PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Boyko Kersikov (ranked 872 p4p, 1232 weight class) and Ansis Kaupens (ranked 117 p4p, 162 weight class). Kersikov comes into the arena with Sefa - God's Plan blaring out of the sound system. Ansis Kaupens will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Kersikov
vs
Kaupens

184 cm
30
189
12 - 6 - 1

200 cm
31
190
21 - 11 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Conviction
Bondi MMA 🏝️

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 1, fighting out of New York, Boyko Kersikov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Ansis Kaupens!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Jack Bonds and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kaupens throws a sloppy head kick and Kersikov moves out of range easily.
Kaupens misses with a body punch
and Kersikov counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Kaupens instigates a clinch.
Kersikov tries to stall but Kaupens uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Kersikov has a couple of punches blocked by Kaupens.
Kaupens lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Kaupens is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Kersikov slows down the pace here.

Kaupens's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kersikov blocks a head kick by Kaupens.
Kaupens throws an overhand right that lands on Kersikov's shoulder, as Kersikov tries to avoid the shot.
Kersikov has been working on his boxing with his coaches at KFA in the buildup to the fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kaupens misses with a right hand
and Kersikov counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Kaupens scores with a head kick.
Kaupens tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kersikov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A slapping leg kick lands for Kaupens.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kaupens misses with a hook to the body
and Kersikov counters with a straight right hand.
Kaupens misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kersikov.
Kersikov swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Kersikov throws a hook to the side of Kaupens's head but Kaupens sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kaupens misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kersikov appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Kersikov throws a lazy right hand but Kaupens sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Kaupens misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kaupens has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Kaupens misses with a wild body shot.
Kaupens throws a poor cross that misses
and Kersikov counters with a slapping leg kick.

Kaupens takes the fight into the clinch.
Kersikov lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Kaupens backwards.
Kersikov misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kersikov can't find room to land a body shot as Kaupens controls the action.
Kersikov lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kersikov scores with a shot to the side of Kaupens's head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Kaupens manages to break the clinch.
Kersikov takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Ansis Kaupens seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kaupens swings for the body but Kersikov moves out of range.
Kersikov appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Kaupens swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kersikov throwing a counter right hand but Kaupens manages to avoid it.
Kaupens throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kersikov is looking to counter punch.
A head kick misses from Kaupens.
An attempted straight right counter from Kersikov misses the target.
Kaupens throws an off balance right hand
and Kersikov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kaupens throws a leg kick
letting Kersikov counter with a right hand.
Kaupens throws a sloppy head kick and Kersikov moves out of range easily.
Kaupens throws a left and a right that both miss
enabling Kersikov to counter with a crisp jab.
Kaupens misses with an uppercut
and Kersikov cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Kaupens throws a head kick but Kersikov moves out of range.
Kersikov is looking to counter punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kersikov avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Kaupens fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kersikov thinks about countering with a head kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Kersikov.
Kaupens misses with a kick to the body.
Kersikov fires out a quick counter leg kick but Kaupens just manages to avoid it.
Kaupens looking to land some kicks to the body here.
It looked like Kersikov was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

Kaupens darts in and clinches Kersikov up against the cage.
Kaupens wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Kersikov lands with a light punch inside.
Kersikov lands a hook to the side of the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kersikov.
Kaupens misses with the head strike.
Kaupens wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Kaupens tries to break the clinch but Kersikov is controlling the position.
Kersikov lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Kaupens.
Kaupens tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Kersikov's elbow.
A nice left hand lands by Kersikov.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kersikov stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Kersikov lands a hook that snaps the head of Kaupens backwards.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kaupens struggles to land a body shot inside as Kersikov controls his hands.
Kersikov blocks a body shot from Kaupens.
Kersikov has Kaupens pressed against the cage, preventing Kaupens from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Kersikov misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kaupens misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kersikov lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Kaupens backwards.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Kaupens breaks from the clinch.
Kersikov throws a leg kick which misses Kaupens's front leg but catches the back leg as Kaupens tries to avoid it.
Kersikov looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Kaupens throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Kersikov scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Kaupens closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Kersikov connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Boyko Kersikov dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kersikov with a jab.
Kaupens scores with a head kick. Kersikov tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

Kaupens clinches up with Kersikov and pushes him back against the cage.

