PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marcin Kowalczyk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Middelton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marcin Kowalczyk looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Kowalczyk
vs
Middelton

201 cm
20
242 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

203 cm
23
255 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid 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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Marcin Kowalczyk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mike Middelton!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Eddie Farnsworth and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kowalczyk is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Middelton.

It looks like Marcin Kowalczyk has been cut.
Kowalczyk slaps away a takedown attempt from Middelton, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Middelton tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kowalczyk swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kowalczyk swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Middelton lands a left and a right that send Kowalczyk crashing to the mat, dazed. Middelton thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Kowalczyk seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kowalczyk keeps the fight on the outside.
Kowalczyk scores with a head kick. Middelton tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

It looks like Mike Middelton has been cut.
Kowalczyk scoring well with a low kick there.
Kowalczyk throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kowalczyk throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Middelton tries to bum rush Kowalczyk with a series of wild strikes but Kowalczyk uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Middelton attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Kowalczyk with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Middelton to score with a decent uppercut.
Middelton tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kowalczyk swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Middelton closes the distance and clinches.
Kowalczyk has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A right handed body shot lands from Kowalczyk.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kowalczyk escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Middelton throws a shot from downtown. Kowalczyk moves away and avoids it.
Kowalczyk showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Middelton.
Kowalczyk doesn't manage to clinch there - Middelton circles away.
Middelton fails to land with a series of punches.
Middelton looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Middelton throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Middelton waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kowalczyk.
Middelton has a takedown stuffed.
Middelton tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Middelton ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kowalczyk moves away.
Middelton avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kowalczyk throws a nice head kick!
Middelton connects with a nice looking jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Middelton tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Kowalczyk manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kowalczyk half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Marcin Kowalczyk is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
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!
Kowalczyk fakes the leg kick and cracks Middelton in the body.
Middelton looks winded!
Good leg kick by Kowalczyk there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Kowalczyk tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kowalczyk throws a nice outside leg kick.
Kowalczyk wants to clinch up but Middelton keeps it at a distance.
Middelton steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Kowalczyk.
Middelton is looking to clinch but Kowalczyk is avoiding it.
Kowalczyk lands a high kick!

Kowalczyk clinches up against the ropes.

Kowalczyk pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kowalczyk avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Middelton looks to land a combination but Kowalczyk avoids it well.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Kowalczyk closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

Kowalczyk lands a big head kick that sends Middelton tumbling to the mat! Kowalczyk takes a step backwards and waves Middelton back to his feet - he wants the finish!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Middelton will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Kowalczyk lands a big head kick that sends Middelton tumbling to the mat! Kowalczyk takes a step backwards and waves Middelton back to his feet - he wants the finish!
Mike Middelton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Middelton moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Middelton throws a body punch but Kowalczyk moves out of range.
Kowalczyk leaves Middelton with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A counter left hand to the body from Kowalczyk misses its target.
Marcin Kowalczyk has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Middelton.
Middelton lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kowalczyk circles away quickly and effectively.
Middelton keeps the fight on the outside.

Kowalczyk fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Middelton, pushing him back against the ropes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kowalczyk is looking to control Middelton's arms but Middelton gets an underhook and turns him. Now Kowalczyk has his back to the ropes.

Kowalczyk breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Middelton misses with a straight left.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Middelton is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A combination from Middelton does no damage.
Kowalczyk fails in his attempt to clinch.
Middelton tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

Kowalczyk lands a big head kick that sends Middelton tumbling to the mat! Kowalczyk takes a step backwards and waves Middelton back to his feet - he wants the finish!
Middelton walks forward, straight into a front kick from Kowalczyk.
Middelton avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kowalczyk tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Middelton manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Middelton drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Kowalczyk defends it well.
Kowalczyk scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Middelton tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kowalczyk feinted with a counter takedown.

