PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ansis Kaupens (ranked 213 p4p, 416 weight class) and Ray Luciano (ranked 33 p4p, 62 weight class). Luciano has chosen SHORT PEOPLE 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.

Kaupens
vs
Luciano

200 cm
25
190
13 - 3 - 1

187 cm
25
187
12 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

HELLBENT
Conviction

Conquer
Conviction

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 13 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Ansis Kaupens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ray Luciano!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Chris Edwards and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kaupens is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Luciano.
Luciano just misses with a punch to the body.
A little feinted left hand from Kaupens on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Luciano throws a solid leg kick but Kaupens takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Luciano.
Luciano rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Kaupens counters with a straight right hand.
A nice leg kick lands there from Luciano.
Kaupens lands with a shot to the body.
Sloppy strikes from Luciano. Those never looked like landing.
Kaupens scores with a shot to the body.
Kaupens really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Luciano feints and as Kaupens raises his hands in defense, Luciano changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Kaupens scrambles and gets back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kaupens misses with an uppercut. Luciano saw that one coming.
Kaupens throws an overhand right that lands on Luciano's shoulder, as Luciano tries to avoid the shot.
A big right from Luciano misses.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Luciano.
Luciano slips a straight right by Kaupens.
Kaupens throws a left and a right that both miss
and Luciano counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Kaupens blocks a leg kick.
Kaupens is looking to counter punch.
Luciano lands a jab to Kaupens's midsection.
Kaupens moves out of range of the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luciano throws a half hearted mid kick.
Luciano slips under a jab from Kaupens.
Luciano ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Kaupens misses with an uppercut
and Luciano counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Luciano throws a series of punches but Kaupens avoids them all with ease.
Kaupens misses with a straight left.
Luciano takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Kaupens looks to score with a jab to the body but Luciano is just out of range.
Luciano is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
A swing and a miss from Kaupens.
Luciano looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Luciano connects with a body shot that sends Kaupens's belly button to the back.
Ansis Kaupens is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A telegraphed right hand from Kaupens misses the target.
A low kick lands for Luciano.
Luciano throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
The fighters circling - Kaupens throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A big left from Kaupens misses.
Kaupens throws a jab but it's blocked by Luciano.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kaupens misses with a combination
and Luciano counters with a left to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kaupens misses the jab.
Luciano throws a chopping leg kick but Kaupens manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Luciano avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kaupens looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
A jab from Luciano misses.
Luciano uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kaupens.
Kaupens blocks the body kick.
Nice uppercut lands for Luciano. That snapped Kaupens's head back.
Kaupens cracks Luciano with an open hand slap.
Luciano tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kaupens swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Luciano takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Luciano is looking to slow Kaupens down with leg kicks.
Luciano lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kaupens circles away quickly and effectively.
Kaupens is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Luciano waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kaupens.
Kaupens throwing a counter right hand but Luciano manages to avoid it.
A telegraphed right hand from Kaupens misses the target.
Luciano looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
A shot to the body from Kaupens misses
and Luciano counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kaupens throws a big shot that misses.
Luciano is looking for the big counter here.
Luciano takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luciano lands a nice leg kick that just misses Kaupens's sensitive parts.
Kaupens defending well as Luciano loads up on a big left hand.
Kaupens scores with a body shot.
Kaupens misses with a lunging right hand
and Luciano counters with a straight right hand.
Luciano throws a head kick but Kaupens moves out of range.

Luciano fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kaupens, pushing him back against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Luciano.
Kaupens misses with a body punch.
Kaupens can't find room to land a body shot as Luciano controls the action.
Luciano fails to pull guard.
Luciano throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Kaupens is trying to force a seperation but Luciano has the dominant position.

Kaupens breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kaupens pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A big right from Kaupens misses.
Kaupens misses with an uppercut. Luciano saw that one coming.
Kaupens throws a body shot but no joy.
Kaupens throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Luciano counters with a nice body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kaupens throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Luciano sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Kaupens doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kaupens throws the left hand but Luciano avoids the punch easily.
Luciano tries a quick counter leg kick but Kaupens is wise to it.
Kaupens throws a looping overhand right but Luciano ducks down to avoid it.
A nice side step and Luciano releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Luciano misses with a wild body shot.
Luciano with the inside leg kick.
Kaupens misses with a jab, cross combination.
Luciano throws a lazy right hand but Kaupens sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Luciano avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Kaupens misses with a few strikes there.
Kaupens throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Kaupens misses with an uppercut.

Luciano rushes Kaupens and presses him up against the cage.
Kaupens doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Luciano is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Kaupens is defending well.

Kaupens breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kaupens swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Luciano shapes to counter with a head kick.
Kaupens fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Luciano on the side of the head.
Luciano blocks a jab.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ansis Kaupens will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Luciano throws an off balance right hand
and Luciano takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Luciano misses with a kick to the body.
Kaupens is looking to counter punch.
Luciano moves out of range as Kaupens strikes.
Kaupens takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Luciano takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Luciano swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Kaupens on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Kaupens thows a left - swing and a miss!
Luciano looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Luciano moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Luciano looks to land a right hand but Kaupens moved out of range.
Luciano walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Kaupens checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Kaupens waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Luciano.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Luciano tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Kaupens is able to avoid easily.
Kaupens seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Kaupens digs a good hook to Luciano's body.
Luciano displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kaupens throws out the jab.
Luciano thinks about the counter body kick.
Ansis Kaupens seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A big left from Luciano misses.
Luciano throws a solid leg kick but Kaupens takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Luciano.
Kaupens throwing a counter right hand but Luciano manages to avoid it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kaupens lands with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luciano looks to score with a jab to the body but Kaupens is just out of range.
Luciano showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kaupens.
Kaupens takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Kaupens swinging wildly here.
Luciano throws out a counter right but Kaupens avoids it with no problem.
Luciano throws an overhand right that lands on Kaupens's shoulder, as Kaupens tries to avoid the shot.
Kaupens cracks Luciano with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Kaupens looks to throw the jab but Luciano is out of range.
Kaupens misses with a double jab.
Kaupens looks to throw the jab but Luciano is out of range.
Kaupens throws a body punch but Luciano moves out of range.
Luciano throws a shot from downtown. Kaupens moves away and avoids it.
It looked like Kaupens wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Kaupens!
Luciano scores with a shot to the body.
Nice defenses there by Kaupens.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Luciano gets a clinch.
Luciano keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kaupens's efforts to push away.

