PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Felix Sturm (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bob White (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Bob White enters the cage!

Sturm
vs
White

178 cm
22
166 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

175 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Felix Sturm!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bob White!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Fedor Mirinova and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
White throws a head kick but Sturm moves out of range.
White fails to land the takedown.
White misses with a low kick.
Sturm uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by White.
Sturm moves out of range of the body kick from White.
Sturm fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Sturm fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sturm swats away the attempt to clinch by White.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sturm fails with the takedown
and White counters with a right hand to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Felix Sturm. That's going to take a lot out of him.
White with a poor takedown

and Sturm counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
White looking for a sweep. Not yet White, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

White is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Sturm is aware though and is defending well.
Sturm sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Sturm preventing the sweep.
White is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
White is controlling Sturm's posture.
White is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sturm wants to control from the top but White keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sturm blocks a head kick by White.
White tries to clinch but Sturm moves away

and Sturm counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in White's guard now.
Sturm postures up.
Sturm throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
White is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sturm is controlling him.

White throws his legs up looking for a submission but Sturm uses it to pass to side control.
White looks gassed!
White is trying to get back to half guard.
Sturm trying to control the position but White is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Sturm misses with the ground and pound.
White avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Sturm.
Sturm lands an elbow.
White tries to bench press Sturm off him but Sturm keeps the position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
White sneaks back into half guard.
White wants to get back to his feet.
White is not content to let Sturm control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Sturm stops White from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

White looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sturm scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sturm lands a nice short elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sturm thows a huge punch but White dodges it nicely.
White regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Sturm.
White is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sturm is controlling him.
White working a defensive guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Felix Sturm dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sturm shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and White holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
White fails to pull guard.
White is trying to break the clinch but Sturm has him pressed against the cage.

White gets control of Sturm's arms and successfully pulls guard. White will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Sturm wants to pass the guard but White is keeping the position.

White had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sturm defends it easily.

White is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Sturm defends well.
White is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sturm chips away with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sturm won't allow White to get back to his feet.

White is looking for a triangle here but Sturm uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
White is being controlled here.
White prevents Sturm from improving position.
Sturm wants to lay and pray for a moment but White keeps working.
Sturm lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear White down.
White manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
White moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

White escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sturm gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sturm looking to pass the guard.
Sturm wants to control from the top but White keeps moving.
White trying to keep a closed guard but Sturm is proving a slippery customer.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

White working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Sturm doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Sturm manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
White trying to strike off his back.
White wants to stand but Sturm is controlling the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
White tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
White fails with the takedown

and Sturm decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in White's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
White wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Sturm is now in half guard.
White tries to roll over but Sturm keeps him under control.
White wants to control but Sturm is keeping busy.
Sturm throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

White looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sturm working the head and body with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Felix Sturm dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

White misses with a takedown

and Sturm counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
White trying to hold on to Sturm's head to control him but Sturm postures up.
Sturm takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
White taking some punishment here, with Sturm in his half guard.
White tries to roll over but Sturm keeps him under control.
White looks like he's trying to stand up.
White is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sturm looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks White with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sturm seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but White does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
White tries to clinch

so Sturm counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
White keeping moving, preventing Sturm from controlling successfully.
White is pulling down on Sturm's head. It's preventing any offense from Sturm, at least for the moment.

White had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sturm defends it easily.

White working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Sturm doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Sturm manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Felix Sturm overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

White working for a triangle but Sturm defends it easily.
Sturm working some strikes from top position.
White keeping moving, preventing Sturm from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
White keeping moving, preventing Sturm from controlling successfully.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

White gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
White has Sturm pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Sturm manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
White is trying to break the clinch but Sturm is controlling him.
White tries for a takedown. No joy.
Bob White has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Felix Sturm has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bob White.
Sturm is pressed up against the cage. White has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Sturm down to the mat. Sturm avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Sturm shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches White napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Sturm moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
White wants to control but Sturm postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
White manages to work his way to half guard, despite Sturm's best efforts.
Sturm thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed White's head.
White misses with some strikes from the bottom.
White misses with some strikes from the bottom.
White flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
White trying to control but Sturm postures up.
Sturm prevents White from standing back up.
Felix Sturm is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A low kick from White is predictable there

and Sturm counters with a takedown into side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Felix Sturm showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sturm, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Felix Sturm!