PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Marko Kersikov (ranked 118 p4p, 182 weight class) and Maurits Assndrop (ranked 7 p4p, 11 weight class). Kersikov's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Hi Rez - 3 Ft Tall. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kersikov
vs
Assndrop

168 cm
28
139
11 - 3 - 0

168 cm
28
136
14 - 4 - 2

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Hoarse Pills
Bondi MMA 🏝️

Bondi MMA 🏝️
Akuma Wear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Marko Kersikov!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 4 - 2, fighting out of New York, Maurits Assndrop!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Chris Edwards and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Assndrop throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Kersikov ducks under a wild hook from Assndrop.
Assndrop will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

Assndrop closes the distance and clinches.
Kersikov avoiding damage.
Assndrop tries to break the clinch but Kersikov is controlling the position.
Kersikov presses Assndrop against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

Assndrop breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Assndrop jabbing away but nothing is landing.
An attempted straight right counter from Kersikov misses the target.
Kersikov stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Assndrop.

Assndrop instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kersikov gets through Assndrop's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Assndrop lands a hook that snaps the head of Kersikov backwards.
Assndrop swings wildly with an uppercut but Kersikov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kersikov swings wildly with an uppercut but Assndrop uses good head movement to avoid it.

Assndrop's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Assndrop tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kersikov was well out of range. Poor timing from Assndrop.
A little feinted left hand from Kersikov on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Assndrop catches Kersikov with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Kersikov takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Kersikov checks a leg kick nicely.
It looked like Kersikov wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Assndrop pivots, looking for a leg kick but Kersikov is out of range and Assndrop settles back down.
Assndrop throws a poor cross that misses
and Kersikov counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Assndrop throws a good cross that connects.
Assndrop jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kersikov has been working on his boxing with his coaches at KFA in the buildup to the fight.
A big left from Assndrop misses.
Assndrop with a body punch. A glancing blow.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Assndrop lands a slapping body shot.
Kersikov takes one to the side of the head.

Assndrop closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Assndrop tries to work over Kersikov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A right hook to the body lands for Kersikov.

Assndrop manages to break the clinch.
Assndrop takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

It looks like Maurits Assndrop has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Assndrop tries to clinch up.
Assndrop moves into range and connects with a jab.
Assndrop throws a jab but it's blocked by Kersikov.
Assndrop missing with a left hand there. Kersikov was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Kersikov was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Assndrop throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kersikov sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Assndrop 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.
Assndrop has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Kersikov throws a hook but Assndrop blocks it.
It seemed like Assndrop was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Assndrop misses the shot to the body.
Kersikov is looking to counter punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kersikov takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Assndrop scores with a nice head shot.
Assndrop lands with a thumping leg kick.
Assndrop is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Kersikov.
A little feinted left hand from Kersikov on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Assndrop works the jab nicely.
Assndrop throws a leg kick but Kersikov checks it.
Kersikov throws a big counter combination but Assndrop scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Assndrop moves out of range of the strikes.
Assndrop scores with a sloppy right hand. Kersikov should have avoided that one.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kersikov avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Maurits Assndrop dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Maurits Assndrop's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Assndrop is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Kersikov.
Kersikov swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Kersikov tries to move into range but Assndrop moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Kersikov just misses with a punch to the body.
Assndrop looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Assndrop misses with a hook
letting Kersikov counter with a right hand.
Assndrop with a nice calf kick.
Kersikov takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Assndrop has taken the fight to the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Assndrop.
Kersikov misses with a body punch.

Assndrop escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Assndrop clinches with his opponent.
Assndrop has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kersikov is stalling here.
Kersikov throws a head punch that misses.

Kersikov breaks from the clinch.
Kersikov throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Assndrop.
Maurits Assndrop seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Assndrop is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
A head kick from Kersikov lands but Assndrop takes it in his stride.
Assndrop sizes up Kersikov with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Nice defenses there by Kersikov.
Kersikov thows a left - swing and a miss!
The fighters circling - Kersikov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Assndrop slips a straight right by Kersikov.
Assndrop misses with a double jab
and Kersikov connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kersikov slips under a jab from Assndrop.
Assndrop throws a leg kick but Kersikov sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Assndrop cracks Kersikov with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Maurits Assndrop seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kersikov uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Assndrop.
Kersikov checks the leg kick nicely there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Assndrop paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Kersikov needs to keep his hands up - Assndrop had a free shot at his head there.
Assndrop misses with a right hand
enabling Kersikov to counter with a crisp jab.
Assndrop blocks a head kick by Kersikov.
It seemed like Assndrop was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Assndrop keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Kersikov takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Assndrop throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Assndrop misses with a leg kick
and Kersikov cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kersikov throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Assndrop cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nice defenses there by Kersikov.
Assndrop ducks under a wild hook from Kersikov.
Assndrop looks to land a right hand but Kersikov moved out of range.
It looked like Kersikov wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
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!
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Assndrop, as that shot connected.
Kersikov throws a hook to the side of Assndrop's head but Assndrop sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Assndrop moves into the clinch successfully.

Assndrop pulls guard.
Kersikov is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Maurits Assndrop showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Maurits Assndrop's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Assndrop throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Kersikov stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
An inside leg kick from Assndrop misses.
Kersikov keeps the fight on the outside.
Kersikov is looking to counter punch.
Assndrop misses with a straight right.
It looked like Kersikov wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Assndrop blocks a head kick by Kersikov.
Assndrop misses with a wild body shot.
Kersikov throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kersikov moves forwards but Assndrop connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Kersikov walks into a stiff left hand from Assndrop.
Assndrop misses with a right hand
and Kersikov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Assndrop throws out a powerful jab.
Assndrop swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Assndrop swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Kersikov throwing a counter right hand but Assndrop manages to avoid it.
Kersikov avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Assndrop moves to clinch but Kersikov breaks away
and Kersikov counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kersikov swings widly with a right hand
and Assndrop counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Kersikov throws a sloppy head kick and Assndrop moves out of range easily.
A little jabbing left from Assndrop on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

Assndrop takes the fight into the clinch.
Assndrop swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kersikov lands a right hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Assndrop misses with some punches.
Kersikov is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Assndrop working aggressively here.
Assndrop throws a punch but it's blocked by Kersikov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kersikov tries to work over Assndrop's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kersikov misses with a hook to the ribs.
Assndrop has a couple of punches blocked by Kersikov.
Kersikov blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Assndrop pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Assndrop is looking to clinch.
Marko Kersikov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Assndrop ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kersikov moves away.
Kersikov was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Assndrop misses with the body kick
and Kersikov counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Kersikov uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Assndrop.
A quick step to the side and Kersikov tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kersikov blocks a jab.
Kersikov throws a body shot but no joy.
Assndrop lands with a thumping leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Assndrop throws a jab when Kersikov was well out of range.
Assndrop wants to clinch but Kersikov slips to the side
and Assndrop takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Assndrop motions for Kersikov to come forward. Assndrop throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Assndrop closes the distance but Kersikov moves to the side
enabling Kersikov to counter with a crisp jab.

Assndrop is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kersikov moves in close and cracks Assndrop with a massive right hand! Assndrop, frozen momentarily in time, tumbles to the canvas, already out cold! A brutal knockout by Kersikov!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:50 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Marko Kersikov!
Marko Kersikov retains his bantamweight title!
A very excited looking Marko Kersikov made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.