PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kassidy Cullen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Karnak Mandazur (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Karnak Mandazur has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cullen
vs
Mandazur

180 cm
29
169 lbs
22 - 7 - 1

182 cm
30
163 lbs
23 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Great elbows
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Diamond Nutrition 160q

Reaper Combatwear
Hell's Balls Recovery (160)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kassidy Cullen!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Karnak Mandazur!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Dillan Fox and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mandazur on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Cullen. Cullen obviously looking to wear him down.
Cullen tries a head kick but it misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cullen. Mandazur does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kassidy Cullen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cullen lunges at Mandazur with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Mandazur's hand.
Cullen thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Mandazur if he has to take too many more of those.
A nice leg kick lands there from Cullen.

Cullen feints and as Mandazur raises his hands in defense, Cullen changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cullen throws a big elbow that misses.
Mandazur is pulling down on Cullen's head to control his posture.
Cullen postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cullen throws a big elbow that misses.
Cullen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Cullen throwing strikes from guard but Mandazur blocks nicely.
Cullen throws a big elbow that misses.
Mandazur pulls Cullen in close to prevent any damage.
Cullen tries to free his leg and advance position but Mandazur is retaining full guard.
Mandazur avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mandazur wants to sweep here but Cullen controlling him for the moment.
Cullen lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Mandazur looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mandazur controls Cullen momentarily but Cullen frees himself.
Cullen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cullen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Cullen landing some decent shots from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cullen throwing strikes but missing.
Cullen throws a strike but Mandazur rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Cullen lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Mandazur!
Mandazur keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cullen sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Mandazur tries to lock up and control but Cullen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Cullen landing punches.
Cullen throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Mandazur because Cullen loaded up on that one.
Mandazur is in all sorts of trouble here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mandazur gets back to half guard.
Mandazur tries to get to full guard but Cullen has control of the leg.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mandazur gets back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kassidy Cullen dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cullen attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
A nice leg kick lands there from Cullen.
Cullen shoots in looking for a takedown. Mandazur tries to sprawl out of it but Cullen keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mandazur manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Cullen tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Mandazur swivels and escapes.
Cullen misses with a leg kick
and Mandazur counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Cullen thinking.
An inside leg kick from Cullen misses.
Cullen turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cullen throws a head kick but Mandazur moves out of range.
Cullen misses with a takedown attempt - Mandazur sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kassidy Cullen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mandazur blocks a leg kick.
Cullen looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mandazur is fending him off so far but Cullen persists. Nope, Mandazur circles away and we're back to standing.
Mandazur gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Cullen.
Mandazur keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cullen connects with a leg kick. Mandazur looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Cullen throws a leg kick

and Mandazur moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mandazur throws a punch but it's blocked by Cullen.
Mandazur throws a head punch that misses.
Cullen struggles to land a body shot inside as Mandazur controls his hands.
Mandazur has a couple of punches blocked by Cullen.

Cullen has picked Mandazur up - he's going for a ride! Cullen dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cullen looks to land a strike but Mandazur avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Cullen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mandazur holds on and takes a little breather.
Cullen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Cullen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mandazur looking to control but Cullen passes into half guard.
Mandazur wants to improve his position but Cullen is controlling well.
Mandazur works his way to full guard. Good work.
Mandazur bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Cullen's guard.
Mandazur's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Cullen keeping full guard, as Mandazur tries to pass.
Cullen is looking to sweep but instead, Mandazur has passed into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cullen is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Cullen is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Mandazur jumps into side control!
Mandazur is looking to take a break and control but Cullen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kassidy Cullen will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Cullen thows a leg kick but Mandazur checks it
and Mandazur counters with a stiff right hand.
Mandazur keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Cullen throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

