PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Stanislav Guschin (ranked 2784 p4p, 362 weight class) and Junior Brandon (ranked 2560 p4p, 344 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Brandon's choice of entrance music: Life Is Beautiful. Junior Brandon has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Stanislav Guschin's chin.

Guschin
vs
Brandon

175 cm
27
220 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

178 cm
42
215 lbs
21 - 23 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

IniTech Nutrition

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 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Stanislav Guschin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 23 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Junior Brandon!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Ian Loll and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Guschin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Brandon defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Guschin.
Brandon only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Guschin cracks Brandon with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Brandon shoots in for a takedown but Guschin shows good takedown defense.
Brandon wants to clinch up but Guschin keeps it at a distance.
Brandon moves in looking to clinch but Guschin pushes him off.
Stanislav Guschin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Guschin throws an overhand right that lands on Brandon's shoulder, as Brandon tries to avoid the shot.
Brandon doesn't manage to clinch there - Guschin circles away.

Brandon closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Guschin's coaches at St Petersburg MMA Gym have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
Guschin trying to control from the bottom.
Guschin throws a strike from the bottom but Brandon passes into side control!
Brandon trying to control the action but Guschin is working from the bottom.

Brandon tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Brandon has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Brandon trying to control the action but Guschin is working from the bottom.
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.
Guschin is looking for a sweep.
Brandon just content to control the position.
Guschin tries to bench press Brandon off him but Brandon keeps the position.
Guschin wants to control but Brandon postures up.
Guschin is looking to reverse the position.
Brandon controls the position.
Guschin is trying to control Brandon's posture but Brandon avoids it.
Guschin is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Guschin is trying to escape the position but Brandon is controlling the position.

Brandon looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Guschin sneaks back into half guard.
Brandon sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Guschin defending well though.

Brandon looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Brandon works his way into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brandon trying to control but Guschin is having none of it.
Guschin slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Brandon seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Brandon performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Brandon is looking to take a break and control but Guschin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Guschin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
My spies in Death Valley Training Facility inform me that Brandon has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Brandon wants to pass to mount but Guschin is defending the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Guschin tries to get to full guard but Brandon has control of the leg.
Guschin regains full guard. Nicely done.
Guschin wants to sweep here but Brandon controlling him for the moment.
Guschin is working hard here to advance position.
Brandon pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Guschin is keeping the position for now.
Guschin looking for a sweep. Not yet Guschin, not yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Guschin trying to keep a closed guard but Brandon is proving a slippery customer.
Brandon passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Brandon wants to control but Guschin is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Junior Brandon dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Guschin closes this distance looking for a takedown but Brandon circles away.
Brandon shoots in but no luck this time.
Guschin rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Brandon counters with a takedown into side control.
Guschin holding on.
Guschin sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Brandon has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Brandon with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Brandon is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Brandon thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Guschin's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Brandon takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Brandon stalling.
Guschin trying to hold on to Brandon's head to control him but Brandon postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Guschin tries to roll over but Brandon keeps him under control.
Brandon controlling the action here.
Guschin tries to get to full guard but Brandon has control of the leg.
Guschin wants to control but Brandon is keeping busy.
Ground and pound from Brandon.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Guschin is trying to control but can't.
Guschin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Brandon is taking a breather. Guschin 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.
Brandon trying to control the action but Guschin is working from the bottom.
Guschin is trying to get back to full guard.
Guschin avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Brandon.
Brandon is taking a breather. Guschin 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.
Guschin is trying to get back to full guard.
Brandon is thwarting Guschin's attempts to control the position.
Guschin tries to get to full guard but Brandon has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brandon wants to pass the guard but Guschin is defending well.
Guschin wants to get back to full guard.
Guschin trying to hold on to Brandon's head to control him but Brandon postures up.
Brandon tries to pass to full mount but Guschin defends it.
Guschin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Guschin missing with punches from the bottom.
Brandon thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Brandon missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Guschin regains full guard. Nicely done.
Guschin wants to sweep but no luck.
Brandon controlling from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Guschin looking to control.
Brandon passes into half guard.

Brandon is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Guschin doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Brandon.
Brandon wants to take a breather but Guschin is having none of it.
Brandon content to control rather than advance.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Brandon seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Junior Brandon showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Brandon dives in and scores a takedown into Guschin's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Guschin is on top in guard.

Guschin postures up in Brandon's guard and throws a big left but Brandon blocks it.
Brandon wants to hit a switch here but Guschin passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Brandon there!
Brandon blocking the ground and pound.
Brandon is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Brandon avoids a strike by Guschin and manages to complete a very nice reversal in the process, to end up in Guschin's guard! Fantastic escape!
Brandon pushes down on Guschin's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Brandon not landing any meaningful shots this time.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Brandon seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Guschin is looking to control Brandon's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Guschin avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brandon wants to take a breather but Guschin is having none of it.
Guschin is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Brandon's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Brandon's back!
Brandon trying to control the action but Guschin just sinks the hooks in.
Brandon is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Guschin thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Guschin thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Guschin controlling well, preventing Brandon from escaping the position.
Brandon covering up well under a series of strikes from Guschin.
Junior Brandon has got the better of the ground game so far.
Guschin punches the canvas rather than the man.
Brandon tries to roll but Guschin sticks to his back.
Guschin punches Brandon on the ear.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brandon is in bad spot here.
Guschin lands with a hammerfist to the side of Brandon's head.

It looks like Junior Brandon has been cut.
Brandon manages to reverse the position and now he's in Guschin's guard. Nice work there by Brandon.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Guschin wants to sweep here but Brandon controlling him for the moment.

Brandon thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Brandon won't allow Guschin to sweep him here.
Brandon working some strikes from top position.
Guschin is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Brandon has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Guschin is working away from the top position though.

Brandon actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brandon is looking for a sweep. Guschin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Brandon is trying to control but can't.
Brandon keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Guschin wants to take a breather but Brandon is having none of it.
Guschin landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Guschin trying to mount his opponent but Brandon defends it.
Stanislav Guschin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Guschin is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Guschin thows a huge punch but Brandon dodges it nicely.
Guschin looks to land a strike but Brandon avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Brandon utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Guschin drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Brandon dives on top into guard.

Guschin looking for a sweep. Not yet Guschin, not yet.
Brandon wants to control from the top but Guschin keeps moving.
Guschin keeping full guard, as Brandon tries to pass.

Guschin had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Brandon defends it easily.
Brandon engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Junior Brandon is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Brandon passes Guschin's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Brandon controlling the action here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stanislav Guschin showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Brandon 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 William Peck scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Junior Brandon!
A victorious Junior Brandon thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.