PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Makuku Kukula (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paolo Cipriano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kukula is coming into this fight with a significant injury, which will no doubt have an effect on his cardio. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Kukula
vs
Cipriano

225 cm
19
280 lbs
3 - 10 - 0

225 cm
19
300 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

Dangerous GnP
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Makuku Kukula!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Paolo Cipriano!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Damien Edna and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cipriano feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Cipriano must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Kukula is breathing heavily.
Cipriano controls from within his opponent's guard.
Cipriano trying to control but Kukula is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Cipriano's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Cipriano sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Cipriano distracts Kukula with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Cipriano trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cipriano seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Cipriano working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Cipriano slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Cipriano trying to control the position from guard on top but Kukula is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Despite being in the dominant position, Paolo Cipriano just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Cipriano decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Kukula really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Cipriano lands with a punch from half guard.
Cipriano working over Kukula with some ground and pound. Kukula looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cipriano is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Cipriano wants to control but Kukula is keeping him busy.
Cipriano winds up and cracks Kukula with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Cipriano landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Cipriano wants to control but Kukula is keeping him busy.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Cipriano is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Cipriano content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cipriano is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Cipriano looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Cipriano stalling.
Cipriano scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Kukula is not content to let Cipriano control the position.
Cipriano scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Cipriano is controlling the pace.
Cipriano lands strikes from half guard.
Cipriano really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kukula. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cipriano keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Ground and pound from Cipriano.
Cipriano lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Nice strikes from Cipriano there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cipriano controlling the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cipriano is looking to take a break and control but Kukula is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paolo Cipriano dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cipriano has Kukula up against the cage in a clinch.
Kukula stops a takedown attempt from Cipriano.
Cipriano wants to break free but Kukula has control.
Cipriano wants a takedown but no success here.
Cipriano looking for a takedown.
Makuku Kukula has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paolo Cipriano.
Cipriano is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Kukula pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Cipriano looking for a takedown.
Cipriano is trying to drag Kukula to the mat but Kukula just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Cipriano wants a takedown but no success here.
Kukula has Cipriano pressed against the cage, preventing Cipriano from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Cipriano has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Kukula regains guard immediately.
Cipriano slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kukula working a defensive guard here.
Cipriano pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kukula is keeping the position for now.
Cipriano with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Cipriano lands a couple of digs.
Cipriano is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Cipriano works over Kukula with some ground and pound from guard.
Cipriano's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Cipriano chips away with some ground and pound.
Cipriano trying to control but Kukula is working from the bottom.
Cipriano is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Cipriano pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kukula is keeping the position for now.
Cipriano landing with the ground and pound.
Kukula is trying to keep Cipriano in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cipriano trying to control but Kukula is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Cipriano rushes Kukula and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Cipriano tries to score a body lock takedown but Kukula shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Cipriano is working for takedown but Kukula is calmly controlling the position for now.

Cipriano lands a takedown into guard.
Kukula is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kukula being controlled here, momentarily.
Cipriano is working Kukula over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cipriano lands a couple of digs.
Cipriano stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kukula swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kukula not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Cipriano content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Cipriano trying to control but Kukula is working from the bottom.
Cipriano scoring with some ground and pound.
Cipriano postures up.
Cipriano with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Cipriano trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paolo Cipriano showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Cipriano scores a takedown into full mount!
Cipriano lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Cipriano wants to control the pace but Kukula is squirming around nicely.
The referee warns Kukula that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
A nice elbow there by Cipriano.
Kukula takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Cipriano postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kukula looks a forlorn figure.
Paolo Cipriano has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cipriano pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Cipriano postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kukula looks a forlorn figure.
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!
Cipriano is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cipriano postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kukula looks a forlorn figure.
Cipriano landing strikes from the mount.
Cipriano landing punches.
The referee warns Kukula that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Cipriano landing strikes, looking to finish!
Kukula is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Cipriano cracks Kukula with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Cipriano punishing his opponent with strikes.
Paolo Cipriano is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kukula wants to hold on but Cipriano pushes him away.
Cipriano scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Cipriano in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Cipriano sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Paolo Cipriano just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Cipriano shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Kukula napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cipriano staying calm.
Cipriano scoring with punches from side control.
Kukula is being controlled here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paolo Cipriano comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Cipriano 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 25:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 25:30
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paolo Cipriano!