PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eugene Kalivas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hagen Potente (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Kalivas
vs
Potente

179 cm
22
202 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

190 cm
24
212 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Eugene Kalivas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Hagen Potente!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Joseph Jones and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Potente tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kalivas swivels and escapes.
Kalivas throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Kalivas gets caught flat footed, as Potente shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Potente slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Potente must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Kalivas has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kalivas wriggles free and stands up.
Potente throws a sloppy head kick and Kalivas moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kalivas moves in looking to clinch but Potente pushes him off.
Kalivas is looking to chop away at Potente's legs.
Potente slips a jab from Kalivas.
Potente tries to clinch there but Kalivas circles away.
Kalivas throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Kalivas misses with a double jab.

Kalivas moves into the clinch successfully.

Potente's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kalivas tries to clinch there but Potente circles away.
Kalivas fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Potente is out of range.
Kalivas throws a chopping leg kick but Potente manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Kalivas stuffs the takedown.
Potente chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Potente closes the distance looking to clinch

and Kalivas holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Kalivas has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Potente uses from the top position.
Kalivas looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Potente trying to control but Kalivas is working from the bottom.
Potente wants to get up but he can't break Kalivas's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Kalivas is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kalivas lands a body shot.

Potente manages to break the clinch.
Kalivas tries to land a front kick but Potente steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Kalivas throws a head kick but Potente moves out of range.
Eugene Kalivas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Potente tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kalivas paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kalivas misses with a two punch combination.
Kalivas lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
No joy there for Kalivas, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kalivas displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Kalivas throws a series of strikes that have Potente backpedaling.
Potente is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Potente misses with a takedown attempt - Kalivas sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Potente slips a jab and a cross from Kalivas.
Eugene Kalivas is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kalivas misses with a few strikes there.
Kalivas fails with the takedown.
Some wild striking there from Kalivas.
A combination from Kalivas does no damage.
Kalivas misses with a series of wild punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kalivas closes the distance and pushes Potente back into the cage.

Potente breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kalivas will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Kalivas is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Potente shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Kalivas sprawls well. Kalivas wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Potente gets slowly back to his feet.
Kalivas misses with a few strikes there.

Potente closes the distance and pushes Kalivas back into the cage.
Potente gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Potente throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Kalivass head.

Potente's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A low kick from Kalivas is predictable there
and Potente counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Potente closes the distance looking to clinch
and Kalivas counters with a stiff right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Potente takes the fight into the clinch.
Potente taking a breather.
Potente working Kalivas over with knees to the body.
Potente creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Kalivas's defenses.
A right hand to the body from Potente.
Potente lands a nice elbow.
Knees to the body from Potente.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Potente escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Potente moves into the clinch.
Potente is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Potente lands a knee to the body.
Potente drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kalivas gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Potente has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Kalivas is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Eugene Kalivas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hagen Potente.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Potente can't get the takedown.
Kalivas tries to pull guard but Potente holds him up against the cage and eventually Kalivas drops back down to his feet.

Potente decides to pull guard.
Kalivas trying to control but Potente is working from the bottom.
Potente looking for a sweep. Not yet Potente, not yet.

Kalivas decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kalivas gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Kalivas blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Potente stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Potente missing with knees to the body.
Come on Kalivas - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Kalivas blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Potente's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Potente misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kalivas.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Kalivas.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Potente.
Kalivas lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Potente or not.
Kalivas jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Potente walks away with a smile on his face. Kalivas gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Kalivas misses with a combination
and Potente counters with a thumping low kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hagen Potente 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. This is the final round!

Kalivas tries to clinch
and Potente counters with a low kick, right behind Kalivas 's knee.
Kalivas looks to clinch
and Potente counters with a leg kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Potente. That's going to slow Kalivas down.
Potente is looking to slow Kalivas down with leg kicks.
Potente closes the distance but Kalivas moves to the side

so Kalivas counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Potente trying to control the position here.
Kalivas has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Potente is proving hard to escape from.
Kalivas might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Potente is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Kalivas trying to control but Potente is working from the bottom.
Potente is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Potente is trying to keep Kalivas in close.
Kalivas showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kalivas is pushing down on Potente's leg trying to pass to half guard. Potente is fighting to maintain full guard but Kalivas has managed to sneak the leg through.
Potente trying to hold on to Kalivas's head to control him but Kalivas postures up.

Kalivas stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Kalivas closes the distance but Potente moves to the side

and Potente counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Kalivas's guard now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Potente tries to stand but Kalivas is controlling from the bottom.
Potente is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Kalivas looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kalivas pulls Potente in to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hagen Potente comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Potente has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hagen Potente!