner's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Wagner will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Wagner is breathing heavily.
Russell stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Russell wants it to stay on the feet.
Russell lands with a good body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Russell clinches with his opponent.
Wagner goes for a takedown in the clinch but Russell prevents it.

Russell breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Russell throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Wagner's waist but Wagner gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Russell off to one side.
Wagner unleashes a big counter combination but Russell bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Wagner closes this distance looking for a takedown but Russell circles away.
Russell seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Russell stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Russell wants it to stay on the feet.
Russell throws a big counter combination but Wagner scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Wagner dives in for a single leg takedown but Russell sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Wagner shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Russell manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Wagner preventing the sweep.
Kaniela Wagner has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russell is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Russell gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Wagner shoots in looking for a takedown. Russell tries to sprawl out of it but Wagner keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Russell manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Wagner fails with a takedown attempt.
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!
Wagner misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bennett Russell dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Russell stuffs the takedown attempt from Wagner. Wagner gets slowly back to his feet.
It looked like Russell was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Wagner shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Russell defends it nicely.

Russell rushes Wagner and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Russell goes for a takedown attempt but Wagner pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wagner fails with the takedown
and Russell counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Bennett Russell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kaniela Wagner.
Russell tries to close the distance and clinch but Wagner swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Wagner shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Russell's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russell tries to strike from the bottom.

Wagner stands up and waves to Russell to follow him.

Russell rushes Wagner and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Russell jumps guard and drags Wagner to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Wagner gets to his feet - Russell follows without any prompting.
Wagner goes for a double leg but Russell avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Russell continues to drive forward.
Wagner has his takedown stuffed
and Russell counters with a two punch combo.
Wagner takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Wagner darts in looking for a takedown but Russell gets double underhooks and turns Wagner into the cage.
Russell throws a quick counter kick to the body but Wagner avoids it.
Wagner darts in looking for a takedown but Russell gets double underhooks and turns Wagner into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wagner tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Russell defends well and Wagner ends up having to push Russell into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Russell shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Wagner as he jumps to the side.
Nice sprawl there from Russell as Wagner shoots in.
Russell tries to clinch there but Wagner circles away.
Wagner tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Russell swivels and escapes.
Russell half committed to a counter leg kick.
Russell misses with a jab, cross combination.
Wagner fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Russell fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Wagner avoids it really well and circles away.
Wagner will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wagner keeps the fight on the outside.
Wagner is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Russell closes this distance looking for a takedown but Wagner circles away.
Wagner unleashes a big counter combination but Russell bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Wagner misses with a takedown attempt
and Russell counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Russell tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Wagner misses with a takedown attempt
and Russell counters with a two punch combo.
Russell shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Wagner as he jumps to the side.
Bennett Russell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Wagner.
Wagner doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Russell counters with a left to the body.

Russell shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Wagner napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wagner is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Russell working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Russell stands up and beckons Wagner to his feet.
Kaniela Wagner has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bennett Russell is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Russell tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Wagner paws at him with a jab and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bennett Russell showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Russell 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bennett Russell!