PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between George Hicks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juzek Pcho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Juzek Pcho struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 186.0lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Juzek Pcho is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Hicks
vs
Pcho

180 cm
23
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

187 cm
19
195 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, George Hicks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Juzek Pcho!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Igor Prikhodko and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Pcho drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hicks struggles to land a body shot inside as Pcho controls his hands.
Pcho wants a takedown but no success here.
Pcho is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Hicks gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
George Hicks has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Juzek Pcho.
Pcho has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Hicks avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Hicks stalls.
Hicks throws a knee to the head but misses.

Hicks jumps into guard, dragging Pcho to the mat.
Hicks looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Pcho is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Hicks is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Hicks has escaped and now he's on top!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hicks stays in close to Pcho's body and controls the position.

Pcho looking for subs off his back but Hicks has passed one foot through into half guard.
Hicks is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Hicks wants to stand up but Pcho has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Pcho actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hicks seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Pcho looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Pcho actively working from the bottom here.
Pcho looks winded!
Hicks tries to pass the half guard into mount. Pcho knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Pcho looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Hicks content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because George Hicks just wasn't active enough.
Pcho misses with a takedown
and Hicks counters with a good low kick that Pcho was not able to check.

Hicks looking to score a takedown here. Pcho is defending well but Hicks drives through and ends up in Pcho's guard.
Hicks is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Pcho is looking for a triangle here but Hicks uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Hicks has knee on belly and moves into mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hicks takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hicks trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hicks controlling from mount.
Pcho is trying to escape the mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hicks controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hicks ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Pcho moves away.

Hicks has managed to clinch.
Hicks lands a nice elbow.

Hicks breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Hicks scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Hicks slows the pace down.
Hicks wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pcho keeps working.
Pcho is looking for a sweep.
Pcho gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Pcho actively working from the bottom here.
Pcho is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hicks wants to get back to his feet.
Hicks is looking to take a break and control but Pcho is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hicks stalling.

Pcho looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Hicks wants to stand up but Pcho is controlling the position.

Pcho is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Hicks pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hicks tries to pass to full mount but Pcho defends it.

Pcho actively working from the bottom here.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Hicks in particular looking to stall.
Pcho is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Hicks scores with a couple of nice shots.
Hicks wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Pcho uses the opportunity to regain full guard.
Hicks trying to stand up but can't free himself from Pcho's guard.
Hicks trying to control but Pcho is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pcho is looking for a triangle but Hicks pushes his legs off easily.
Hicks not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Hicks looking to pass the guard.

We're going to have a standup here because George Hicks wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Hicks looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Pcho!
Pcho is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Hicks's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hicks takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Pcho looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hicks tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Pcho is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Well, if Hicks is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
George Hicks overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hicks thows a huge punch but Pcho dodges it nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pcho is refusing to be controlled, as Hicks sits in half guard.
Hicks tries to pass to full mount but Pcho defends it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Hicks dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Hicks.
Pcho tries to improve position but can't.

Hicks decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Pcho gets tackled into the cage by Hicks. Hicks maintains the clinch.
Pcho is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Hicks pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Hicks breaks from the clinch.
Pcho avoids the body shot from Hicks.
Pcho tries for a takedown but Hicks circles away easily
and Hicks counters with a leg kick.
Pcho takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hicks tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Hicks dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
George Hicks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Pcho gets caught flat footed, as Hicks shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Pcho has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Hicks has passed into side control.

Hicks has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Pcho has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Hicks after a bit of a struggle.
George Hicks has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Juzek Pcho.

Hicks breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hicks connects with a solid leg kick.
Pcho on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pcho avoids the body shot from Hicks.
Hicks throws a right and a left that both miss.

Hicks darts in and clinches Pcho up against the cage.
Hicks stops a takedown attempt from Pcho.

Hicks successfully pulls guard.
Hicks has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Pcho drops back, looking for a kneebar! Hicks looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Hicks looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Hicks!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hicks controlling from side mount.
Pcho tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hicks wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Hicks decides to stand up, so the ref orders Pcho to his feet.
Pcho avoids the head kick by Hicks.

Hicks has closed the distance and engaged Pcho in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pcho goes for a takedown in the clinch but Hicks prevents it.
Hicks gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Hicks lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Hicks looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Hicks is trying to control the action in half guard but Pcho is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hicks content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hicks seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Pcho does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Juzek Pcho has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
George Hicks is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up. George Hicks wasn't doing enough on the ground.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Pcho.

And that's the end of the fight!
George Hicks showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hicks has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... George Hicks!