PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Kovalev (ranked 4100 p4p, 4160 weight class) and Harry Francis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Kovalev
vs
Francis

180 cm
18
145
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
25
140
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Good elbows
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ivan Kovalev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Harry Francis!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Daniel Cesar and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kovalev looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Francis!
Kovalev sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Francis is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
The ground and pound from Kovalev seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Francis gets back to half guard.
Kovalev seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Kovalev looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Francis with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Kovalev knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Francis on the ground.
Kovalev not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Francis keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kovalev not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Francis is looking to escape.

Francis has one foot on Kovalev's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Francis throws a hook but Kovalev avoids it easily.
Francis is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Kovalev looking to score a takedown here. Francis is defending well but Kovalev drives through and ends up in Francis's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francis utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kovalev postures up.
Kovalev is in close to Francis's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Kovalev is looking to work some ground and pound but Francis has wrist control.
Kovalev is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Francis will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Kovalev is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Kovalev missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Kovalev might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Kovalev throwing strikes but missing.
Francis working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kovalev.
Kovalev really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Kovalev with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Francis is rocked!
Kovalev lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Francis is still in real trouble! Can Kovalev finish him?
Kovalev postures up from his opponent's guard, before exploding into some vicious ground and pound! Francis covers up, he's hurt! Kovalev keeps throwing the strikes, glancing at the referee... Will he stop it?? One more big shot from Kovalev and the ref steps in to end the fight! Kovalev can't hide his delight as he celebrates with his corner.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ivan Kovalev!