PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Blas Ople (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leonid Kirgiakos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Ople
vs
Kirgiakos

225 cm
21
300 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

225 cm
26
300 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Blas Ople!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Leonid Kirgiakos!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Summer Carpenter and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ople throws a head kick but Kirgiakos moves out of range.
Kirgiakos avoids the head kick by Ople.
Ople lands with a slapping head kick.
Kirgiakos tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ople swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Blas Ople seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kirgiakos throws out a loose jab but Ople uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kirgiakos throws a lazy right hand but Ople sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ople walks into a left hand.

It looks like Blas Ople has been cut.
Ople takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ople tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kirgiakos tries to bum rush Ople with a series of wild strikes but Ople uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ople misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ople thumps Kirgiakos with a low kick.
Ople throws a head kick that misses.
Kirgiakos just misses with a punch to the body.
Kirgiakos chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Ople can pounce on him.
Ople steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kirgiakos.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ople pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ople throws a sloppy head kick and Kirgiakos moves out of range easily.
Kirgiakos misses with a hook. Ople ducked under it nicely.
The fighters circle momentarily. Kirgiakos darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Ople on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Blas Ople's cut is getting worse.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Kirgiakos lands a big uppercut and Ople crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Ople looks OK. Kirgiakos waves Ople back to his feet!
A combination from Kirgiakos does no damage.
Ople keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kirgiakos is looking to clinch.
Ople uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kirgiakos.
Kirgiakos swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Ople, right into the meat.
Ople lands with a kick to the temple. Kirgiakos shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

It looks like Leonid Kirgiakos has been cut.
Ople throws a sloppy head kick and Kirgiakos moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ople takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Ople is breathing heavily.
Kirgiakos shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Ople throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Kirgiakos cracks Ople with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! Ople looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Kirgiakos finish him?

Blas Ople's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Ople gets caught by a big overhand right and goes down! Kirgiakos gets on top of him and starts throwing some serious punches until the ref intervenes and stops the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:28 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Leonid Kirgiakos!