PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dirk Van Beest (ranked 1532 p4p, 1568 weight class) and Mordechai Kowalczyk (ranked 167 p4p, 168 weight class). Kowalczyk has chosen Nocturne op. 9 no.2- Frederic Chopin as his entrance music. Mordechai Kowalczyk acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Van Beest
vs
Kowalczyk

186 cm
30
152
7 - 5 - 1

175 cm
33
145
18 - 9 - 1

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

KOMBAT KLOTHING

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dirk Van Beest!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Mordechai Kowalczyk!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Ron Honeybunn and Ben Hemmingworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Beest tries to clinch up but Kowalczyk circles away and keeps his distance.
Kowalczyk slips a jab from Van Beest.
Kowalczyk throws a head kick but Van Beest moves out of range.
Van Beest wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Kowalczyk tries to land a leg kick but Van Beest saw it coming and moves away.
Kowalczyk stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Kowalczyk keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kowalczyk doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Van Beest has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Kowalczyk tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Kowalczyk looks to land a right hand but Van Beest moved out of range.
Van Beest misses with a leg kick.
Van Beest scores with a leg kick.
Van Beest throws a looping overhand right but Kowalczyk ducks down to avoid it.
Van Beest misses with a low kick as Kowalczyk jumps back.
Van Beest backing away here, and Kowalczyk unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kowalczyk connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Van Beest pivots, looking for a leg kick but Kowalczyk is out of range and Van Beest settles back down.
Van Beest really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Van Beest throws a leg kick but Kowalczyk moved away.
A jab from Kowalczyk does it's job there.
Kowalczyk works Van Beest's body with a nice hook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Van Beest looks for the body kick but Kowalczyk saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Beest misses with a right hand
and Kowalczyk counters with a stiff right hand.
Kowalczyk misses with an uppercut

and Van Beest counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Van Beest.
Kowalczyk tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A right handed body shot lands from Kowalczyk.

Kowalczyk breaks the clinch.
Van Beest cracks Kowalczyk with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Van Beest throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Van Beest avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Van Beest swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
A big right from Kowalczyk misses.
Kowalczyk swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Van Beest 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.
Kowalczyk gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Kowalczyk throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Van Beest sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Van Beest looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Kowalczyk swings for the body but Van Beest moves out of range.
Kowalczyk throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Kowalczyk lands with an uppercut that bounces Van Beest off the cage and back into range.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kowalczyk just misses with a punch to the body.
Kowalczyk showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Van Beest.
Kowalczyk showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Van Beest.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Van Beest goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Van Beest has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk throws out a loose jab but Van Beest uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kowalczyk throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kowalczyk lands with a thumping leg kick.
Van Beest plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Kowalczyk throws a leg kick but Van Beest checks it.
Kowalczyk avoids the body shot from Van Beest.
An inside leg kick from Kowalczyk misses.
Van Beest buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Van Beest jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Kowalczyk ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Van Beest moves away.
A head kick misses from Van Beest.
Nice body kick from Van Beest.
Kowalczyk buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Kowalczyk bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
That kick from Kowalczyk tenderised Van Beest's leg. Van Beest is trying to keep his angry face on.
Van Beest uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk throws a jab when Van Beest was well out of range.
Kowalczyk tries to score with a low kick but Van Beest moves his leg out of the way.
Kowalczyk avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A telegraphed right hand from Van Beest misses the target.
Van Beest is looking to land body kicks.
Kowalczyk looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Van Beest is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Van Beest connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Kowalczyk scoring well with a low kick there.
Van Beest pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Jab, jab by Kowalczyk - just one landing.
Van Beest takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Van Beest wants to clinch.
Kowalczyk lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Van Beest swings away with a leg kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A left and a right from Van Beest both land. Nice combination.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kowalczyk swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Van Beest.
Kowalczyk looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Van Beest tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kowalczyk swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Van Beest wants to clinch up but Kowalczyk keeps it at a distance.
A good leg kick by Van Beest.
Van Beest walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Kowalczyk throws a low kick but Van Beest moves out of range easily.
Van Beest lunges at Kowalczyk with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Kowalczyk's hand.
Van Beest connects with the punch.
Van Beest is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Kowalczyk uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Van Beest.
Van Beest throws a body punch but Kowalczyk moves out of range.
Kowalczyk's corner calls for a 1-2. Kowalczyk obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Van Beest thows a left - swing and a miss!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Van Beest looks to score with a jab to the body but Kowalczyk is just out of range.
Van Beest throws a low kick but it's checked well by Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk misses with a low kick as Van Beest jumps back.
Kowalczyk tries to score with a low kick but Van Beest moves his leg out of the way.
Some wild striking there from Van Beest.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kowalczyk's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Van Beest connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Kowalczyk scrambles back to his feet.
Van Beest throws a head kick that Kowalczyk semi-blocks.
Van Beest pushes Kowalczyk away with a front kick.
Van Beest throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Van Beest takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Van Beest misses the shot to the body.
Van Beest stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Van Beest looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Van Beest throws a looping overhand right but Kowalczyk ducks down to avoid it.
A good leg kick by Kowalczyk.
Van Beest lands with a hook. Kowalczyk tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Kowalczyk lands a nice leg kick that just misses Van Beest's sensitive parts.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kowalczyk with the inside leg kick.
Van Beest throws out a loose jab but Kowalczyk uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kowalczyk throws a chopping leg kick but Van Beest manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Kowalczyk throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
It looked like Van Beest wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Van Beest misses with a body shot.
Kowalczyk lands a jab to the nose.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kowalczyk misses the body punch
and Van Beest counters with a stiff right hand.
Van Beest keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kowalczyk.

