PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cain Velasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kurt Koc (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Velasquez
vs
Koc

188 cm
22
245 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

198 cm
24
272 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Hellbent, Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Cain Velasquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kurt Koc!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Mauricio Rocha and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Koc instigates a clinch.

Koc manages to break the clinch.
Koc leaves Velasquez with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Velasquez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Velasquez working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Koc doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Koc manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Koc lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Velasquez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Koc slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Velasquez keeping moving, preventing Koc from controlling successfully.
Velasquez trying to control the position.
Koc's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Velasquez working for a triangle but Koc defends it easily.
Velasquez wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Koc manages to pass to side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koc is controlling the pace.

Velasquez is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Koc pulls his head out easily.
Velasquez is breathing heavily.
Velasquez tries to get to full guard but Koc has control of the leg.
Koc is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Velasquez looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Koc is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Let's hope that Koc has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Despite being in the dominant position, Kurt Koc just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Velasquez with a poor takedown

and Koc counters with a single leg into guard. Velasquez didn't expect that.
Koc sitting in guard here, content to control.
Koc lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Koc slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Velasquez working for a triangle but Koc defends it easily.
Koc lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Koc advances position into side control!
Velasquez is trying to get back to half guard.
Koc controls the position from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Koc scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Velasquez to see if he's OK.
Koc controls the position from side control.
Velasquez is looking to reverse the position.
Velasquez tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Koc presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Velasquez flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Koc lands a nice shot to the head.
Velasquez in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Koc cracks Velasquez with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Koc lands a big elbow.
Koc controlling the pace for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kurt Koc dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Koc punishes Velasquez's body with a nice straight punch.
Koc throws a one two combo.
Velasquez fails with the takedown
and Koc cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Velasquez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
enabling Koc to counter with a crisp jab.
Koc connects with a looping right hand.
Koc scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Koc tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Koc scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Koc lands a jab-cross combination.
Koc lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Koc fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Velasquez looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Velasquez fails with the takedown
and Koc counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cain Velasquez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koc lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Velasquez takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Koc circles away from the clinch attempt

so Koc counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Velasquez looking for a guillotine here but Koc defends easily.

Velasquez has his foot on Koc's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Koc works his way back into a safe position though.
Velasquez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Koc is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Koc got a little sloppy there for a moment and Velasquez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Koc has managed to get both his arms back between Velasquez's legs - danger averted.

Velasquez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Koc gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koc trying to control but Velasquez is working from the bottom.
Kurt Koc has got the better of the ground game so far.

Velasquez is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Koc is looking to work some ground and pound but Velasquez has wrist control.
Koc trying to control but Velasquez is working from the bottom.
Koc is stalling in the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Velasquez is looking for a triangle but Koc pushes his legs off easily.
Koc sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Velasquez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Koc trying to control the position from guard on top but Velasquez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Koc slips nicely into half guard.
Velasquez is looking for a sweep. Koc is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koc is keen to just control but Velasquez is a slippery customer.

Velasquez looking for submissions off his back.
Velasquez wants to get back to full guard.

Velasquez looking for submissions off his back.
Koc seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Koc scores with a three punch combo!
Cain Velasquez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Velasquez shoots and misses
and Koc counters with a left and a right that stings Velasquez.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Koc moves into the clinch.
Koc gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Velasquez.
Koc lands a left hand that snaps the head of Velasquez backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kurt Koc showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Koc lands a lovely overhand right.

Koc has closed the distance and engaged Velasquez in a clinch.
Velasquez jumps guard but Koc stands there with Velasquez around his waist. Velasquez gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Koc is working for takedown but Velasquez is calmly controlling the position for now.
Koc scores with a nice hook to the head.
Velasquez drops down looking for an ankle pick but Koc pulls his leg out and moves away.
Velasquez shoots and misses
and Koc counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cain Velasquez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Koc clinches.
Koc lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Velasquez backwards.
Koc softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Koc gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Velasquez.

Koc breaks from the clinch.

Koc gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Velasquez tries to score a body lock takedown but Koc shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Koc lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Velasquez is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Koc pulls him back up using the underhooks.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Velasquez. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.

Velasquez is fighting off a takedown attempt but Koc is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Velasquez to the mat. Velasquez regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Velasquez doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Velasquez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Koc avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Koc's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Koc has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Koc stays in close to Velasquez's body and controls the position.
Koc must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Velasquez looking to control.

Velasquez working for a triangle but Koc defends it easily.

Velasquez is looking for a triangle but Koc pushes his legs off easily.

Velasquez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Koc gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Velasquez wants to get back to his feet but Koc is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Velasquez has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Koc is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Velasquez.
Velasquez is looking to regain half guard here but Koc keeps moving and retains side control.
Koc is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Velasquez's shoulder. That is not cool.
Velasquez is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Koc controls the position from side control.
Velasquez tries to buck Koc off but Koc is having none of it.

Koc has hold of Velasquez's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Velasquez seems comfortable defending it but Koc has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Velasquez is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Velasquez is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Koc couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:02 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Kurt Koc!