PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Kalishevski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cyril McCormack (ranked 0 p4p, 0 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.

Kalishevski
vs
McCormack

182 cm
20
179 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

170 cm
25
180 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Cobra Kai Nutrition (St. Pete's Best)

[MMABR]: TechNutri - Ensuring the quality

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Kalishevski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cyril McCormack!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Valeri Chadov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A swing and a miss from McCormack.
Kalishevski pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Kalishevski swings and misses with a hook to the body.
McCormack misses with a hook. Kalishevski ducked under it nicely.
Kalishevski takes a swing at McCormack's ribcage but misses.
The fighters circling - McCormack throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Kalishevski throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kalishevski tries to close the distance and clinch but McCormack swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kalishevski moves out of range as McCormack strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kalishevski throws a head kick that misses.
Kalishevski ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
McCormack moves out of range as Kalishevski throws a body kick.
Kalishevski is looking to clinch but McCormack is avoiding it.
McCormack looks to land a combination but Kalishevski avoids it well.
McCormack throws out a loose jab but Kalishevski uses good head movement to avoid it.
McCormack will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A solid body kick from Kalishevski.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kalishevski is on the wrong end of a nice combination from McCormack.
Kalishevski throws a sloppy head kick and McCormack moves out of range easily.
McCormack throws an overhand right that lands on Kalishevski's shoulder, as Kalishevski tries to avoid the shot.
McCormack takes a swing at Kalishevski's ribcage but misses.
McCormack is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Kalishevski lands with a thumping leg kick.
McCormack swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCormack scores with the left hand. Kalishevski knows he should have avoided that one.
McCormack throws a hook to the side of Kalishevski's head but Kalishevski sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kalishevski moves out of range of the strikes.
McCormack avoids the head kick by Kalishevski.
Kalishevski is looking to land body kicks.
Kalishevski throws a sloppy head kick and McCormack moves out of range easily.
Kalishevski throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Kalishevski uses good head movement to avoid the hook from McCormack.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kalishevski on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Nice defenses there by Kalishevski.
McCormack misses with a looping left.
McCormack sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Kalishevski moves out of range of the strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
McCormack misses with a looping right.
A nice combination there by Kalishevski.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Kalishevski dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Kalishevski misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
McCormack avoids the head kick by Kalishevski.
Kalishevski tries to close the distance and clinch but McCormack swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kalishevski staying out of range there.
Kalishevski feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to McCormack's calf.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McCormack throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Kalishevski counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Kalishevski throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kalishevski throws a body kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kalishevski throws a quick head kick that skims the top of McCormack's head.
Kalishevski uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from McCormack.
McCormack just misses with a punch to the body.
Kalishevski pivots, looking for a leg kick but McCormack is out of range and Kalishevski settles back down.
Kalishevski throws a nice head kick!
Kalishevski misses with a head kick.
McCormack takes a head kick and keeps coming.
McCormack might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McCormack misses with an uppercut.
McCormack avoids the head kick by Kalishevski.
Kalishevski ducks under a wild hook from McCormack.
Kalishevski throws a wild body kick that McCormack sees coming a mile off.
A jab from McCormack misses.
McCormack connects with a looping right hand.
McCormack lands a nice hook to Kalishevski's body. Kalishevski takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCormack stalks Kalishevski and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Kalishevski's face. Kalishevski staggers backwards, shaken.
Kalishevski keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Kalishevski misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
McCormack works Kalishevski's body with a nice hook.
McCormack throws a one two combo.
McCormack pivots, looking for a leg kick but Kalishevski is out of range and McCormack settles back down.
Nice uppercut lands for McCormack. That snapped Kalishevski's head back.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McCormack scores with a jab.
Kalishevski doesn't manage to clinch there - McCormack circles away.
Kalishevski throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Kalishevski slips under a jab.
McCormack misses with a two punch combination.
Kalishevski goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Ivan Kalishevski is winning the standup battle so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A left lands for McCormack.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ivan Kalishevski will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

McCormack throws a leg kick
and Kalishevski counters with a big head kick but McCormack shrugs it off.
McCormack misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kalishevski.

Kalishevski moves into range and clinches up with McCormack.
McCormack working hard to break the clinch.
McCormack lands a right hand.
McCormack works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Kalishevski is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
McCormack tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Kalishevski has McCormack pressed against the cage, preventing McCormack from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

McCormack's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
McCormack avoids the head kick by Kalishevski.
A nice combination there by McCormack.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Kalishevski.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kalishevski lands a right hook to the body.
McCormack throws a looping overhand right but Kalishevski ducks down to avoid it.
McCormack lands a really nice looking cross but Kalishevski seems unphased.
McCormack fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kalishevski manages to avoid it.
A jab from McCormack does it's job there.
McCormack looks to throw the jab but Kalishevski is out of range.
McCormack avoids the head kick by Kalishevski.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice cross by McCormack.
McCormack throws a leg kick
and Kalishevski counters with a nice kick to the body.
Kalishevski tries to close the distance and clinch but McCormack swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kalishevski tries to clinch there but McCormack circles away.
Kalishevski wants to clinch.
McCormack takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Cyril McCormack has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCormack jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kalishevski is looking to clinch.
Kalishevski tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
McCormack throws a jab but it's blocked by Kalishevski.
McCormack paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Ivan Kalishevski is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kalishevski lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.

That's four 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.
McCormack throws a looping overhand right but Kalishevski ducks down to avoid it.
McCormack throws a shot to the body.
Kalishevski takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
A nice leg kick lands there from Kalishevski.
A chopping leg kick lands by Kalishevski.
Kalishevski misses with an attempted mid kick.
Kalishevski scoring well with a low kick there.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ivan Kalishevski.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kalishevski, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Ivan Kalishevski!