PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Adan Puno (ranked 83 p4p, 465 weight class) and Alexander Rozhkov (ranked 8 p4p, 54 weight class). 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.

Puno
vs
Rozhkov

193 cm
32
250
22 - 10 - 0

195 cm
28
275
14 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

NARCOS
Conviction

Shadow Realm Apparel
30th Century Beer Store

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 22 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Adan Puno!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexander Rozhkov!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Puno keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rozhkov.
Puno takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Rozhkov paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Rozhkov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Puno is fending him off so far but Rozhkov persists. Nope, Puno circles away and we're back to standing.
Puno appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.

Rozhkov shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Puno manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Puno utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rozhkov throws a big elbow that misses.
Puno utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rozhkov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rozhkov trying to control but Puno is working from the bottom.
Rozhkov throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Puno works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rozhkov is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Rozhkov throwing strikes from guard but Puno blocks nicely.
Rozhkov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rozhkov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rozhkov throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Puno works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Puno looking to control.
Rozhkov throws a strike but Puno rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Rozhkov is trying to keep Puno in close.
Our spies down at at St Petersburg MMA Gym inform us that Rozhkov has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Puno is stalling in the full guard.
Rozhkov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Puno is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rozhkov is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Rozhkov looking for a guillotine here but Puno defends easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puno not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Puno misses with a body kick.
Puno throws a right hand that misses
enabling Rozhkov to counter with a crisp jab.
Rozhkov moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Rozhkov changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Puno looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Puno defending against the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Rozhkov.
Rozhkov lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Puno down.

It looks like Adan Puno has been cut.
Sloppy strikes there by Rozhkov.
Rozhkov misses with the ground and pound.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Puno tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rozhkov wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Sloppy strikes there by Rozhkov.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rozhkov working the ground and pound.

Rozhkov thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Rozhkov working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rozhkov throws a strike aimed at the side of Puno's head but Puno avoids it well.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Rozhkov dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Adan Puno's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Rozhkov checks the leg kick.
Puno takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Rozhkov throws a series of punches but Puno avoids them all with ease.
Puno appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Puno lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Puno dodges the punch combination from Rozhkov.
Puno misses the jab.
Despite the aggression on Rozhkov's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

Rozhkov shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rozhkov showed some decent athleticism there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rozhkov missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rozhkov sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Puno defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puno is not content to let Rozhkov control the position.

Rozhkov seems to be looking for submissions.
Puno tries to roll over but Rozhkov keeps him under control.
Puno is doing well to control the position and prevent Rozhkov from advancing to side control.
Rozhkov sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Puno defending well though.
Rozhkov looks to land a strike but Puno avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Rozhkov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rozhkov trying to control but Puno is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Puno keeping full guard, as Rozhkov tries to pass.
Puno is controlling Rozhkov's posture.
Rozhkov postures up in Puno's guard and throws a big left but Puno blocks it.
Puno utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rozhkov loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Puno preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Rozhkov wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Alexander Rozhkov seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rozhkov with a jab.
Rozhkov with a nice cross.
Rozhkov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rozhkov closes the distance and clinches up with Puno, looking for a takedown. Rozhkov pushes Puno against the cage but Puno circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Puno fires out a quick counter leg kick but Rozhkov just manages to avoid it.
Rozhkov dives in and grabs Puno's left leg, looking for a takedown. Puno pushes down on Rozhkov's head and hops out.
Rozhkov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
The fighters circle momentarily. Rozhkov darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Puno looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Puno takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Rozhkov misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Puno counters with a big head kick but Rozhkov shrugs it off.
Puno does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Puno misses with a hook. Rozhkov ducked under it nicely.
Jab, jab by Puno - just one landing.
Puno has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Rozhkov finds it's way round the side to connect with Puno's head.
Puno misses the shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Puno walks into a jab.
Rozhkov shoots for a double leg takedown but Puno sprawls well. He's pushed Rozhkov's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Adan Puno has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Rozhkov.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Puno takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Rozhkov connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Rozhkov thows a left - swing and a miss!
Nice straight punches there by Rozhkov. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Rozhkov.
Puno takes one on the button.
Rozhkov moves out of range of the body kick.
Rozhkov is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Rozhkov fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Puno swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Puno displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rozhkov throws out the jab.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Rozhkov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Adan Puno's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Puno throws an off balance right hand

and Rozhkov counters with a takedown into side control.
Rozhkov lands a nice forearm strike.
Rozhkov tries to score with some ground and pound. Puno controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Rozhkov misses with the ground and pound.

Rozhkov swings around for an armbar but Puno sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Rozhkov's guard.
Rozhkov is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Rozhkov throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Puno tries to get to full guard but Rozhkov has control of the leg.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Puno trying to hold on to Rozhkov's head to control him but Rozhkov postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rozhkov landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Rozhkov is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Adan Puno's cut is getting worse.
Rozhkov working the head and body with strikes.
Rozhkov with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Alexander Rozhkov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rozhkov missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ground and pound from Rozhkov.

Adan Puno's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

Rozhkov is working for a submission of some sort.
Rozhkov thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Puno's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rozhkov slows the pace down in half guard.
Rozhkov seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Puno does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Rozhkov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Rozhkov is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Puno has managed to free his arm - good work.

Rozhkov is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puno wants to get back to full guard.
Puno wants to control but Rozhkov is keeping busy.
Alexander Rozhkov is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Rozhkov working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Jeez, Adan Puno's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Adan Puno's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Alexander Rozhkov!
A victorious Alexander Rozhkov thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.