PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ilya Muromets (ranked 1381 p4p, 1669 weight class) and Boyko Kersikov (ranked 212 p4p, 253 weight class). Kersikov is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Sefa - God's Plan. Boyko Kersikov has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Muromets
vs
Kersikov

187 cm
25
199
9 - 4 - 0

184 cm
24
189
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

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 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ilya Muromets!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Boyko Kersikov!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, James Ackerman and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kersikov displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Muromets throws out the jab.
Muromets throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Kersikov on the side of the head.
Ilya Muromets seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Muromets fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Muromets lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
An inside leg kick from Kersikov misses.
Muromets misses with a leg kick.
Kersikov is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Kersikov moves out of range as Muromets strikes.
Kersikov cracks Muromets with a good jab.

It looks like Ilya Muromets has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kersikov misses with a low kick as Muromets jumps back.
Kersikov looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Kersikov throws a lazy body kick
and Muromets counters with a nice uppercut.
Muromets chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kersikov blocks the body kick.
Kersikov was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Muromets with the inside leg kick.
Muromets looks to score with a jab to the body but Kersikov is just out of range.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Muromets crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Kersikov - the referee stops the clock and Muromets gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Kersikov. Muromets manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Muromets scores with a hook.

Kersikov tries to keep at a distance but Muromets has taken the fight into the clinch.
Muromets tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kersikov avoids it.
Kersikov lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Muromets or not.
Kersikov misses with a body punch.
Kersikov misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Muromets fails to land.
Muromets blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Muromets lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Kersikov backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Muromets doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Kersikov takes a knee to the side of the body.
A short right from Kersikov.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Muromets blocks an uppercut.
Our sources have told us that Muromets has been working on his elbows in the gym.
Muromets lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Kersikov backwards.
Muromets lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Muromets lands with a light punch inside.
Muromets landing some nice looking knees to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Muromets.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kersikov.
Muromets lands a shot to the body.
Kersikov looks winded!
Muromets is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kersikov is defending well for now.
Muromets tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Kersikov's elbow.
Nice body punch from Kersikov - that landed with a thud.
Muromets lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Kersikov backwards.
Muromets tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Muromets misses with a short punch on the inside.
Muromets lands with a right to the head.
A short uppercut from Kersikov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muromets lands with a light punch inside.
Muromets lands with a right to the head.
Kersikov misses with a body punch.
Kersikov gets through Muromets's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Muromets has a couple of punches blocked by Kersikov.
Still in the clinch, Muromets scores with a nice short uppercut.
Kersikov swings wildly with an uppercut but Muromets uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kersikov doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Muromets tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Muromets lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kersikov.
Kersikov misses with some punches.
Kersikov blocks an uppercut.
Kersikov tries a body shot but Muromets blocks it.

Muromets breaks from the clinch.
Muromets works the jab nicely.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kersikov lands with a cross.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Muromets pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Kersikov! But no joy.
Muromets changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Muromets swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Muromets fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Muromets connects with an inside leg kick.
Kersikov misses with a right hand
and Muromets counters with a nice leg kick.
Muromets takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
A nice inside leg kick there by Muromets. That's going to slow Kersikov down.
Muromets lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Kersikov needs to keep his hands up - Muromets had a free shot at his head there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ilya Muromets dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ilya Muromets's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Muromets misses with a right hand
enabling Kersikov to counter with a crisp jab.

