PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Stevenson Steve (ranked 3821 p4p, 3921 weight class) and Raymond Fluke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Steve
vs
Fluke

177 cm
25
212
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
202
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Stevenson Steve!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Raymond Fluke!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Valeri Chadov and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steve closes this distance looking for a takedown but Fluke circles away.
Fluke misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Stevenson Steve seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Fluke has managed to clinch.
Steve tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Fluke smiles and moves away.
Steve looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Fluke is fending him off so far but Steve persists. Nope, Fluke circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stevenson Steve. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Fluke closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Steve to the mat! Steve manages to get full guard.
Steve wants to control but Fluke passes easily into half guard.
Steve is looking to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steve has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Fluke is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fluke prevents Steve from improving his position.
Steve might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Steve wants to control but Fluke is keeping busy.
Fluke is taking a breather. Steve 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.
Steve wants to control but Fluke passes into side.
The strikes coming from Fluke are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Steve trying to remain calm as Fluke controls from the top position.
Steve sneaks back into half guard.
Fluke controlling the action here.
Fluke is stalling here. Steve is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Fluke seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Steve has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Fluke wants to control but Steve postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fluke is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Steve is staying active.
Steve is looking to take a break and control but Fluke is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Steve prevents Fluke from escaping the position.

Steve looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Steve goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Fluke rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Steve's guard! Nice work there by Fluke!
Fluke stopping the sweep attempt from Steve.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fluke stays in close to Steve's body and controls the position.
It looks like Fluke might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Steve keeping moving, preventing Fluke from controlling successfully.
Steve on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Steve tries to get out of the position.
Fluke preventing the sweep.
Fluke postures up.
Fluke trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Fluke scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Steve controls Fluke momentarily but Fluke frees himself.
Fluke trying to control but Steve is working from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Raymond Fluke dominated that 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.

Steve shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Fluke is looking to control Steve's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Fluke avoid being mounted?

Steve is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Fluke has managed to free his arm - good work.
Steve scoring with strikes to the body and head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Steve seems to be looking for submissions.
Raymond Fluke has got the better of the ground game so far.

Fluke is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Steve pulls his head out easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steve trying to control the action but Fluke is working from the bottom.
Fluke controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Steve winds up and cracks Fluke with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Steve prevents Fluke from improving his position.
Fluke preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Fluke is trying to stand up here but Steve is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Fluke is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Steve lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Steve wants to control but Fluke is keeping him busy.
Steve is nestled in close to Fluke, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Fluke is refusing to be controlled, as Steve sits in half guard.
Fluke wants to get back to his feet.
Steve is stalling here. Fluke is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Steve seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Fluke has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Fluke working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steve takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Fluke trying to control the position but Steve is working away.
Steve tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Fluke wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Steve manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Steve trying to control from the bottom.
Steve wants to improve his position but Fluke is controlling well.

That's four 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.
Steve trying to hold on to Fluke's head to control him but Fluke postures up.
Steve is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Fluke is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Steve wants to improve his position but Fluke is controlling well.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Steve slaps away a takedown attempt from Fluke, before circling back to the center of the mat.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Stevenson Steve dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Steve fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Fluke avoids it really well and circles away.
Steve misses with a takedown attempt - Fluke sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Fluke looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Steve!
Steve is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Fluke tries to move into full mount but can't pass Steve's legs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fluke wants to stand but Steve has his arm trapped.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fluke wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Steve, who protects the arm well.
Steve gets back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Steve regains full guard. Nicely done.
Steve wants to sweep but no luck.
Fluke passes Steve's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Fluke is thwarting Steve's attempts to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fluke is nestled in close to Steve, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Steve is trying to maintain the position but Fluke is very close to passing his half guard.
Steve is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Steve is trying to control but can't.
Steve is looking for a sweep. Fluke is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Fluke with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Steve is refusing to be controlled, as Fluke sits in half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Steve manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Fluke on his heels. He'll look to pass Fluke's guard now, I'm sure.
Steve trying to control but Fluke is working from the bottom.
Steve makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Steve trying to control but Fluke is working from the bottom.
Fluke looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steve wants to pass the guard but Fluke is keeping the position.
Steve trying to control the position from guard on top but Fluke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Steve throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fluke is striking off his back. Steve thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Nice strikes from Steve there.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Fluke moves into full guard.
Steve looking to sit in guard and control but Fluke gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that's the end of the fight!
Raymond Fluke comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Fluke has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raymond Fluke!