PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alex Ku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yevgeni Ratchenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ku has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Yevgeni Ratchenko has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Alex Ku's chin.

Ku
vs
Ratchenko

183 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
18
187 lbs
1 - 2 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alex Ku!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Yevgeni Ratchenko!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Illya Tyunina and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ku swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Ratchenko.
Jeez, both these guys look absolutely knackered already, that's not a good sign!

Ku changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Ratchenko looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Ratchenko is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Ku's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Ratchenko controlling the position well.
Ku is looking to stall here but Ratchenko recovers full guard.
Ratchenko trying to strike off his back.

Ratchenko manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Ratchenko shoots in and bounces Ku off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ku is looking to stand up but Ratchenko isn't so interested in that idea.
Ku looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ku knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ratchenko on the ground.
Ratchenko works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Ku wants to get back to his feet.
Ratchenko slows the pace down in half guard.

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.
Ku is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Ratchenko jumps into side control!
Ku tries to bench press Ratchenko off him but Ratchenko keeps the position.
Ratchenko cracks Ku with a big right hand but Ku just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Ku bucks up and tries to throw Ratchenko off but instead Ratchenko has got his back!
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.

Ratchenko looking for the choke but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
I really don't envy Ku right now.
Ratchenko is punishing Ku with strikes - can he finish him?!
Ku is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Ku has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Ratchenko.
Ratchenko throwing wild punches that miss their target.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ku holding both Ratchenko 's hands and preventing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Ku tries to break free.
Ratchenko trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Ku doesn't escape.

Ratchenko working for the choke.
I really don't envy Ku right now.
Ratchenko lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Ratchenko.

Ratchenko looking for the choke from the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yevgeni Ratchenko dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

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

Ratchenko decides to stand back up. Ratchenko steps back and let's Ku get back to his feet.

Ku drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

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

Ku escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ku avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Ku drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Ku wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ratchenko keeps working.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ratchenko can't do much from the bottom here.
Ku tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ratchenko is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Ku tries to stand and escape but Ratchenko is controlling the position.
Ratchenko is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Ku's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Ku's back!
Yevgeni Ratchenko has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ratchenko is trying to stick to Ku's back but Ku is turning into Ratchenko. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Ratchenko's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Ku.
Ku wants to stand and escape but instead Ratchenko has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Ratchenko stands up and waves to Ku to follow him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ku scores with a nice head shot.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Ku breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ku tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Ratchenko closes the distance and clinches.
Ratchenko tries to circle away but Ku has him pinned against the cage.
Ratchenko is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Ku can't break the clinch.

Ku pulls guard successfully.
Ratchenko is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Ratchenko pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ku is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ku tries to strike from the bottom.
Ku is wriggling around but Ratchenko manages to pass to half guard.
Ratchenko wants to pass to mount but Ku is defending the position.

Ku kicks Ratchenko off and gets back to his feet.
Ku fails with the takedown.
Ratchenko tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ku sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Ratchenko somewhat.

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.
Ku tries to clinch there but Ratchenko circles away.
Ku tests Ratchenko's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ku looks to clinch

and Ratchenko counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Ratchenko looking to pass the guard.
Ku is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Ratchenko controls from within his opponent's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ku is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yevgeni Ratchenko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Ku's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ku ducks under a wild hook from Ratchenko.

Ku shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Ratchenko controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Ratchenko regains full guard. Nicely done.
Ratchenko is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ku is looking to work some ground and pound but Ratchenko has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ku wants to stand but Ratchenko is controlling his posture from full guard.
Ku throws and elbow that misses. Ratchenko uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Ku's guard. Nice move by Ratchenko!
Ku trying to keep a closed guard but Ratchenko is proving a slippery customer.

Ku is working an open guard so Ratchenko takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Ratchenko takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
A right-left combo lands from Ku.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Ratchenko shoots for a double leg takedown but Ku sprawls well. He's pushed Ratchenko's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ku jabs at Ratchenko's body.

Ku shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Ratchenko kicks Ku off and gets back to his feet.
Ku tries to clinch up but Ratchenko circles away and keeps his distance.
Ku lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Ratchenko ducks under a wild hook from Ku.
Ratchenko walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Ku looks to land a right hand but Ratchenko moved out of range.
Yevgeni Ratchenko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Ratchenko darts in and clinches Ku up against the cage.
Ratchenko changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Ku fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ku scores with a nice right hand.
Ku with a nice cross.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ratchenko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ku misses with a takedown

and Ratchenko counters with a single leg into guard. Ku didn't expect that.
Ratchenko is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Ku is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Ku wants to pass to mount but Ratchenko is defending the position.
Ratchenko is trying is best to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ku missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ku wants to get back to his feet.
Ratchenko keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ku trying to control from half guard but Ratchenko is working away.
Ratchenko is trying to get back to full guard.
Ku is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Ratchenko reverses the position - he's now on top in Ku's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yevgeni Ratchenko comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ratchenko 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yevgeni Ratchenko!