PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tom Bickle (ranked 1254 p4p, 877 weight class) and Mordechai Kowalczyk (ranked 144 p4p, 103 weight class). Kowalczyk comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Nocturne op. 9 no.2- Frederic Chopin kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! This should be fireworks!

Bickle
vs
Kowalczyk

175 cm
29
146
5 - 5 - 0

175 cm
33
145
20 - 9 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

HELLBENT

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 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tom Bickle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Mordechai Kowalczyk!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Hugh Johnson and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kowalczyk attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Bickle avoids a kick to the body.
Bickle was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
A punch lands to the side of Bickle 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Bickle takes the fight into the clinch.
Bickle definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Kowalczyk blocks an uppercut.
Kowalczyk stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Bickle has a couple of punches blocked by Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk working aggressively here.
Kowalczyk lands with a left to the head.
Kowalczyk looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Kowalczyk tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Bickle misses with a short punch on the inside.

Kowalczyk manages to break the clinch.
Kowalczyk throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kowalczyk with the inside leg kick.
Kowalczyk fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Bickle misses with a hook.
Kowalczyk let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Bickle misses with a two punch combination.
Bickle misses with an uppercut. Kowalczyk saw that one coming.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kowalczyk clobbers Bickle with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bickle throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Bickle misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kowalczyk.
Bickle waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk throws a leg kick which misses Bickle's front leg but catches the back leg as Bickle tries to avoid it.
Bickle moves in looking to clinch but Kowalczyk pushes him off.
Bickle misses with a jab, cross combination.
An inside leg kick lands from Kowalczyk.
Bickle thows a left - swing and a miss!
Bickle throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Kowalczyk counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
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.
Bickle was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Kowalczyk loads up on a big right hand but Bickle slips the punch.
Kowalczyk attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Bickle seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Kowalczyk cracks Bickle with a good jab.
Kowalczyk throws a quick inside leg kick.
Kowalczyk throws a front kick aimed at Bickle's knee but Bickle avoids it well.
Kowalczyk moves out of range as Bickle strikes.
A big right from Kowalczyk misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bickle throws a hook to the side of Kowalczyk's head but Kowalczyk sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Bickle scores with the left hand. Kowalczyk knows he should have avoided that one.
Mordechai Kowalczyk seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kowalczyk misses with a hook.
Bickle moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Kowalczyk lands with a thumping leg kick.
Kowalczyk misses with a leg kick.
Bickle swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Bickle jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kowalczyk throws a shot from downtown. Bickle moves away and avoids it.
Bickle avoids the head kick by Kowalczyk.
Bickle was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Bickle throws an overhand right that lands on Kowalczyk's shoulder, as Kowalczyk tries to avoid the shot.
Kowalczyk misses with a left hand
and Bickle counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Bickle uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kowalczyk.
Bickle connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Bickle checks the leg kick nicely there.
Bickle displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kowalczyk throws out the jab.
Bickle wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kowalczyk displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Bickle throws out the jab.
Kowalczyk throws out a powerful jab.
Kowalczyk throws an overhand right that lands on Bickle's shoulder, as Bickle tries to avoid the shot.
Bickle is looking to counter punch.
Bickle misses with a looping right.
Kowalczyk lands with a thumping leg kick.
Kowalczyk drops his hands momentarily and Bickle takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Kowalczyk misses with a low kick.
Bickle throws a lazy right hand but Kowalczyk sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Kowalczyk throws out a counter right but Bickle avoids it with no problem.
Kowalczyk finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Bickle dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Kowalczyk works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Kowalczyk moves forwards but Bickle connects with a nice, crisp jab.
A big left from Bickle misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kowalczyk. Bickle does a little dance to reset his feet.
Bickle throwing a counter right hand but Kowalczyk manages to avoid it.
Bickle waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kowalczyk.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kowalczyk attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Bickle ducks under a wild hook from Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk lands a leg kick that knocks Bickle off balance momentarily.
Bickle is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Bickle connects with a body shot that sends Kowalczyk's belly button to the back.
Nice uppercut there from Bickle.
Kowalczyk fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bickle manages to avoid it.
Kowalczyk takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Kowalczyk throws a lazy right hand but Bickle sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
As Kowalczyk looks to move away, Bickle throws a big counter combo but Kowalczyk just gets out of the way.
Bickle lands a jab.
Bickle clobbers Kowalczyk with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Kowalczyk misses with a low kick.
Kowalczyk bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kowalczyk looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Kowalczyk throws a low kick but Bickle avoids it.
Kowalczyk misses with a low kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tom Bickle will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Bickle crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Kowalczyk - the referee stops the clock and Bickle gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Kowalczyk. Bickle manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Kowalczyk throws a shot to the body.
The fighters circling - Kowalczyk throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A combination from Bickle does no damage.
Bickle checks a leg kick.
Bickle swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Kowalczyk cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bickle is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
A shot to the liver by Kowalczyk. Beautiful body shot.
Kowalczyk throws a leg kick but Bickle checks it.
Kowalczyk connects with a right hand. Bickle shakes it off.
Bickle on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Kowalczyk. Kowalczyk obviously looking to wear him down.
Bickle takes one on the button.
Kowalczyk walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
A shot to the liver by Kowalczyk. Beautiful body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A cross from Kowalczyk lands.
Kowalczyk throws a low kick but Bickle moves out of range easily.
Kowalczyk scores with a sloppy right hand. Bickle should have avoided that one.

Bickle moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bickle tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Bickle lands a right hand.
Bickle swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kowalczyk lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Bickle swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Kowalczyk fails to land.

