PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Poddubniy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gosha Kucenko (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.

Poddubniy
vs
Kucenko

185 cm
18
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
25
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Big heart

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite 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 St Petersburg, Ivan Poddubniy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Gosha Kucenko!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Dmitry Maklakov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kucenko tries a head kick but it misses.
Poddubniy fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kucenko avoids it really well and circles away.
Kucenko slaps away a takedown attempt from Poddubniy, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Kucenko gets caught flat footed, as Poddubniy shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Kucenko is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kucenko can do anything to dispel that myth.
Kucenko trying to control the position.
Poddubniy has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Poddubniy showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Kucenko manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Poddubniy manages to get himself to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kucenko passes Poddubniy's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Poddubniy wants to get back to his feet.
Kucenko controlling the action here.
Poddubniy tries to roll over but Kucenko keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Kucenko is working for a kimura but Poddubniy is defending it quite comfortably.
Kucenko works his way into full mount!
Kucenko can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Poddubniy is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kucenko controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Kucenko trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Gosha Kucenko has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Poddubniy shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kucenko but Kucenko pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ivan Poddubniy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Poddubniy is breathing heavily.
Poddubniy keeps the fight on the outside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kucenko tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Poddubniy paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Kucenko scores a takedown into full mount!
Kucenko trying to control but Poddubniy is having none of it.
Kucenko moves to take his opponent's back.
Kucenko really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Poddubniy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kucenko wants to control but Poddubniy is keeping busy.
Poddubniy is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Kucenko.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Gosha Kucenko hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Poddubniy misses with a takedown

and Kucenko counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Poddubniy's guard now.
Kucenko wants to control from the top but Poddubniy keeps moving.
Kucenko slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Gosha Kucenko hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Kucenko looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Poddubniy!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kucenko controlling his opponent.
Kucenko scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Kucenko looking to control and managing it successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gosha Kucenko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Kucenko gets the takedown into side control.
Gosha Kucenko has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kucenko moves into full mount!
Kucenko can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Poddubniy is looking to escape.
Kucenko controlling the pace for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kucenko is dominating on the ground here - he's now on his opponent's back, looking to sink in the hooks. Poddubniy is in real trouble.
Poddubniy might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Kucenko is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Let's hope that Kucenko has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Kucenko trying to control momentarily.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Gosha Kucenko.

Poddubniy tries to keep at a distance but Kucenko has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Kucenko stops a takedown attempt from Poddubniy.
Kucenko tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Poddubniy just stands there and leans against the cage.
Poddubniy is pressed up against the cage. Kucenko has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Poddubniy down to the mat. Poddubniy avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Kucenko shoots in and gets a takedown into Poddubniy's guard.
Kucenko with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Kucenko wants to control from the top but Poddubniy keeps moving.
Kucenko might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Poddubniy kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Ivan Poddubniy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gosha Kucenko is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kucenko not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gosha Kucenko comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Kucenko 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 26:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 26:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gosha Kucenko!