PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mato Cicak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Adil Ek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mato Cicak could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Adil Ek's chin.

Cicak
vs
Ek

180 cm
23
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
23
205 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light 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, Mato Cicak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Adil Ek!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Valeri Chadov and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ek digs a good hook to Cicak's body.
Ek shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Cicak as he avoids it easily.
Cicak throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Cicak takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ek fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cicak avoids it really well and circles away.
Ek shoots in but no luck this time.
Mato Cicak has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Adil Ek.
Ek is looking to clinch but Cicak is avoiding it.

Cicak pushes Ek up against the cage in a clinch.
Cicak is trying to push Ek away but Ek has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Cicak has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Ek avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Cicak breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ek shoots for a double leg takedown but Cicak sprawls well. He's pushed Ek's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ek tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Cicak swivels and escapes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ek is looking to land body kicks.
Cicak shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ek sprawls well. Ek wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cicak gets slowly back to his feet.
Cicak shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ek sprawls well. Ek wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cicak gets slowly back to his feet.
Ek is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Cicak closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Cicak working away.
Cicak looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Ek is avoiding damage well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cicak wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ek keeps working.
Cicak throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Cicak works to advance to full mount. Ek defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Ek tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Cicak throws some wild stikes that Ek manages to avoid easily.
Ek blocking the ground and pound.
Ek is squirming around, avoiding Cicak's attempts to control the action.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ek taking shots to the head.
Cicak lands a big elbow.
Cicak throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Cicak wants to control the pace but Ek is squirming around nicely.
Ek is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cicak is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Ek to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Ek shrugs it off.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cicak trying to control but Ek is having none of it.

Cicak jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Ek manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Cicak has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Ek dodges the ground and pound from Cicak.
Ek regains half guard there - taking advantage of Cicak's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Cicak throwing shots but Ek is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ek is looking to control Cicak's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ek avoid being mounted?
Cicak is trying to control. Ek wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Ek is looking for a sweep. Cicak is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ek is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Cicak wants to stand up but Ek has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Cicak is thwarting Ek's attempts to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Cicak wants to work for an arm triangle but Ek is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mato Cicak dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Cicak closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ek circles away.
Cicak keeps the fight on the outside.
Ek wants to clinch
and Cicak counters with a nice body shot.
Cicak shoots in and drives through. Ek sprawls well.
Cicak wants to slow Ek down by chopping away at his legs.
Cicak misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ek throws a sloppy head kick and Cicak moves out of range easily.
Ek slips a jab and a cross from Cicak.
Cicak fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mato Cicak. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ek is looking to clinch but Cicak is avoiding it.
Cicak fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ek stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ek wants it to stay on the feet.

Ek has Cicak up against the cage in a clinch.
Ek wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cicak has Ek pressed against the cage, preventing Ek from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Cicak tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ek just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ek tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Cicak just stands there and leans against the cage.

Ek pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ek moves into the clinch successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cicak is trying to drag Ek to the mat but Ek just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Ek manages to pull guard.
Ek is trying to keep Cicak in close.
Cicak is looking to work some ground and pound but Ek has wrist control.
Ek controls Cicak momentarily but Cicak frees himself.
Ek really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cicak. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cicak loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cicak pushing down on Ek's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cicak is keen to just control but Ek is a slippery customer.
Ek wants to sweep but Cicak has passed to side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Cicak wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ek, who protects the arm well.
An elbow from Cicak crashes against the mat.

Cicak is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Ek is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Cicak goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Ek has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Cicak but great work by Ek.
You can see the frustration on Cicak's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Cicak tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Ek wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cicak struggling a bit here.
Cicak throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Ek is looking to take a break and control but Cicak is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cicak tries to bench press Ek off him but Ek keeps the position.
Cicak manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cicak works his way into side control.
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!
Cicak throws a strike aimed at the side of Ek's head but Ek avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mato Cicak dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Cicak will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cicak swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ek moves in looking to clinch but Cicak pushes him off.
Cicak misses with a body kick.
Ek shoots in but no luck this time.
Cicak falls off balance throwing a combination

and Ek counters by clinching up.
Cicak goes for a takedown attempt but Ek pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Cicak shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ek pinned against the cage. Ek gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ek keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Ek doesn't manage to clinch there - Cicak circles away.
Ek tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cicak swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Adil Ek seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ek uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cicak.
Ek tries to score a power double leg takedown but Cicak sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Ek somewhat.
Ek shoots in but Cicak avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Mato Cicak has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Adil Ek.
Ek slaps away a takedown attempt from Cicak, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ek changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Cicak tries to avoid it but Ek manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Cicak to the ground. Cicak escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Ek stuffs the takedown.
Cicak moves out of range as Ek throws a body kick.
Ek tries to close the distance and clinch but Cicak swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ek tries to clinch but Cicak moves out of range.
Ek shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cicak pinned against the cage. Cicak gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Ek doesn't manage to clinch there - Cicak circles away.
Cicak shoots in but no luck this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ek moves into range and clinches up with Cicak.
Cicak fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Ek is trying to drag Cicak to the mat but Cicak just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Ek looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Ek tries to pull guard but Cicak won't allow it.
Cicak wants a takedown but no success here.

Ek gets control of Cicak's arms and successfully pulls guard. Ek will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cicak has gone for a leg lock! Ek slips out almost immediately though and dives into Cicak's guard.
Cicak looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ek is one step ahead there.
Cicak is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Cicak wants to sweep but no luck.
Ek must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cicak wants to hit a switch here but Ek passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Cicak there!
Cicak bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Adil Ek.
I think Cicak has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight for Mato Cicak!
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight for Mato Cicak!
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight for Mato Cicak!

Mato Cicak wins by unanimous decision!