PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Vasyl Kovalchick (ranked 7752 p4p, 594 weight class) and Bart Vale (ranked 4606 p4p, 452 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Kovalchick might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Ukrainian . Vale has chosen Meltdown as his entrance music. Vasyl Kovalchick has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kovalchick
vs
Vale

190 cm
28
235 lbs
2 - 4 - 1

188 cm
27
251 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

Solid boxing
KO power

Counter fighter
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 1 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Vasyl Kovalchick!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bart Vale!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Shigeki Fujiwara and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kovalchick throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Vale steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Kovalchick.
No joy there for Kovalchick, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kovalchick is looking to clinch but Vale is avoiding it.

Vale moves into range and clinches up with Kovalchick.
Vale looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
A bit of stalling here from Vale.
Vale throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Vale is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Kovalchick using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Vale has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vale lands a right hand that snaps the head of Kovalchick backwards.
Vale lands a hook to the side of the head.
Vale working hard to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kovalchick using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Vale has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Vale tries a knee to the head but Kovalchick blocks it.
Vale is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kovalchick is defending well for now.
Vale will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Kovalchick up against the ropes.
Vale looking to stall.
Vale pushes off an throws an elbow but Kovalchick leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Kovalchick tries a knee to the head but Vale blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kovalchick tries to land a knee to the head but Vale blocks with his arms.
Kovalchick tries to land a knee to the head but Vale blocks with his arms.
Vale looking to throw knees to the head but Kovalchick is blocking nicely.
Vale controlling the action here for a moment.
Kovalchick misses with a knee strike.
Vale tries to stall but Kovalchick uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Vale pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Vale throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kovalchick using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Vale has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kovalchick looking to throw knees to the head but Vale is blocking nicely.
Kovalchick keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Vale's efforts to push away.
Kovalchick looking to throw knees to the head but Vale is blocking nicely.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
The fighters are pressed against the ropes, as the pace of the fight slows.
Vale is looking to control Kovalchick's arms but Kovalchick gets an underhook and turns him. Now Vale has his back to the ropes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Vale stalling in the clinch.
Vale lands with a right to the head.
Vale taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Bart Vale.

Vale moves into the clinch.
Vale throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Vale tries to stall but Kovalchick uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Kovalchick tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Vale wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Vale escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Vale looks for the body kick but Kovalchick saw that one coming.
It looked like Kovalchick wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Kovalchick closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Kovalchick misses with a knee strike.
Kovalchick tries to land a knee to the head but Vale blocks with his arms.
Kovalchick throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kovalchick tries a knee to the head but Vale blocks it.
Kovalchick looking to throw knees to the head but Vale is blocking nicely.
Kovalchick using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Vale has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Vale breaks from the clinch.

Kovalchick closes the distance and pushes Vale back into the ropes.
Kovalchick letting Vale take a breather here.

Vale breaks the clinch.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
A lazy body kick from Vale
and Kovalchick counters with a two punch combo.

Kovalchick clinches.
Vale wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Vale slows down the pace here.
Vale can't break the clinch.
Vale tries to break the clinch but Kovalchick is controlling the position.
Vale is stalling here.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Kovalchick with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kovalchick connects with a nasty looking knee right to Vale's face.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kovalchick with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

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

Kovalchick closes the distance and clinches.
Vale using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Kovalchick throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vale working hard to break the clinch.
Kovalchick avoiding damage as Vale throws knees to the body.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Vale is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Kovalchick is keeping busy.
Kovalchick tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Vale tries to circle away but Kovalchick has him pinned against the ropes.
Vale tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Vale is trying to break the clinch but Kovalchick is controlling him.
Bart Vale has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kovalchick tries to land a knee to the head but Vale blocks with his arms.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Kovalchick using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Vale has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

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

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

Kovalchick fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Vale, pushing him back against the ropes.
Kovalchick using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Vale has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Vale throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vale is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Vale breaks from the clinch.
Kovalchick tries to clinch there but Vale circles away.
Vale unleashes a big counter combination but Kovalchick bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Vale circles away from the clinch attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Kovalchick rushes Vale and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.

Vale's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kovalchick is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Vasyl Kovalchick.
I think Kovalchick 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 1 round of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight for Vasyl Kovalchick!
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight for Vasyl Kovalchick!
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight for Vasyl Kovalchick!

Vasyl Kovalchick wins by unanimous decision!
Vasyl Kovalchick decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.