Cullen shoots in and bounces Mandazur off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Mandazur has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Mandazur utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mandazur looking to control.
Cullen throwing strikes from guard but Mandazur blocks nicely.
Mandazur has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Karnak Mandazur has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
A head kick by Cullen misses
and Mandazur counters with a good low kick that Cullen was not able to check.
Mandazur checks the leg kick nicely there.
Cullen throws a chopping leg kick but Mandazur manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cullen fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Mandazur.
Karnak Mandazur is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mandazur keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Mandazur stuffs the takedown attempt from Cullen. Cullen gets slowly back to his feet.
Cullen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mandazur stuffs the takedown attempt from Cullen. Cullen gets slowly back to his feet.
Kassidy Cullen is winning the standup battle so far.
Cullen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Mandazur pinned against the cage. Mandazur gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kassidy Cullen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cullen throws a body punch but Mandazur moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cullen fails with the takedown.
Cullen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cullen throws a leg kick that is checked
and Mandazur counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cullen scores with a head kick. Mandazur tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Cullen tries for a takedown but Mandazur circles away easily
and Mandazur counters with a low kick, right behind Cullen 's knee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cullen misses with a low kick.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Cullen.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mandazur tries to buck Cullen off but Cullen is having none of it.
Mandazur is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Mandazur is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Cullen scores with a couple of nice shots.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Cullen is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Mandazur has managed to free his arm - good work.
Mandazur is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but Kassidy Cullen did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Cullen has a takedown stuffed.
Mandazur blocks a low kick nicely.
Cullen jabs Mandazur to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Cullen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mandazur circles away.
Cullen fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Mandazur has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Cullen throws a leg kick

and Mandazur moves into the clinch.
Mandazur lands a hook to the side of the head.
Cullen blocking some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mandazur misses with a hook from the clinch.
Mandazur throws a head punch that misses.
Mandazur doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Mandazur throws a punch but it's blocked by Cullen.
Cullen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Mandazur misses with a short punch on the inside.
Cullen blocking some punches.
Cullen gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Cullen lands a hook that snaps the head of Mandazur backwards.
Mandazur swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cullen tries to pull guard but Mandazur holds him up against the cage and eventually Cullen drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kassidy Cullen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mandazur pushes Cullen back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Mandazur blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Mandazur fails to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cullen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Mandazur works on Cullen's body with a couple of short punches.
Mandazur lands with a short shot to the head.
Mandazur fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mandazur throws a head punch that misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cullen goes for a takedown attempt but Mandazur pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
A nice inside leg kick there by Cullen. That's going to slow Mandazur down.
Cullen misses with a right hand
and Mandazur counters with a nice uppercut.
Cullen throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cullen throws a jab when Mandazur was well out of range.
Cullen thows a leg kick but Mandazur checks it
and Mandazur counters with an inside leg kick.
Cullen thumps Mandazur with a low kick.
Cullen tries to land a body kick
and Mandazur counters with a nice uppercut.
Mandazur takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Mandazur takes a shot to the body in his stride.
A thudding body kick lands there by Cullen!
Cullen shoots in and drives through. Mandazur sprawls well.
Cullen scoring well with a low kick there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cullen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mandazur circles away.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Cullen thows a left - swing and a miss!

Cullen shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Mandazur manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mandazur controls Cullen momentarily but Cullen frees himself.
Cullen stopping the sweep attempt from Mandazur.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mandazur keeping full guard, as Cullen tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close fourth round but Karnak Mandazur will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Cullen throws a head kick that half lands.
Mandazur checks the leg kick.
Cullen throws a head kick that misses
letting Mandazur counter with a right hand.
Cullen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Mandazur defends it nicely.
Cullen throws a poor cross that misses
and Mandazur counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Cullen throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Cullen misses the shot to the body.
Cullen misses with a head kick.
Mandazur's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cullen swings away with a body shot that misses
enabling Mandazur to counter with a crisp jab.
Cullen throws a sloppy head kick
and Mandazur makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Cullen throws a leg kick which misses Mandazur's front leg but catches the back leg as Mandazur tries to avoid it.
Mandazur blocks a head kick by Cullen.
Cullen shoots in for a takedown but Mandazur shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
An inside leg kick from Cullen misses.
Cullen attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
A low kick from Cullen misses

and Mandazur counters by clinching up.
Karnak Mandazur has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cullen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Mandazur tries to throw a body punch but Cullen avoids it by throwing Mandazur back against the cage.
Cullen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Mandazur throws a punch but it's blocked by Cullen.
Mandazur misses with a hook from the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Mandazur.
Cullen scores with a hook to the body.
Mandazur throws a head punch that misses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cullen prevents a body shot from Mandazur.
Cullen missing with knees to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Mandazur.
Cullen throws a head punch that misses.
Cullen pushes off an throws an elbow but Mandazur leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Cullen pulls guard successfully.
Mandazur is stalling in the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cullen has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Cullen is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cullen working for a triangle but Mandazur defends it easily.
Cullen manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

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 Kassidy Cullen.
I think Cullen 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge William Peck scores the fight 49:46
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 49:46
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 50:46

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kassidy Cullen!
Kassidy Cullen is the new lightweight champion!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Kassidy Cullen made sure he mentioned Hell's Balls Recovery (160), along with how happy he was to win his fight.