Kowalczyk moves into range and clinches up with Middelton.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Middelton changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Kowalczyk fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Kowalczyk scores with a head kick. Middelton tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcin Kowalczyk dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Kowalczyk throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Despite the aggression on Middelton's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Kowalczyk tries to clinch up.
Middelton is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Middelton tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kowalczyk swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Middelton drives through and clinches with Kowalczyk against the ropes.
Middelton takes an elbow to the temple.
Middelton blocks an uppercut.
Kowalczyk is looking to control Middelton's arms but Middelton gets an underhook and turns him. Now Kowalczyk has his back to the ropes.

Middelton has picked Kowalczyk up - he's going for a ride! Middelton dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Middelton performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Kowalczyk keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Middelton controlling the action here.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Middelton is keen to just control but Kowalczyk is a slippery customer.
Middelton is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Middelton not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Middelton looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kowalczyk is fending him off so far but Middelton persists. Nope, Kowalczyk circles away and we're back to standing.
Kowalczyk throws a one two combo.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kowalczyk moves in looking to clinch but Middelton pushes him off.
Middelton throws a good cross that connects.
Middelton goes for a double leg but Kowalczyk avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the ropes as Kowalczyk continues to drive forward.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Kowalczyk. Middelton shrugs it off though.
Middelton tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kowalczyk throws a head kick that half lands.

That has opened up Mike Middelton's cut even more.
Middelton takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Middelton rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kowalczyk moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kowalczyk feinted with a counter takedown.

Kowalczyk moves into the clinch.
Kowalczyk lands a hook that snaps the head of Middelton backwards.

Kowalczyk pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Middelton throws a sloppy head kick and Kowalczyk moves out of range easily.
Kowalczyk tries to clinch but Middelton moves out of range.
Middelton feints the counter takedown.
Kowalczyk tries to clinch up but Middelton circles away and keeps his distance.
Middelton tries to counter by closing the distance.
Some wild striking there from Middelton.
Kowalczyk avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kowalczyk tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Middelton manages to circle out of the way.
Middelton throws a series of punches but Kowalczyk avoids them all with ease.
Kowalczyk tries to clinch but Middelton moves out of range.

Kowalczyk pushes Middelton up against the ropes in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kowalczyk pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A looping hook to the body misses from Middelton. Kowalczyk does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kowalczyk is looking to clinch.
Kowalczyk lands a leg kick that knocks Middelton off balance momentarily.
Middelton takes a kick to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kowalczyk tries to clinch up.
Kowalczyk thows a body kick. Middelton tries to catch it but that hurt him.
A slapping leg kick lands for Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk takes a jab right on the kisser.
Kowalczyk lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Middelton is looking to clinch but Kowalczyk is avoiding it.
Kowalczyk showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Middelton.
Kowalczyk tries to close the distance and clinch up but Middelton swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcin Kowalczyk dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Kowalczyk fakes the leg kick and cracks Middelton in the body.
Middelton tries to clinch but Kowalczyk moves out of range.
Kowalczyk feinted with a counter takedown.
Middelton tries to clinch but Kowalczyk is having none of it.

Kowalczyk lands a big head kick that sends Middelton tumbling to the mat! Kowalczyk takes a step backwards and waves Middelton back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Middelton is rocked!
No joy there for Middelton, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Middelton is still on wobbly legs! Can Kowalczyk finish him?
Kowalczyk lands with a nice body punch.
Middelton lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kowalczyk circles away quickly and effectively.
Middelton seems to have recovered his senses.
Middelton pulls out of a head kick attempt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kowalczyk fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kowalczyk moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Marcin Kowalczyk is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Kowalczyk gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Kowalczyk escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Kowalczyk lands a big head kick that sends Middelton tumbling to the mat! Kowalczyk takes a step backwards and waves Middelton back to his feet - he wants the finish!
Kowalczyk lands a big head kick that sends Middelton to the canvas! Kowalczyk follows up with strikes from the mount that forces the ref to step in and stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Marcin Kowalczyk!