PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bruno Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stepan Koshka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Koshka is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by GodSmack - Crying Like a Bitch. Bruno Souza has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Souza
vs
Koshka

170 cm
19
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

155 cm
23
145 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bruno Souza!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Stepan Koshka!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Ivan Kurochkin and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Souza doesn't manage to clinch there - Koshka circles away.
Koshka throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Koshka throws a right hand that Souza ducks under and follows up with a left that Souza also avoids with ease.
Souza fails with an attempt to clinch.
Koshka misses with a body shot.
Koshka misses with the combination.
Koshka pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Souza is defended easily by Koshka.
Souza wants to clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Koshka. Souza does a little dance to reset his feet.
Souza tries to score a power double leg takedown but Koshka sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Souza somewhat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Koshka misses the shot to the body.
Koshka misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Souza changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Koshka tries to avoid it but Souza manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Koshka to the ground. Koshka escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bruno Souza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Koshka throws a nice looking combination but Souza bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Stepan Koshka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Souza tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koshka throws a nice looking combination but Souza bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Souza tries to clinch there but Koshka circles away.
Souza throws a sloppy head kick and Koshka moves out of range easily.
Koshka fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Souza manages to avoid it.
Souza slips a jab and a cross from Koshka.
Koshka lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Souza circles away quickly and effectively.
Koshka misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Koshka scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Souza shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Koshka defends it nicely.
Souza keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Souza changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Koshka tries to avoid it but Souza manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Koshka to the ground. Koshka escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Souza shoots for a double leg takedown but Koshka sprawls well. He's pushed Souza's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A right-left combo lands from Koshka.
No luck for Souza with that takedown attempt.
Koshka lands a nice hook to Souza's body. Souza takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Souza is breathing heavily.
Koshka throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Souza stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Souza dodges the punch combination from Koshka.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koshka ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Souza moves away.
Souza takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Souza fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Koshka checks it well.
Koshka throws a body punch but Souza moves out of range.
Koshka misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Koshka throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Koshka swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Koshka tries to bum rush Souza with a series of wild strikes but Souza uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Koshka throws a series of punches but Souza moves out of range.
Koshka misses with a double jab.
Souza avoids a punch combination nicely.
Koshka takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Koshka swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Jab by Koshka.
Koshka swats away the attempt to clinch by Souza.
Souza fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Left hook, right uppercut from Koshka.
Koshka throws a right hand that Souza ducks under and follows up with a left that Souza also avoids with ease.
Souza scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Souza is defended easily by Koshka.
Koshka lands a nice shot to the body.
Souza is trying hard to land a takedown here. Koshka sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Koshka throws a shot to the body.
Koshka is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Souza rather than just go for the knockout.
Koshka throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Souza.
Souza walks into a left hand.
Danga de danga de dang - Koshka scores with a four punch combination!
Souza uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Koshka.
Koshka misses with a straight left.
Souza wants to clinch up but Koshka keeps it at a distance.
Koshka looks to score with a jab to the body but Souza is just out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Koshka misses.
Nice uppercut there from Koshka.
Souza uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Koshka.
Koshka misses with a hook.
Koshka slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
A nice combination there by Koshka.
Souza tries for a takedown but Koshka sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Koshka lands a nice hook to Souza's body. Souza takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Koshka tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Souza was well out of range. Poor timing from Koshka.
Souza shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Koshka lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Souza backs up against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Souza fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Koshka throws a series of punches but Souza avoids them all with ease.
A jab from Koshka misses.
Danga de danga de dang - Koshka scores with a four punch combination!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Koshka lands with an uppercut that bounces Souza off the cage and back into rage.
Koshka throws a series of punches but Souza avoids them all with ease.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stepan Koshka dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Koshka scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Koshka misses with a two punch combination.
Koshka keeps the fight on the outside.
Souza walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
The fight stays on the outside here - Souza looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Souza ducks under a wild hook from Koshka.
Koshka cracks Souza with an open hand slap.

Souza scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Koshka is looking to get back to his feet here but Souza is keeping cool and he's managed to take Koshka's back.
Koshka staying busy and making it hard for Souza to control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Souza lands a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza wants to control the position but Koshka frees himself and scrambles - Souza manages to regain control in side control.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Koshka explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Koshka thows a body shot but no joy.
Souza bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Koshka misses with a wild body shot.
Koshka looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Koshka lands with a shot to the body.

Souza closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Souza lands in his opponent's guard.
Koshka wants to stand and escape but Souza is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Souza not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koshka wants to stand but Souza is controlling the position.
Souza trying to control the position from guard on top but Koshka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Souzais looking to pass into half guard but Koshka pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Koshka is in guard.

Koshka gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
A punch combination from Koshka misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Koshka gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Souza prevents Koshka from getting back to his feet.
Souza trying to control the position from guard on top but Koshka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Koshka is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Souza wants to pass the guard but Koshka is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Bruno Souza just wasn't active enough.
Koshka's corner calls for a 1-2. Koshka obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Koshka throws a right hand that Souza ducks under and follows up with a left that Souza also avoids with ease.
Koshka lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Souza backs up against the cage.
Koshka throws a right hand that Souza ducks under and follows up with a left that Souza also avoids with ease.
Koshka misses with a body shot.
Bruno Souza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Souza dodges the punch combination from Koshka.
Koshka ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Souza moves away.
Souza avoids a punch combination nicely.
Souza throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Koshka's waist but Koshka gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Souza off to one side.
No joy there for Koshka, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Koshka fails to land with a series of punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruno Souza dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Koshka tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Souza was well out of range. Poor timing from Koshka.
Stepan Koshka seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Koshka throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Koshka misses with a straight right.
Koshka throws a series of punches but Souza moves out of range.
Koshka clobbers Souza with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Koshka throws a right hand that Souza ducks under and follows up with a left that Souza also avoids with ease.
A combination from Koshka does no damage.
Souza tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Koshka was well out of range. Poor timing from Souza.
Souza tries to clinch but Koshka is having none of it.
Souza tries to score with a low kick but Koshka moves his leg out of the way.
Souza takes a swing at Koshka's ribcage but misses.
Souza is looking to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Souza drives through with a takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Souza trying to control the position from guard on top but Koshka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Souza with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koshka wants to stand up but Souza is controlling him.
Souza with a flurry of punches that miss.
Koshka avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Souza sitting in guard here, content to control.
Koshka is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Souza is controlling him.
Souza trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

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.

Koshka is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Souza tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Koshka smiles and moves away.
Koshka rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Souza moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Souza looks to land a combination but Koshka avoids it well.
Koshka misses with a hook to the body

and Souza counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Koshka is trying to force a seperation but Souza has the dominant position.

Souza escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice cross by Koshka.
Koshka misses the body punch
and Souza counters with a two punch combo.
Koshka lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Souza circles away quickly and effectively.
Koshka takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koshka throws a left and a right that both miss

and Souza counters with a takedown into side control.
Souza will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Koshka is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Souza passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Koshka!
Souza fails to move to back control.
Souza trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Koshka wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koshka is squirming around, avoiding Souza's attempts to control the action.
Koshka in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Koshka squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

Souza looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Bruno Souza overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Koshka wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bruno Souza showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Souza has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bruno Souza!
Bruno Souza is the new bantamweight champion!