Kaupens manages to break the clinch.
Luciano with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Kaupens to score with a decent uppercut.
Kaupens paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Luciano tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kaupens manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kaupens misses with a double jab.
Luciano ducks under a wild hook from Kaupens.
Kaupens misses with a straight right.
Kaupens scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Kaupens fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Luciano waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kaupens.
Luciano throws a looping overhand right but Kaupens ducks down to avoid it.
Kaupens throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Luciano misses the shot to the body.
Luciano misses with a double jab.
Kaupens misses with a looping left.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kaupens misses the shot to the body.
Luciano looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Luciano throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Nice uppercut there from Kaupens.
Kaupens takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Kaupens comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Luciano connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Kaupens's hands.
A lazy left from Luciano finds it's target.
Luciano fails in his attempt to clinch.
Luciano throws a hook but Kaupens blocks it.

Luciano takes the fight into the clinch.
Luciano working aggressively here.
Luciano lands a body shot.
Good body shot from Kaupens.

Kaupens pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kaupens is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Kaupens throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Kaupens scores with a sloppy right hand. Luciano should have avoided that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luciano throws a leg kick
and Kaupens counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kaupens lands with an uppercut that bounces Luciano off the cage and back into range.
Luciano blocks a jab.
Kaupens throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kaupens looks to score with a jab to the body but Luciano is just out of range.
Ansis Kaupens is winning the standup battle so far.
Kaupens throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Luciano.
Kaupens misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Luciano.
Kaupens avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Luciano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kaupens manages to avoid it.
Luciano misses with a lunging right hand
and Kaupens counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Luciano looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Luciano throws a body punch but Kaupens moves out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A clash of legs there as Kaupens blocks the low kick.
Luciano misses with an uppercut.
Luciano tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kaupens was well out of range. Poor timing from Luciano.
Luciano looks to throw the jab but Kaupens is out of range.
Kaupens is looking for a counter combo.
Luciano uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kaupens.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ansis Kaupens dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Kaupens swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Luciano uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kaupens.
Luciano only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Luciano misses the jab.
Kaupens misses with a hook.
Kaupens thows a left - swing and a miss!
Kaupens swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Kaupens throws a right hand that Luciano ducks under and follows up with a left that Luciano also avoids with ease.
A big right from Kaupens misses.
Kaupens cracks Luciano with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Luciano throws a wild body kick that Kaupens sees coming a mile off.
Luciano throws a shot from downtown. Kaupens moves away and avoids it.
Kaupens was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Kaupens fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Luciano manages to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Luciano throws a series of punches but Kaupens moves out of range.
Luciano scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Kaupens swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A swing and a miss from Kaupens.
Luciano connects with a single shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luciano scores with a hook to the body. Kaupens takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Luciano takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Kaupens misses with a hook. Luciano ducked under it nicely.
Some bone on bone action there as Kaupens checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Luciano waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kaupens.
Luciano avoids the body shot from Kaupens.
Luciano shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Luciano jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Luciano steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kaupens.
Kaupens misses with a wild combination.
A right-left combo lands from Kaupens.
Luciano throws a nice outside leg kick.
Luciano throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kaupens pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luciano with a nice cross.
A left lands for Luciano.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kaupens jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Luciano waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kaupens.
Kaupens throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Luciano.
Kaupens lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Luciano throws a shot to the body.
Luciano scores with a jab to the jaw.
Kaupens is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Luciano.
Luciano throws out a counter right but Kaupens avoids it with no problem.
Nice straight punches there by Kaupens. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Kaupens.
Ray Luciano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kaupens looks to land a left hand but Luciano moved out of range nicely.
Luciano swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Kaupens scores with a nice head shot.
Kaupens swinging wildly here.
Luciano avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Luciano has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Luciano fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kaupens lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Luciano tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Kaupens scores with a jab to the jaw.
Luciano tries a head kick but it misses.
Kaupens connects with a good right hand that stumbles Luciano. Luciano circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Kaupens blocks a jab.
Luciano blocks a jab.
Luciano scores with a leg kick.
Kaupens misses with a wild combination.
Kaupens works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Luciano throws a wild body kick that Kaupens sees coming a mile off.
Luciano looks to throw the jab but Kaupens is out of range.
Kaupens uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Luciano.
Kaupens lands an overhand right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luciano avoids a punch combination nicely.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A jab from Luciano misses.
Luciano takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Kaupens lands a slapping body shot.
Kaupens lands a jab to Luciano's midsection.
Kaupens on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Luciano. Luciano obviously looking to wear him down.
Luciano throws a body shot but no joy.
Luciano lands with a good body shot.
Kaupens swings widly with a right hand
and Luciano counters with a straight right hand.
Kaupens throws a good cross that connects.
Nice defenses there by Kaupens.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Luciano.
It looked like Kaupens was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Kaupens swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ansis Kaupens is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kaupens jabs at Luciano's body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Luciano throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Kaupens counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ansis Kaupens showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kaupens, 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 William Gold scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:28
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ansis Kaupens!
Ansis Kaupens seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.