Van Beest clinches up against the cage.
Van Beest tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Van Beest landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Van Beest lands with a left to the head.
Kowalczyk misses with a hook to the ribs.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kowalczyk.

Kowalczyk breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mordechai Kowalczyk seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Van Beest scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Nice defenses there by Kowalczyk.
Van Beest throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Kowalczyk throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Van Beest sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Kowalczyk throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Van Beest will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Van Beest pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Kowalczyk looks to score with a jab to the body but Van Beest is just out of range.
Kowalczyk lands a nice hook to Van Beest's body. Van Beest takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nice defenses there by Van Beest.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kowalczyk throws a solid leg kick but Van Beest takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Kowalczyk.
Van Beest takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Kowalczyk waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Van Beest.
Kowalczyk connects with an inside leg kick.
Van Beest rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
enabling Kowalczyk to counter with a crisp jab.
Van Beest throws an overhand right that lands on Kowalczyk's shoulder, as Kowalczyk tries to avoid the shot.
Kowalczyk flicks out a counter leg kick but Van Beest steps away.
Kowalczyk works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Van Beest keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kowalczyk.
Van Beest lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Kowalczyk shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Van Beest swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Kowalczyk ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Van Beest moves away.
Kowalczyk blocks the body kick.
Van Beest throws an overhand right that lands on Kowalczyk's shoulder, as Kowalczyk tries to avoid the shot.
Kowalczyk avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Kowalczyk! But no joy.

Van Beest has managed to clinch.
Kowalczyk misses with a body punch.
Kowalczyk swings wildly with an uppercut but Van Beest uses good head movement to avoid it.
Van Beest misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kowalczyk working aggressively here.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kowalczyk.
Van Beest creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Kowalczyk's defenses.
Kowalczyk misses with a hook from the clinch.
Van Beest lands a body punch.
Van Beest blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Van Beest swings wildly with an uppercut but Kowalczyk uses good head movement to avoid it.

Kowalczyk's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kowalczyk gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Van Beest.
Van Beest lands with a cross.
Kowalczyk throws a body punch but Van Beest moves out of range.
Van Beest is looking to land body kicks.
Van Beest misses with an attempted mid kick.

Van Beest clinches up with Kowalczyk and pushes him back against the cage.
Kowalczyk blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Kowalczyk swings wildly with an uppercut but Van Beest uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kowalczyk lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kowalczyk blocks the elbow strike.
Good body shot from Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Dirk Van Beest has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A short left from Kowalczyk.

