PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aleksej Ruslan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sherman McCullough (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Ruslan
vs
McCullough

188 cm
23
210 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

184 cm
27
218 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Aleksej Ruslan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sherman McCullough!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ruslan scores with a push kick.
McCullough throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ruslan throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Ruslan gets in close and instigates a clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Ruslan - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
A bit of stalling here from Ruslan.
Ruslan misses with the head strike.
Ruslan tries to work over McCullough's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ruslan misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from McCullough.
McCullough is working Ruslan over against the cage.
McCullough wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ruslan has him pressed against the cage.
McCullough tries to break free but Ruslan pushes him back against the cage.
Ruslan is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but McCullough is keeping busy.
Ruslan effectively controlling the action here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

McCullough breaks the clinch.
Ruslan on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
McCullough looks for the body kick but Ruslan saw that one coming.
As McCullough tries to get set, Ruslan tries to push him back and clinch up but McCullough manages to avoid the attempt.
McCullough throws a solid leg kick but Ruslan takes the impact on his shin and smiles at McCullough.
McCullough throws a nice looking combination but Ruslan bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCullough fails to land with a series of punches.
Ruslan takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

Ruslan clinches.
Ruslan tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

McCullough breaks from the clinch.
Nice body kick there by Ruslan.
McCullough throws an off balance right hand
and Ruslan counters with a nice body shot.
McCullough wants to land a leg kick but Ruslan is out of range.
Sloppy strikes from McCullough. Those never looked like landing.
McCullough works the jab nicely.
Ruslan has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
McCullough throws a nice looking combination but Ruslan bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
McCullough throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Ruslan moves into the clinch.
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!
Ruslan has McCullough pressed against the cage, preventing McCullough from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
McCullough tries to break free but Ruslan pushes him back against the cage.
McCullough is trying to break the clinch but Ruslan is controlling him.
Ruslan stalling in the clinch.
Ruslan missing with knees to the body.
Ruslan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with McCullough's elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruslan tries to land knees in the clinch but McCullough avoids the damage to the body.
Ruslan is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. McCullough is defending well for now.
Ruslan keeps the fight in the clinch, despite McCullough's efforts to push away.
Ruslan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with McCullough's elbow.
Ruslan tries to work over McCullough's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ruslan tries to throw a body punch but McCullough avoids it by throwing Ruslan back against the cage.
Ruslan misses with a hook to the ribs.
Ruslan taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by McCullough.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Ruslan manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Ruslan gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
McCullough tries to throw a body punch but Ruslan avoids it by throwing McCullough back against the cage.
McCullough digs a right hand into Ruslan's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Ruslan's gas tank.
McCullough wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ruslan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCullough is looking to break free of the clinch but Ruslan has double underhooks.
McCullough blocks a body shot from Ruslan.
Ruslan goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A short uppercut from McCullough.
McCullough wants to get back to striking at distance but Ruslan won't allow it.
McCullough blocks an uppercut.

McCullough manages to break the clinch.
McCullough lands with a shot to the body.
McCullough lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Ruslan backs up against the cage.
McCullough stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
McCullough throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ruslan blocks a head kick by McCullough.
McCullough lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Ruslan at a distance.
McCullough throws a lazy right hand but Ruslan sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ruslan dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on McCullough. That did some damage!
This has been an exciting period of action!
McCullough misses with a few strikes there.
Ruslan fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and McCullough has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
McCullough misses with a series of wild punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Ruslan.
Ruslan on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
McCullough throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Ruslan closes the distance and clinches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by McCullough.
Ruslan taking a breather.
McCullough tries to break free but Ruslan pushes him back against the cage.
Ruslan looking to stall.
Ruslan misses with a punch on the inside.
Ruslan lands a left hand that snaps the head of McCullough backwards.
Ruslan looking to stall.
McCullough can't find room to land a body shot as Ruslan controls the action.
McCullough is trying to push Ruslan away but Ruslan has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

McCullough breaks from the clinch.
McCullough misses with a wild combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sherman McCullough dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

McCullough takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Ruslan on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Ruslan doesn't manage to clinch there - McCullough circles away.
Decent striking displayed by McCullough there.

McCullough drops Ruslan with a beautiful combination! Ruslan stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - McCullough is looking for the KO!

Ruslan is rocked!
Ruslan doesn't manage to clinch there - McCullough circles away.
Oh Ruslan is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
BOOM! McCullough lands a beautiful left hook that drops Ruslan. Ruslan tries to recover but McCullough is having none of it, landing more punishing shots from mount. One final crushing shot and Ruslan lies motionless on the canvas. The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:25 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Sherman McCullough!