PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Shefki Kuqi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alessandro Moretti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Kuqi
vs
Moretti

172 cm
23
185 lbs
7 - 7 - 1

184 cm
25
183 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Shefki Kuqi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alessandro Moretti!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Igor Prikhodko and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Moretti throws a low kick, looking for Kuqi's leg but Kuqi calmly moves out of range.
Kuqi tries to bum rush Moretti with a series of wild strikes but Moretti uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Some wild striking there from Kuqi.
Kuqi feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Morettis jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Kuqi cracks Moretti with a good jab.
Moretti tries a head kick but it misses.
Kuqi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Decent striking displayed by Kuqi there.
Kuqi throws a head kick that misses
and Moretti counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Moretti moves in looking to clinch but Kuqi pushes him off.
Kuqi throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Moretti throws a leg kick but Kuqi checks it.
Moretti on the wrong end of a nice jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moretti takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Kuqi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Moretti dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Kuqi. That did some damage!
Kuqi's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Kuqi duly obliges.

It looks like Alessandro Moretti has been cut.
Kuqi misses with a double jab.
Kuqi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Some wild striking there from Kuqi.
Moretti shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Moretti scoring well with a low kick there.
Moretti dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Kuqi. That did some damage!
Kuqi tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuqi on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Kuqi is breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Moretti closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Kuqi quickly recovers to half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Moretti wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kuqi keeps working.

Moretti is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Kuqi is looking for a sweep. Moretti is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kuqi is working hard here to advance position.

Moretti is looking for submissions but instead, Kuqi has regained full guard.
Kuqi keeping moving, preventing Moretti from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moretti forces his way into half guard.
Kuqi tries to get to full guard but Moretti has control of the leg.
Kuqi has hold of Moretti's hands but Moretti slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Moretti wants to control but Kuqi is keeping him busy.
Moretti throwing shots but Kuqi is blocking nicely.
Moretti not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Moretti sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kuqi defending well though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Moretti is looking for a kimura but Kuqi is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Moretti to get the leverage.
Moretti trying to control from half guard but Kuqi is working away.

Moretti is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Kuqi defends it well.
Moretti performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Kuqi gets back to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Moretti working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kuqi manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Alessandro Moretti will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Alessandro Moretti's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Nice defenses there by Moretti.
Moretti cracks the inside of Kuqi's front leg.
Kuqi misses with a two punch combination.
Shefki Kuqi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Moretti keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
A leg kick checked by Kuqi.
Kuqi lands with a cross.
Moretti feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Kuqi's calf.
Kuqi throws a head kick that misses.
Kuqi jabs at Moretti's body.
Kuqi checks a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuqi checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Shefki Kuqi is winning the standup battle so far.
Moretti throws a low kick but Kuqi avoids it.
A slow jab from Kuqi misses its intended target.
Kuqi takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Kuqi feints a jab promting Moretti to slip. Kuqi then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Moretti slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Kuqi on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Moretti. Moretti obviously looking to wear him down.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Moretti connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Nice defenses there by Moretti.
Some wild striking there from Kuqi.
A solid leg kick lands there for Moretti.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Moretti drives through with a takedown into Kuqi's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
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!
Kuqi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Moretti.
Kuqi keeping moving, preventing Moretti from controlling successfully.
Moretti working some strikes from top position.
Kuqi controlling Moretti's posture.
Kuqi wants to stand but Moretti is controlling the position.
Moretti with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuqi working a defensive guard here.
Moretti throws a big elbow that misses.
Kuqi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Alessandro Moretti has got the better of the ground game so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Shefki Kuqi wasn't doing enough on the ground.
A nice leg kick lands there from Moretti.
Kuqi throws a nice looking combination but Moretti bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kuqi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Moretti circles away quickly and effectively.
Moretti is looking to slow Kuqi down with leg kicks.
Moretti shoots in for a takedown but Kuqi shows good takedown defense.
A nice leg kick lands there from Moretti.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moretti moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Moretti.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kuqi stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Moretti.
Shefki Kuqi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Moretti connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Shefki Kuqi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Moretti throws a leg kick which misses Kuqi's front leg but catches the back leg as Kuqi tries to avoid it.
Moretti thumps Kuqi with a low kick.
Kuqi stuffs the takedown.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Moretti, right into the meat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kuqi feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Morettis jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Moretti connects with a solid leg kick.
Moretti moves in looking to clinch but Kuqi pushes him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alessandro Moretti showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Alessandro Moretti's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Kuqi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Moretti moves away.
A lazy body kick from Kuqi
and Moretti counters with an outside leg kick.
Moretti connects with a solid leg kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Moretti.
Moretti misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A big left from Kuqi misses.
Kuqi misses with a series of wild punches.
A swing and a miss from Kuqi.
Moretti dives in and grabs Kuqi's left leg, looking for a takedown. Kuqi pushes down on Moretti's head and hops out.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Moretti.
Moretti moves out of range as Kuqi strikes.
Kuqi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Moretti moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Moretti fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kuqi has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

Moretti takes the fight into the clinch.
Moretti landing knees to the head.
Moretti lands a knee to the body.
Moretti unloads a knee to the mid-section.
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!
Moretti tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Moretti landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Moretti lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moretti with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Moretti throws a knee to the head but misses.
Moretti tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Moretti gets underhooks to prevent Kuqi's takedown attempt.
Kuqi is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Moretti is defending well.
Moretti has a couple of punches blocked by Kuqi.
Moretti throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kuqi changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Moretti fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shefki Kuqi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kuqi walks forward, straight into a front kick from Moretti.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moretti shoots in for a takedown but Kuqi shows good takedown defense.
Kuqi misses with a series of wild punches.
Kuqi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Moretti.

Moretti closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Kuqi did well to prevent Moretti getting side control.
Kuqi tries to roll over but Moretti keeps him under control.
Moretti passes to full mount!
BOOM! Moretti connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moretti scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Kuqi?
Kuqi really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Moretti postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kuqi looks a forlorn figure.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Moretti looking to control but Kuqi is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Kuqi is looking to get to half guard.
A nice elbow there by Moretti.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Moretti lands a big elbow.
Moretti lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Kuqi hang on?
Shefki Kuqi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alessandro Moretti is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Kuqi is rocked!
Moretti looking to control but Kuqi is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alessandro Moretti comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Moretti has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alessandro Moretti!