PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vladimir Kovalev (ranked 128 p4p, 13 weight class) and Peleki Tuala (ranked 1215 p4p, 130 weight class). Tuala is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Dock of Fiji. Peleki Tuala told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Kovalev
vs
Tuala

207 cm
25
260 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

190 cm
25
267 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Sin City Allstars

Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vladimir Kovalev!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Peleki Tuala!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, George Francis and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kovalev takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Kovalev scores with a jab. Tuala acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Kovalev cracks a nice hook into Tuala's ribs.
Tuala rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kovalev moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Tuala takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Tuala attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
A telegraphed right hand from Tuala misses the target.
Kovalev chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Tuala can pounce on him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kovalev fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tuala manages to avoid it.
Tuala looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Tuala misses the body punch
and Kovalev counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Kovalev moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tuala swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Kovalev counters with a stiff right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kovalev uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Tuala.
Kovalev appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Kovalev moves into range and connects with a jab.
Tuala throws a leg kick that is checked
letting Kovalev counter with a right hand.
Kovalev has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Just Scrap MMA and BJJ in the buildup to the fight.
Kovalev takes a swing at Tuala's ribcage but misses.
Tuala throws the kick towards the body but Kovalev avoids it.
Kovalev scores with a head kick. Tuala tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

It looks like Peleki Tuala has been cut.

Kovalev has Tuala up against the cage in a clinch.
Tuala goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Tuala scores with a shoulder strike.
Tuala gets through Kovalev's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Tuala tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kovalev leaning against his opponent.
Tuala tries a body shot but Kovalev blocks it.
Kovalev doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Tuala misses with a body punch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Tuala.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kovalev lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Tuala or not.
Tuala lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Kovalev softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Tuala misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kovalev tries to work over Tuala's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Tuala misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Tuala pushes Kovalev back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Kovalev blocks a body shot from Tuala.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Tuala makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Tuala struggles to land a body shot inside as Kovalev controls his hands.
Tuala lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuala lands a body shot in the clinch.
Tuala swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kovalev struggles to land a body shot inside as Tuala controls his hands.
Tuala swings wildly with an uppercut but Kovalev uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tuala scores with an uppercut up the middle.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Tuala.
Kovalev swings wildly with an uppercut but Tuala uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tuala misses with a hook to the ribs.
Tuala softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Tuala blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kovalev blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Tuala tries to throw a body punch but Kovalev avoids it by throwing Tuala back against the cage.
Tuala misses with some punches.
Tuala misses with the head strike.
Tuala misses with the head strike.
Tuala tries to work over Kovalev's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kovalev is trying to maintain a safe position but Tuala gets an underhook and turns Kovalev into the cage.
Tuala misses with the head strike.
Kovalev has Tuala pushed against the cage.
Kovalev tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Tuala's elbow.
Kovalev is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Kovalev tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Kovalev lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Tuala.
A nice left hand lands by Kovalev.
Kovalev tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Tuala's elbow.
Tuala throws a punch but it's blocked by Kovalev.
Tuala tries to work over Kovalev's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Tuala softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Tuala.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Kovalev tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Tuala's elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A looping hook to the body misses from Kovalev. Tuala does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tuala waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kovalev.
Tuala works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Kovalev fails to land with a series of punches.
It seemed like Tuala was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Tuala swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Kovalev counters with a nice uppercut.
Good shot there by Kovalev.
Kovalev lands a jab to the nose.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kovalev throws a predictable looking body shot
and Tuala counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kovalev is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

Tuala cracks Kovalev with a big right hand that sends him crashing to the floor. Tuala has the opportunity to follow him to the ground but instead he's beckoning Kovalev to stand back up!

Kovalev is rocked!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Good exchange - Kovalev coming out on top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kovalev lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Tuala connects with an inside leg kick.
Tuala uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kovalev.
Tuala throws an off balance right hand
and Kovalev counters with a stiff right hand.
A jab from Kovalev misses.
Kovalev clobbers Tuala with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Tuala misses with a few strikes there.
Tuala throws a right hand that misses
and Kovalev connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kovalev getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Kovalev just misses with a punch to the body.
Tuala thinks about the counter body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
and Kovalev counters with a massive uppercut that badly hurts Tuala! He's just covering up as Kovalev starts to tee off till the referee steps in and stops the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:11 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Vladimir Kovalev!
Vladimir Kovalev retains his heavyweight title!