Kaupens pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kaupens scores with a jab to the jaw.
Kaupens goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A head kick by Kaupens misses
and Kersikov counters with a nice uppercut.
Kersikov throws a body kick that misses.
Kaupens follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Kersikov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kersikov is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Kaupens just misses with a punch to the body.
Boyko Kersikov is winning the standup battle so far.
Kaupens waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kersikov.
Kersikov throws a leg kick but Kaupens checks it.
Kersikov connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Kaupens's hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good work by Kersikov as he checks the leg kick.
Kersikov appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Kersikov takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Kaupens thows a leg kick but Kersikov checks it
and Kersikov counters with a stiff right hand.

Kaupens is rocked!
Kaupens throws a head kick that misses.
Kersikov was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Kaupens throws a head kick but Kersikov moves out of range.
It looked like Kersikov wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Kaupens throws a sloppy head kick and Kersikov moves out of range easily.
Kersikov throwing a counter right hand but Kaupens manages to avoid it.
Kaupens has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Kersikov.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Kaupens.
Kersikov ducks under a wild hook from Kaupens.
A low kick lands for Kersikov.
Kaupens stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Kersikov.
Kaupens pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kaupens takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Kaupens is breathing heavily.
Kaupens swinging wildly here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A head kick misses from Kaupens.
Kaupens misses with a body kick.
Kersikov tried to counter with a leg kick but Kaupens avoided it.
Kaupens scores with a nice strike.
Kersikov is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Kaupens.
Kersikov swings for the body but Kaupens moves out of range.
Kaupens rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Kersikov counters with an inside leg kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kaupens looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kaupens throws a sloppy body shot
and Kersikov counters with a straight right hand.
Kaupens moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Kaupens connects with a looping right hand.
A solid body kick from Kaupens.
Kaupens lands a slapping body shot.
Kaupens cracks Kersikov with a right hand to the side of the head.
A leg kick checked by Kersikov.
Kersikov was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Kaupens moves out of range of the body kick.
Kaupens misses with a body kick.
As Kaupens backs away, Kersikov returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Kaupens throws a sloppy head kick
and Kersikov counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
You can see that Kaupens has visibly slowed down as a result of the leg kicks
Kaupens moves in looking to clinch but Kersikov pushes him off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kersikov connects with a right hand. Kaupens shakes it off.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kaupens throws a poor cross that misses
and Kersikov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kaupens is still on wobbly legs! Can Kersikov finish him?
Kaupens throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Kersikov makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Kaupens takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Kersikov has closed the distance and engaged Kaupens in a clinch.
Kaupens seems to have recovered his senses.
Kaupens cracks Kersikov with a nice body shot.
Kersikov is pushing Kaupens up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Kersikov misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kaupens has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Kaupens is trying to force a seperation but Kersikov has the dominant position.
Kaupens tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Kersikov's elbow.
Kaupens is trying to break the clinch but Kersikov is controlling him.
Kaupens's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Kaupens wants to get back to striking at distance but Kersikov won't allow it.
Kersikov lands a nice uppercut.
Kaupens is trying to force a seperation but Kersikov has the dominant position.
Kaupens misses with a shot to the kidneys.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Boyko Kersikov will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A low kick from Kaupens is predictable there

and Kersikov counters with a crisp right hand that drops Kaupens! Kersikov lets Kaupens back up to his feet, looking for a finish!
Kaupens walks straight into a right hand from Kersikov - that's dropped him! Kersikov jumps into mount and starts pounding away - can he finish?! More strikes go undefended and the referee has to dive in to save Kaupens from any more punishment! Kaupens complains about the stoppage but falls over as he tries to stand back up, so it was clearly a good stoppage.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:11 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Boyko Kersikov!
A relieved looking Boyko Kersikov thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.