PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Paulus Herzog (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ross Koscheck (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Koscheck has chosen Til I Collapse By Eminem ft Nate Dog as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Herzog
vs
Koscheck

188 cm
20
196 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

184 cm
19
190 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Paulus Herzog!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ross Koscheck!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Tarja Halkonen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Koscheck steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Herzog.
Herzog fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Koscheck looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Herzog misses the shot to the body.
Herzog lands a nice shot that snaps Koscheck's head back.
Herzog with a nice cross.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A decent looking cross lands there for Herzog.
Koscheck showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Herzog.
Herzog misses with a hook
and Koscheck connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Herzog pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koscheck pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Herzog back to the cage. Koscheck follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Paulus Herzog seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Herzog misses the jab.
Koscheck takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Herzog swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Herzog tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Koscheck is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Herzog creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Herzog lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Herzog lands a right hand.
Herzog misses with a hook from the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Herzog.
Koscheck has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Herzog breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Koscheck moves out of range of the strikes.
Herzog works the jab nicely.
Herzog throws a right hand that Koscheck ducks under and follows up with a left that Koscheck also avoids with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herzog is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Herzog keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A looping hook to the body misses from Herzog. Koscheck does a little dance to reset his feet.
Herzog lands the left hand.

Herzog cracks Koscheck with a big right hand that sends him crashing to the floor. Herzog has the opportunity to follow him to the ground but instead he's beckoning Koscheck to stand back up!
Paulus Herzog is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Koscheck closes this distance looking for a takedown but Herzog circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Herzog tries to close the distance and clinch but Koscheck swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Koscheck scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Herzog loads up on a big right hand but Koscheck slips the punch.
Herzog digs a good body shot into Koscheck's ribs.
Herzog lands with a hook. Koscheck tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Herzog misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Koscheck.
Herzog connects with the punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paulus Herzog dominated that round.
That's time! Herzog's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Koscheck closes this distance looking for a takedown but Herzog circles away.
Herzog throws a big shot that misses.
Herzog displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Koscheck throws out the jab.

Koscheck drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Herzog not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Koscheck wants to control from the top but Herzog keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Herzog is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Koscheck is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Herzog preventing the sweep.
Herzog is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Koscheck keeping moving, preventing Herzog from controlling successfully.
Herzog content to stall in guard here.
Koscheck keeping full guard, as Herzog tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Paulus Herzog.
Koscheck avoids the body shot from Herzog.
Koscheck misses with a looping left.
Herzog misses with a jab to the body
and Koscheck counters with a straight right hand.
Herzog uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Koscheck.
Herzog throws out a loose jab but Koscheck uses good head movement to avoid it.
Herzog ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Koscheck moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herzog throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Koscheck on the side of the head.
Koscheck shoots in for a takedown but Herzog shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Herzog thuds a left hand into Koscheck's body.
Herzog jabs at Koscheck's body.
Herzog misses with a two punch combination.

Herzog rushes Koscheck and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Herzog slowing the pace effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Herzog.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Herzog pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Herzog's jab looks to have found its range, popping Koscheck under the eye.
Herzog throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Koscheck on the side of the head.

Herzog rushes Koscheck and presses him up against the cage.
Herzog lands a right hand.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Herzog lands an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paulus Herzog dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Herzog misses with a right hand
and Koscheck counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Herzog throws a body punch but Koscheck moves out of range.
Herzog misses with a body shot
and Koscheck connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Jab, jab by Herzog - just one landing.
Herzog connects with a body shot that sends Koscheck's belly button to the back.

Herzog cracks Koscheck with a big right hand that sends him crashing to the floor. Herzog has the opportunity to follow him to the ground but instead he's beckoning Koscheck to stand back up!

Koscheck is rocked!

It looks like Ross Koscheck has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Herzog throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Koscheck is still on wobbly legs! Can Herzog finish him?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herzog tries to clinch but Koscheck is having none of it.
Koscheck seems to have recovered his senses.
Herzog lands a right hook to the body.
Herzog misses with a jab to the body
and Herzog takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Koscheck takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Koscheck takes a swing at Herzog's ribcage but misses.
Herzog misses with a body shot.
Koscheck swings widly with a right hand
and Herzog counters with a nice body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herzog fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Herzog misses the shot to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Herzog wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Koscheck takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Herzog misses with a few strikes there.
Herzog throws a good cross that connects.
Herzog changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herzog lands a nice shot to the body.

Herzog has closed the distance and engaged Koscheck in a clinch.
Herzog lands a nice uppercut.
Herzog works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Herzog slowing the pace effectively.

Herzog breaks the clinch.
Herzog throws an overhand right that lands on Koscheck's shoulder, as Koscheck tries to avoid the shot.
Koscheck swings for the body but Herzog moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Herzog misses the target.
Koscheck uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Herzog.
A lazy left from Koscheck finds it's target.
Paulus Herzog is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Herzog forces Koscheck back against the cage and clinches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Herzog is pushing Koscheck up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Herzog lands a body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paulus Herzog showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Herzog, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paulus Herzog!