PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matvey Buryckin (ranked 1635 p4p, 1013 weight class) and Herbert Justen (ranked 200 p4p, 123 weight class). Justen comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Super Chargers kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Buryckin
vs
Justen

180 cm
23
222
4 - 3 - 0

198 cm
27
236
4 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

30th Century Beer Store

Shadow Realm Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Matvey Buryckin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Herbert Justen!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Roger Salmon and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Buryckin gets the takedown into side control.
Justen is looking for a sweep.
Buryckin trying to control the position but Justen is working away.

Buryckin tries for a kimura but Justen is defending well.
Buryckin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Justen keeps working.
Justen tries to buck Buryckin off but Buryckin is having none of it.
Buryckin is looking to take a break and control but Justen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Justen is looking to regain half guard here but Buryckin keeps moving and retains side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Justen felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Buryckin thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Justen tries to bench press Buryckin off him but Buryckin keeps the position.
Justen keeps trying to improve his position.

Buryckin tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Buryckin trying to control the position but Justen is working away.

Buryckin is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Justen knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Buryckin wants to control but Justen is keeping him busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.

Buryckin working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Justen is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Buryckin off and has taken his back!

Buryckin fending off the submission attempt from Justen.

Justen goes for a risky armbar from back mount and it's not paid off. Buryckin escapes and is now in half guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Justen trying to control from the bottom.
Buryckin is looking to advance position but Justen won't allow it.
Justen is trying to maintain the position but Buryckin is very close to passing his half guard.

Justen actively working from the bottom here.

Justen actively working from the bottom here.
Buryckin is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Buryckin content just to control the position here.
Justen is squirming around, avoiding Buryckin's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Buryckin goes for an armbar but Justen turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Justen.

Buryckin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Justen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Buryckin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Buryckin is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Justen is aware though and is defending well.
Buryckin might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Buryckin working for a triangle but Justen defends it easily.
Justen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Buryckin is keeping the position for now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Justen is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Buryckin is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Buryckin has escaped and now he's on top!

And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Buryckin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Buryckin lands a nice hook to Justen's body. Justen takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Justen is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Buryckin.
Buryckin changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Justen tries to sprawl but Buryckin drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Buryckin passes to side control.
Justen is trying to get back to half guard.
Buryckin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Justen can do to turn this around?

Buryckin tries for a kimura but Justen is defending well.
Justen sneaks back into half guard.
Justen tries to roll over but Buryckin keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Buryckin is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Justen defends it well.
Buryckin is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Justen!
Justen can't escape the position.
Buryckin is dominating on the ground here - he's now on his opponent's back, looking to sink in the hooks. Justen is in real trouble.
Buryckin doesn't have the hooks in and Justen manages to turn into his guard.

Buryckin looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Buryckin had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Justen defends it easily.

Buryckin is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Justen defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Buryckin looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Justen trying to control but Buryckin is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Justen drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Justen jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Buryckin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Justen trying to control the position from guard on top but Buryckin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Justen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Buryckin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Justen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Buryckin is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Justen is stalling in the full guard.
Justen passes Buryckin's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Buryckin is trying to control but can't.
Buryckin gets full guard.

Buryckin throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Justen slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Matvey Buryckin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Justen tries for a kimura but Buryckin is defending well.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Justen trying to control the action but Buryckin is working from the bottom.
Justen working away.
Buryckin is looking to regain half guard here but Justen keeps moving and retains side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Buryckin wants to control but Justen postures up.
Justen advances to mount.

Justen looking to isolate an arm here. Buryckin doesn't see it coming and as Justen extends the arm, he's forced to tap out! Nice submission by Justen!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Herbert Justen!
Herbert Justen managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Shadow Realm Apparel, into his post fight interview.