PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Storm (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodolfo Gusman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Storm comes into the arena with Thunder Strike - ACDC blaring out of the sound system. Gusman has chosen La sonora santanera - El santo, el cavernario as his entrance music. 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.

Storm
vs
Gusman

180 cm
23
195 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

180 cm
28
191 lbs
11 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Olympic wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, John Storm!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rodolfo Gusman!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Fedor Mirinova and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Storm does no damage.

Gusman forces Storm back against the cage and clinches.
Storm blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Gusman is leaning against Storm and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Gusman misses with an elbow over the top.
Gusman is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Storm gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Gusman is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Storm pulls him back up using the underhooks.
A short body shot lands from Gusman as the two fighters clinch.
Gusman lands a body shot.
Gusman lands a left hand.
Gusman keeps control of Storm as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Gusman is trying to trip Storm. He has hold of a leg but Storm is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Gusman persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Gusman controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Gusman wants to pass the guard but Storm is keeping the position.
Gusman is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Storm trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gusman in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gusman content to stall in guard here.

Rodolfo Gusman has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Storm throws an off balance right hand

and Gusman counters by moving into the clinch.
Storm tries to score a body lock takedown but Gusman shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Gusman has clasped his hands together around Storm's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Storm is being controlled here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rodolfo Gusman has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Storm tries for a takedown but Gusman circles away easily

so Gusman counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Gusman throws a big right hand that misses.
Gusman landing with the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gusman trying to control the position from guard on top but Storm is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gusman trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gusman lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Storm being controlled here, momentarily.
Let's hope that Gusman has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Storm utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gusman forces his way into half guard.
Gusman working Storm over with strikes.
Gusman is looking to advance position but Storm won't allow it.
Gusman is controlling the pace.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodolfo Gusman dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Gusman moves into the clinch.
Gusman fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Gusman swings wildly with an uppercut but Storm uses good head movement to avoid it.
A head punch on the inside from Gusman fails to land.
Gusman lands a hook that snaps the head of Storm backwards.
A short body shot lands from Gusman as the two fighters clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Gusman.
Storm has had enough of the clinch but Gusman keeps him there for the moment.
Gusman is leaning against Storm and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Storm is pressed up against the cage. Gusman has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Storm down to the mat. Storm avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Storm swings widly with a right hand
and Gusman counters with a slapping leg kick.
Gusman lands a body shot.
Storm throws a poor cross that misses
and Gusman counters with a right hand to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Storm misses with a left hand

and Gusman counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Storm's guard now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gusman content to stall in guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gusman throws and elbow that misses. Storm uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Gusman's guard. Nice move by Storm!

Gusman is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Storm's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Gusman missing with knees to the body.
Gusman working aggressively here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Gusman creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Storm blocks an uppercut.
Still in the clinch, Gusman scores with a nice short uppercut.
Storm tries to score a body lock takedown but Gusman shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Gusman drops down looking for an ankle pick but Storm pulls his leg out and moves away.
Storm misses with a left hand

and Gusman counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Storm throws a knee to the head but misses.
Gusman is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Storm pulls him back up using the underhooks.
John Storm has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rodolfo Gusman.
Gusman keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Storm's efforts to push away.
Storm is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Gusman.
Storm wants to break free but Gusman has control.
Storm blocking some punches.
Gusman lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Gusman working aggressively here.
Gusman swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gusman is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Storm pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Gusman misses with a hook from the clinch.
Gusman working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gusman is trying to drag Storm to the mat but Storm just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Storm prevents a takedown attempt there.
Storm working hard to break the clinch.
Gusman pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Gusman is trying to drag Storm to the mat but Storm just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Storm prevents a body shot from Gusman.
Gusman is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Storm gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Gusman tries for a takedown. No joy.
Storm blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Gusman working aggressively here.
Gusman swings wildly with an uppercut but Storm uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gusman drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Gusman misses with the head strike.

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.
Storm blocks an uppercut.
Gusman is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Storm pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Gusman fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Storm pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Storm misses with a double jab
and Gusman makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Gusman tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Storm swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Gusman counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gusman.
Gusman engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Gusman advances position into side control!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gusman is trying to ground and pound but Storm uses the momentary lack of control by Gusman to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodolfo Gusman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Storm throws a series of punches but Gusman moves out of range.
Storm misses with the body kick
and Gusman cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Storm throws a combination that misses

and Gusman decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Storm's guard.
Storm is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gusman is controlling him.
Gusman stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Storm swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Storm keeping moving, preventing Gusman from controlling successfully.
Gusman must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gusman passes Storm's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Well, if Gusman is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Gusman missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gusman performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Gusman with the ground and pound but Storm uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Rodolfo Gusman is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gusman controlling from the top position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Rodolfo Gusman hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Gusman rushes Storm and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Gusman has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gusman wants a takedown but no success here.
Gusman prevents Storm from breaking the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Storm pulls guard successfully.
Rodolfo Gusman has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gusman is stalling in the full guard.
Gusman trying to control but Storm is working from the bottom.
John Storm has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gusman trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Storm keeping moving, preventing Gusman from controlling successfully.

Rodolfo Gusman has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Storm misses with a combination
and Gusman counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Gusman fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Storm manages to avoid it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Storm. Gusman does a little dance to reset his feet.
Storm misses with a takedown
and Storm takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
John Storm is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Storm swings widly with a right hand
and Gusman counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gusman fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Storm connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Gusman momentarily.
Storm swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Gusman counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rodolfo Gusman comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gusman 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 26:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 26:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rodolfo Gusman!