Kowalczyk pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bickle misses with a hook.
Bickle cracks Kowalczyk with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

Bickle has managed to clinch.
A short uppercut from Bickle.
Kowalczyk throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Bickles head.
Bickle tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Kowalczyk breaks the clinch.
Kowalczyk keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Bickle.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kowalczyk throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Kowalczyk throws a body punch but Bickle moves out of range.
Kowalczyk throws a body shot but no joy.
Kowalczyk tries to land a body kick
and Bickle counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bickle has Kowalczyk up against the cage in a clinch.
Kowalczyk misses with a short punch on the inside.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk misses with some punches.
Bickle blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Bickle misses with the head strike.
Bickle lands a right hand that snaps the head of Kowalczyk backwards.
Bickle swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kowalczyk wants to break the clinch but can't.
Bickle gets through Kowalczyk's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Bickle lands with a light punch inside.
Bickle swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bickle.
Kowalczyk lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A nice left hand lands by Bickle.
Bickle misses with a short punch on the inside.
Bickle fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Kowalczyk breaks from the clinch.
Kowalczyk on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Bickle takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bickle misses with a hook. Kowalczyk ducked under it nicely.
Kowalczyk throws a jab when Bickle was well out of range.
Bickle scores with a one two! Kowalczyk had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Kowalczyk staying out of range there.
Bickle 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 just misses with a punch to the body.
Kowalczyk throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Bickle counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Kowalczyk throws the left hand but Bickle avoids the punch easily.
Kowalczyk just misses with a punch to the body.
Bickle on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Kowalczyk. Kowalczyk obviously looking to wear him down.
Kowalczyk lands a really nice looking cross but Bickle seems unphased.
Kowalczyk tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bickle was well out of range. Poor timing from Kowalczyk.
Bickle misses the shot to the body.
A good leg kick by Kowalczyk.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Bickle checks a leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bickle takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bickle uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk throws a big shot that misses.
Bickle uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kowalczyk.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kowalczyk. Bickle does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kowalczyk throws a low kick, looking for Bickle's leg but Bickle calmly moves out of range.
It looked like Bickle wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Bickle throws a lazy right hand but Kowalczyk sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A jab from Kowalczyk finds it's way through Bickle's defenses.
Bickle misses the body punch
and Bickle takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Kowalczyk shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Kowalczyk staying out of range there.
Kowalczyk throws a leg kick that is checked
and Bickle counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Bickle misses with a straight right.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bickle throws out a loose jab but Kowalczyk uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bickle checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Kowalczyk scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
The fighters circling - Bickle throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
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.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Kowalczyk looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Kowalczyk throws out a loose jab but Bickle uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bickle misses the jab.
Bickle throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Kowalczyk on the side of the head.
Kowalczyk misses with an uppercut
and Bickle counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Bickle has Kowalczyk up against the cage in a clinch.
Bickle misses with a body punch.
Bickle swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Bickle is leaning against Kowalczyk and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Bickle presses Kowalczyk against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Bickle landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Kowalczyk takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bickle lands with a short head shot on the inside.
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!
A head punch on the inside from Kowalczyk fails to land.
Kowalczyk misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kowalczyk's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Tom Bickle has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bickle.
Kowalczyk lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kowalczyk doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Kowalczyk tries to circle away but Bickle has him pinned against the cage.
Bickle lands an uppercut.
Bickle gets through Kowalczyk's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A hook to the body from Kowalczyk.
Bickle has a couple of punches blocked by Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk throws a punch but it's blocked by Bickle.
A right hook to the body lands for Bickle.
Kowalczyk misses with a body punch.
A short right from Bickle.
Bickle with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Kowalczyk breaks from the clinch.
Kowalczyk takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Bickle lands a jab.
Bickle stuns Kowalczyk with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Bickle throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kowalczyk slips a straight right by Bickle.
Bickle throws a body punch but Kowalczyk moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kowalczyk throws a nice outside leg kick.
Bickle throws a hook but Kowalczyk avoids it easily.
Kowalczyk swings away with a leg kick that misses.

Bickle clinches up against the cage.

Kowalczyk pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bickle connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Kowalczyk pivots, looking for a leg kick but Bickle is out of range and Kowalczyk settles back down.
Bickle tried to counter with a leg kick but Kowalczyk avoided it.
Bickle loads up on a big right hand but Kowalczyk slips the punch.
A swing and a miss from Bickle.
Mordechai Kowalczyk seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bickle misses with a looping right.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Kowalczyk lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Bickle has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Bickle and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Bickle tries to clinch there but Kowalczyk circles away.
Bickle throws a looping overhand right but Kowalczyk ducks down to avoid it.
Bickle stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk lands with an overhand left.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kowalczyk slips a straight right by Bickle.
Bickle throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Bickle's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Kowalczyk connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Bickle scrambles back to his feet.
Kowalczyk connects with a high kick.
Kowalczyk takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Bickle is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Kowalczyk fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Bickle checks it well.
Bickle gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Bickle fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kowalczyk swings for the body but Bickle moves out of range.
Kowalczyk with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Kowalczyk tries to land a leg kick but Bickle saw it coming and moves away.
Kowalczyk walks into a jab.
Bickle throws a shot from downtown. Kowalczyk moves away and avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A jab from Kowalczyk misses.
Kowalczyk scores with the left hand. Bickle knows he should have avoided that one.
Kowalczyk cracks Bickle with a right hand to the side of the head.
Kowalczyk displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Bickle throws out the jab.
Bickle fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Kowalczyk looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Kowalczyk shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Bickle looks to land a left hand but Kowalczyk moved out of range nicely.
Bickle swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Bickle cracks Kowalczyk with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Good work by Bickle as he checks the leg kick.
Kowalczyk misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bickle.
Bickle on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kowalczyk moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Kowalczyk scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Bickle misses with a body shot.
Bickle lands with an uppercut that bounces Kowalczyk off the cage and back into range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tom Bickle showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bickle 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Bickle!