PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Aleksander Kovalenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricky Byrd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kovalenko
vs
Byrd

179 cm
25
167 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

179 cm
25
162 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

[AIM] Hilton Supplements *NYC*

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Aleksander Kovalenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ricky Byrd!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Steve Montenegro and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Byrd scores with a hook.
Byrd swats away the attempt to clinch by Kovalenko.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Byrd.
Byrd throws a head kick but Kovalenko moves out of range.

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

Kovalenko is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Byrd trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kovalenko keeping moving, preventing Byrd from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kovalenko has his foot on Byrd's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Byrd works his way back into a safe position though.
Byrd in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kovalenko knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Byrd on the ground.
Kovalenko keeping full guard, as Byrd tries to pass.

Byrd got a little sloppy there for a moment and Kovalenko has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Byrd has managed to get both his arms back between Kovalenko's legs - danger averted.
Byrd is pushing down on Kovalenko's leg trying to pass to half guard. Kovalenko is fighting to maintain full guard but Byrd has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Byrd seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Kovalenko is looking to control Byrd's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kovalenko avoid being mounted?
Kovalenko is in trouble now - Byrd has advanced to mount!
Kovalenko wants to hold on but Byrd pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrd punching from mount but Kovalenko doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Byrd punching from mount but Kovalenko doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Byrd looking to finish with strikes here!
Byrd trying to control but Kovalenko is having none of it.
Kovalenko is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Kovalenko is wriggling around trying to escape.
Byrd takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kovalenko is squirming around, avoiding Byrd's attempts to control the action.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Byrd dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Kovalenko darts in and clinches Byrd up against the cage.
Byrd working hard to break the clinch.
Byrd is trying to force a seperation but Kovalenko has the dominant position.
Nice elbow from Kovalenko.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Kovalenko.
Kovalenko is pushing Byrd up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kovalenko throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Byrd blocks an elbow strike from Kovalenko.
Byrd tries to break the clinch but Kovalenko is controlling the position.
Kovalenko lands an elbow that stopped Byrd in his tracks for a moment.
Byrd goes for a takedown attempt but Kovalenko pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Byrd fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kovalenko avoids it really well and circles away.
Byrd lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Byrd.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kovalenko throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Byrd counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Kovalenko's guard now.
Byrd controlling from the top position.
Byrd forces his way into half guard.
Kovalenko has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Byrd is working away from the top position though.
Kovalenko is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kovalenko is not content to let Byrd control the position.
Byrd throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Kovalenko trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Byrd is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Byrd trying to control from half guard but Kovalenko is working away.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Byrd circles away from the clinch attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kovalenko swinging wildly here.
Byrd shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Aleksander Kovalenko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricky Byrd.
Byrd slips a jab and a cross from Kovalenko.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Byrd showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

No luck for Byrd with that takedown attempt.
Kovalenko doesn't manage to clinch there - Byrd circles away.
Byrd cracks a nice hook into Kovalenko's ribs.
Kovalenko blocks a head kick by Byrd.
Byrd throws a head kick that misses.
Byrd thows a body shot but no joy.
Byrd circles away from the clinch attempt

and Byrd counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Kovalenko working for submissions but it's allowed Byrd to get to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Byrd keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrd sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kovalenko defending well though.
Byrd throwing shots but Kovalenko is blocking nicely.
Byrd controlling the action here.
Byrd wants to pass to mount but Kovalenko is defending the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Byrd is trying to control the action in half guard but Kovalenko is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Kovalenko trying to control but Byrd postures up.
Byrd is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Kovalenko tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Byrd has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Aleksander Kovalenko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kovalenko tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Byrd tries to control but Kovalenko wriggling away.

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.
Byrd controlling the position easily from mount.
Kovalenko holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Byrd tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricky Byrd comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Byrd winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricky Byrd!