PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jim Beam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ljubisa Kurcubic (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.

Beam
vs
Kurcubic

215 cm
20
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
18
290 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jim Beam!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ljubisa Kurcubic!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Beam looks to score with a jab to the body but Kurcubic is just out of range.

Beam fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kurcubic sprawls well initially but Beam persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kurcubic tries to get to full guard but Beam has control of the leg.
Kurcubic is not content to let Beam control the position.
Kurcubic wants to get back to full guard but Beam has mounted him!
Kurcubic wants to hold on but Beam pushes him away.
Kurcubic might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Beam kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Kurcubic regains half guard.
Beam seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Beam is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Kurcubic gets back to full guard.
Beam cracks Kurcubic with a solid left hand.
Kurcubic looking to hit a scissor sweep but Beam is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Beam's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Kurcubic trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Beam wants to control from the top but Kurcubic keeps moving.
Kurcubic keeping full guard, as Beam tries to pass.
Kurcubic throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Beam postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Beam showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kurcubic.
Kurcubic shoots and misses
and Beam finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

Beam shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Beam avoids the attempt from Kurcubic to control.
Beam prevents Kurcubic from getting the reversal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Beam looking to control and managing it successfully.

Beam jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Kurcubic manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Beam is breathing heavily.
Beam wants to control but Kurcubic is keeping him busy.
Kurcubic is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Kurcubic taking some punishment here, with Beam in his half guard.
Beam is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Kurcubic moves into full guard.
Beam wants to stand but Kurcubic has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Kurcubic looking for a sweep. Not yet Kurcubic, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kurcubic is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Kurcubic pushes Beam off and scrambles back to his feet.
A jab-cross combination lands for Kurcubic and sends Beam crashing to the mat! Kurcubic follows him down to the mat - Beam regains half guard but he's not out of trouble yet!

It looks like Jim Beam has been cut.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kurcubic lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Kurcubic is keen to just control but Beam is a slippery customer.
Beam has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kurcubic is working away from the top position though.
Kurcubic frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kurcubic landing punches.
Kurcubic looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Kurcubic can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Beam is looking to escape.
Kurcubic is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Kurcubic lands a big elbow.
Kurcubic postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Beam looks a forlorn figure.
Kurcubic landing strikes from the mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kurcubic tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Kurcubic is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Beam can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ljubisa Kurcubic dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jim Beam's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Kurcubic misses with a combination

and Beam counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Beam.
Kurcubic misses with a knee strike.
Beam on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kurcubic misses with a knee strike.
Beam looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Kurcubic throws an elbow that misses.
Kurcubic misses with an elbow over the top.
A hook to the body from Kurcubic.
Kurcubic misses with an elbow strike.
Kurcubic tries to land a knee to the head but Beam blocks with his arms.
Kurcubic gets underhooks to prevent Beam's takedown attempt.

Kurcubic has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Beam uses from the top position.
Kurcubic keeping moving, preventing Beam from controlling successfully.
Kurcubic trying to control the position.
Kurcubic striking off his back but it's not causing Beam any problems.
Kurcubic looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Kurcubic has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kurcubic is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kurcubic throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Kurcubic is striking off his back. Beam thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Beam is looking to take a break and control but Kurcubic is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kurcubic shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Beam sprawls well. Beam wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Kurcubic gets slowly back to his feet.

Beam gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Kurcubic to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Kurcubic gets to his feet - Beam follows without any prompting.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kurcubic rushes Beam and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Kurcubic throws an elbow but it misses.
Kurcubic misses with a knee strike.
Kurcubic using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Beam has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kurcubic has a couple of punches blocked by Beam.

Beam's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Beam is looking to clinch but Kurcubic is avoiding it.
Kurcubic throws a head kick that misses.
Beam avoids the head kick by Kurcubic.
Beam throws a head kick but Kurcubic moves out of range.
Kurcubic getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Good exchange - Kurcubic coming out on top.
The crowd cheers as Kurcubic lands an impressive looking overhand right. Beam doesn't seem phased though.
Kurcubic closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Kurcubic misses with a straight right.
Beam moves out of range as Kurcubic strikes.

Beam shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kurcubic really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Kurcubic tries to lock up and control but Beam gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Beam controlling his opponent.
Kurcubic is trying to stand up.
Beam with a couple of short strikes.
Kurcubic swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Beam avoids the attempt from Kurcubic to control.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Beam cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

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.
Kurcubic sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Beam lands strikes from half guard.
Kurcubic landing strikes from the bottom.
Kurcubic has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Beam is working away from the top position though.
Ljubisa Kurcubic has got the better of the ground game so far.

Kurcubic has one foot on Beam's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Jim Beam is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice sprawl there from Kurcubic as Beam shoots in.
Beam circles away from the clinch attempt

and Beam counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Kurcubic is holding on to half guard well.
Kurcubic tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Kurcubic trying to control from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ljubisa Kurcubic will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Jim Beam's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Kurcubic tries to score a power double leg takedown but Beam sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Kurcubic somewhat.

Beam shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Beam was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Beam tries to control but Kurcubic wriggling away.
Beam avoids the attempt from Kurcubic to control.
Beam trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Kurcubic tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kurcubic tries to hold on but Beam pushes him away.
Kurcubic is trying to escape the mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Beam looking to control but Kurcubic is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Beam thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Kurcubic tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kurcubic wants to hold on but Beam pushes him away.
Beam prevents Kurcubic from getting the reversal.
Beam tries to stand up but he's trapped just for the moment.
Kurcubic working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Kurcubic swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Beam prevents Kurcubic from getting the reversal.
Kurcubic bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Beam looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kurcubic is one step ahead there.
Beam keeping moving, preventing Kurcubic from controlling successfully.
Kurcubic working some strikes from top position.
Ljubisa Kurcubic is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Beam trying to control the position.
Kurcubic trying to control the position from guard on top but Beam is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kurcubic stops Beam from standing up.
Beam working a defensive guard here.
Kurcubic scoring with some ground and pound.
Kurcubic lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Kurcubic controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Kurcubic throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Beam works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Kurcubic chips away with some ground and pound.
Kurcubic scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kurcubic scoring with some ground and pound.
Kurcubic throwing strikes from guard but Beam blocks nicely.
Beam avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Beam is trying to control the position but Kurcubic postures up.
Kurcubic trying to control the position from guard on top but Beam is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kurcubic is in close to Beam's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Kurcubic wants to control from the top but Beam keeps moving.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kurcubic checks a leg kick nicely.
Jim Beam has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kurcubic uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Beam.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ljubisa Kurcubic comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Kurcubic 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ljubisa Kurcubic!