Muromets is rocked!
Muromets throws out a loose jab but Kersikov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Muromets throws a hook but Kersikov avoids it easily.
Kersikov throws the kick towards the body but Muromets avoids it.
Muromets scores with a shot to the body.
Kersikov throws out a leg kick but Muromets moves out of range and Kersikov only half commits.
Kersikov jabs Muromets right on the nose. Muromets blinks but takes it well.
Oh Muromets is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Kersikov lands with a thumping leg kick.
Muromets seems to have got his legs back now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kersikov connects with a solid leg kick.
Muromets connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Kersikov throws a leg kick that is checked
and Muromets counters with an outside leg kick.
Ilya Muromets is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muromets fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Kersikov throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Muromets fires out a quick counter leg kick but Kersikov just manages to avoid it.
A bone on bone clash there as Kersikov blocks the leg kick.
Muromets lands a jab to Kersikov's midsection.
Muromets tries to clinch up.
Muromets thumps Kersikov with a low kick.
Muromets tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kersikov chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Kersikov moves out of range of the body kick.
Kersikov tries a quick counter leg kick but Muromets is wise to it.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Kersikov checks a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kersikov takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
A clash of legs there as Kersikov blocks the low kick.
Muromets slips a jab from Kersikov.
Muromets appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Muromets looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Muromets throws a shot to the body.
Kersikov throws out a loose jab but Muromets uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kersikov chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Muromets can pounce on him.
Muromets lands the left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kersikov fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Muromets.
Muromets blocks a leg kick.
Muromets stuns Kersikov with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Muromets throws a leg kick which misses Kersikov's front leg but catches the back leg as Kersikov tries to avoid it.
Muromets avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Muromets avoids the body shot from Kersikov.
Muromets was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Muromets throws a good cross that connects.
Muromets throws a leg kick but Kersikov sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Muromets gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Kersikov makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
A big left from Kersikov misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Muromets lands a slapping body shot.
Muromets scores with a jab to the jaw.
Muromets is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kersikov can do to turn this around?
Muromets scores with a jab to the jaw.
Muromets fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kersikov has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kersikov misses with a double jab
and Muromets counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Muromets swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Kersikov stuns Muromets with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Kersikov lands with a nice body punch.
Kersikov throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ilya Muromets dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ilya Muromets's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Muromets misses with a body shot.
Muromets throws the left hand but Kersikov avoids the punch easily.
Kersikov feints a counter leg kick.
Kersikov takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Kersikov throws a body punch but Muromets moves out of range.
Muromets swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Jab, jab by Muromets - just one landing.
Kersikov bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Muromets takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Muromets lunges at Kersikov with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Kersikov's hand.
Muromets loads up on a big right hand but Kersikov slips the punch.
Kersikov throws a half hearted mid kick.
An attempted straight right counter from Muromets misses the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muromets throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kersikov lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Kersikov blocks a jab.
Kersikov has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Muromets.
Kersikov misses the shot to the body.
Kersikov's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Kersikov connects with a right hand. Muromets shakes it off.
Muromets wants to clinch.
Muromets's jab looks to have found its range, popping Kersikov under the eye.
Boyko Kersikov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kersikov throws a shot from downtown. Muromets moves away and avoids it.
Muromets swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Muromets closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Kersikov throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Kersikov takes a kick to the side of the head.
Muromets cracks Kersikov with a right hand to the side of the head.
Donk. Muromets catches Kersikov right on the button with a cross.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Muromets lands a leg kick that knocks Kersikov off balance momentarily.
A big left from Kersikov misses.
Muromets scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muromets avoids the head kick by Kersikov.
Kersikov slips under a jab from Muromets.
Muromets defending well as Kersikov loads up on a big left hand.
Muromets tests Kersikov's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Kersikov looks to throw a body kick
and Kersikov takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Kersikov missing with a left hand there. Muromets was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Muromets is looking to counter with a body kick.
Kersikov slips under a jab from Muromets.
Muromets lands an overhand right.
Muromets scoring well with a low kick there.
Kersikov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Muromets moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Muromets lands a jab.
Muromets slips a jab from Kersikov.
Muromets slips a jab and a cross from Kersikov.
Muromets was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Muromets stuns Kersikov with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Muromets takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Muromets throws a lazy head kick
and Kersikov counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Nice shot lands for Kersikov.
Kersikov throws a lazy right hand but Muromets sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ilya Muromets is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Muromets tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kersikov was well out of range. Poor timing from Muromets.

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 Ilya Muromets.
Well Muromets 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ilya Muromets!