Kowalczyk breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kowalczyk throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Van Beest stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Kowalczyk doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Kowalczyk connects with a right hand. Van Beest shakes it off.
Kowalczyk throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Van Beest checks a leg kick.
Van Beest fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Kowalczyk looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Van Beest with the inside leg kick.
Van Beest lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kowalczyk moves out of range of the body kick from Van Beest.
Good exchange - Kowalczyk coming out on top.
A leg kick checked by Van Beest.
Van Beest is looking to counter the offense by Kowalczyk and move into the clinch.
Kowalczyk moves out of range of the body kick from Van Beest.
Kowalczyk moves away from the strike by Van Beest.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mordechai Kowalczyk will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Kowalczyk fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Van Beest checks it well.
Van Beest pushes Kowalczyk away with a front kick.
Van Beest tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kowalczyk paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Van Beest lands a nice hook to Kowalczyk's body. Kowalczyk takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Kowalczyk uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Van Beest.
Kowalczyk fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Van Beest manages to avoid it.
Van Beest tries to clinch there but Kowalczyk circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Van Beest looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Van Beest moves into range and clinches up with Kowalczyk.
Van Beest lands an elbow inside.
Kowalczyk blocks an elbow strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Beest scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Van Beest struggles to land a body shot inside as Kowalczyk controls his hands.
A right hook to the body lands for Kowalczyk.
Van Beest is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Van Beest lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Kowalczyk lands with a short shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kowalczyk misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kowalczyk lands a shoulder strike.
Van Beest swings wildly with an uppercut but Kowalczyk uses good head movement to avoid it.
Van Beest misses with a body punch.
Van Beest scores with a nice hook to the head.
Van Beest creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Kowalczyk pushes Van Beest back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kowalczyk working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A short left from Van Beest.
Van Beest tries for a takedown but Kowalczyk manages to get underhooks.
Kowalczyk avoiding damage as Van Beest throws knees to the body.

Kowalczyk manages to break the clinch.
Kowalczyk attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Van Beest checks a leg kick.
A good leg kick by Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Van Beest misses with a body shot.
Kowalczyk lands a really nice looking cross but Van Beest seems unphased.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Van Beest tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Kowalczyk with a nice calf kick.
Kowalczyk moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Van Beest bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Van Beest takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Kowalczyk slips a straight right by Van Beest.
A little jabbing left from Kowalczyk on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Van Beest swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kowalczyk looks to land a right hand but Van Beest moved out of range.
Kowalczyk swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Kowalczyk lands a nice leg kick that just misses Van Beest's sensitive parts.
Kowalczyk blocks a jab.
Van Beest lands a jab to the nose.
Van Beest swings for the body but Kowalczyk moves out of range.
A slow jab from Van Beest misses its intended target.
Van Beest loads up on a big right hand but Kowalczyk slips the punch.
Van Beest throws a leg kick but Kowalczyk checks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest scores with a decent looking hook.
The fight stays on the outside here - Van Beest looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kowalczyk misses with a straight right.
Van Beest tries to counter by clinching up but Kowalczyk breaks away and moves out of range.
Van Beest scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Van Beest throws a push kick but Kowalczyk slaps the foot to one side.
Kowalczyk tries a quick counter leg kick but Van Beest is wise to it.
Van Beest throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Kowalczyk misses with a body shot.
Kowalczyk connects with a leg kick.
Van Beest lands with an overhand left.
Some bone on bone action there as Kowalczyk checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Van Beest takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Van Beest slips a jab from Kowalczyk.
Van Beest tries to counter by clinching up but Kowalczyk breaks away and moves out of range.
Van Beest throws a leg kick
and Kowalczyk counters with a leg kick.
Van Beest throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Good standup being displayed there by Van Beest as he connects with a hook.
A leg kick checked by Van Beest.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest throws a head kick but Kowalczyk moves out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kowalczyk pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Van Beest shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Kowalczyk does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Van Beest takes one to the chin there.
Van Beest misses with an attempted mid kick.
Good leg kick by Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk connects with a body shot.
Kowalczyk lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Dirk Van Beest has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kowalczyk throws a low kick, looking for Van Beest's leg but Van Beest calmly moves out of range.
Kowalczyk ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Van Beest moves away.
Kowalczyk misses with an uppercut.
An attempted straight right counter from Van Beest misses the target.
Van Beest throws a head kick but Kowalczyk moves out of range.
Kowalczyk lands a leg kick that knocks Van Beest off balance momentarily.
A big right from Kowalczyk misses.
Van Beest is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk misses with a looping left.
Van Beest throwing a counter right hand but Kowalczyk manages to avoid it.
Mordechai Kowalczyk is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
A slow jab from Kowalczyk misses its intended target.
Van Beest on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Kowalczyk. Kowalczyk obviously looking to wear him down.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mordechai Kowalczyk comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kowalczyk winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:30
Judge Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mordechai Kowalczyk!
During a confident post fight interview, Mordechai Kowalczyk thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.