PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dmitry Rodichkin (ranked 1962 p4p, 2567 weight class) and Léopold Béliveau (ranked 234 p4p, 304 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Rodichkin
vs
Béliveau

180 cm
27
200
3 - 4 - 0

181 cm
27
194
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class MT
Heavy handed

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dmitry Rodichkin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Léopold Béliveau!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, James Ackerman and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Béliveau swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
We've been informed that Béliveau has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Nice defenses there by Béliveau.
Rodichkin with a hook.
Nice defenses there by Béliveau.
Rodichkin misses with an uppercut
and Béliveau counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Béliveau bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Rodichkin's head.
Rodichkin misses with a left hand

and Béliveau counters with a crisp right hand that drops Rodichkin! Béliveau lets Rodichkin back up to his feet, looking for a finish!

It looks like Dmitry Rodichkin has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Béliveau misses with an attempted mid kick.
No joy there for Rodichkin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Béliveau looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Rodichkin throws a hook to the side of Béliveau's head but Béliveau sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Béliveau will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Béliveau throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Rodichkin dives in for a single leg takedown but Béliveau sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Béliveau escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Béliveau moves out of range of the strikes.
Rodichkin swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Béliveau throws out a counter right but Rodichkin avoids it with no problem.
Rodichkin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Béliveau moves away.
Rodichkin rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Béliveau connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Rodichkin is rocked!
Rodichkin misses with a hook to the body
and Béliveau rattles Rodichkin with a well-timed uppercut counter. - Rodichkin tries to back away and recover but his hands are down low and he gets tagged again, sending him stumbling down to the canvas. Béliveau dives in after him and quickly finishes the job with a trio of brutal punches, leaving Rodichkin stiff and motionless on the mat!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:29 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Léopold Béliveau!
An out of breath Léopold Béliveau thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.