PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Valeriy Kozlaev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lipidio Ribeiro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kozlaev's entrance music is Drago. A fine choice. Lipidio Ribeiro has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kozlaev
vs
Ribeiro

163 cm
25
142 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

174 cm
26
140 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Valeriy Kozlaev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lipidio Ribeiro!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Leandro Rodrigues and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kozlaev scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
A jab from Kozlaev finds it's way through Ribeiro's defenses.

Kozlaev shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Nice strikes from Kozlaev there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kozlaev thows a huge punch but Ribeiro dodges it nicely.
Kozlaev is trying to control the action in half guard but Ribeiro is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Kozlaev wants to free his trapped foot but Ribeiro is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Ribeiro is not content to let Kozlaev control the position.
Kozlaev working over Ribeiro with some ground and pound. Ribeiro looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Kozlaev keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Kozlaev sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ribeiro defending well though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kozlaev missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Kozlaev missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kozlaev has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Kozlaev thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Ribeiro avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kozlaev.
Kozlaev looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Ribeiro is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Kozlaev scores with a couple of nice shots.
Kozlaev throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Kozlaev is looking for a kimura here.

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.
Kozlaev working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Ribeiro really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kozlaev. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Kozlaev slips a nice elbow through Ribeiro's hands, connecting with Ribeiro's forehead.
Ribeiro avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kozlaev.
Kozlaev is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Kozlaev takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Kozlaev content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Ribeiro taking some punishment here, with Kozlaev in his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kozlaev keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Kozlaev thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Kozlaev controlling the pace.
Kozlaev lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Kozlaev not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Kozlaev lands strikes from half guard.
Kozlaev winds up and cracks Ribeiro with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Kozlaev is taking a breather. Ribeiro says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Kozlaev is nestled in close to Ribeiro, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ribeiro can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Kozlaev is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Kozlaev passes to side control.
Kozlaev postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Kozlaev trying to control the action but Ribeiro is working from the bottom.
Kozlaev slows the pace down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Valeriy Kozlaev dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Kozlaev shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Kozlaev looking to finish with strikes here!
Kozlaev postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Ribeiro looks a forlorn figure.
Kozlaev tries to control but Ribeiro wriggling away.
Kozlaev controlling from the full mount.
Kozlaev looking to finish Ribeiro with some ground and pound. This is bad for Ribeiro!
Kozlaev scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Kozlaev unloading with bombs!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kozlaev landing strikes, looking to finish!

Ribeiro is rocked!
Kozlaev is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Ribeiro is still in real trouble! Can Kozlaev finish him?
Kozlaev controlling the pace for now.
Kozlaev with the ground and pound from mount.
Ribeiro is breathing heavily.
Kozlaev pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Ribeiro seems to have recovered his senses.
Kozlaev in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Kozlaev controlling the pace for now.
Kozlaev lands a heavy elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kozlaev takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kozlaev's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Kozlaev landing punches.
Kozlaev is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ribeiro can do to turn this around?
The referee warns Ribeiro that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Kozlaev lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Kozlaev lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Ribeiro hang on?
Kozlaev controlling from the full mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kozlaev seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Ribeiro for as long as he can get away with.
Kozlaev lands a big shot there that rocks Ribeiro but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Kozlaev trying to control but Ribeiro is having none of it.
Kozlaev scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Ribeiro?
Kozlaev connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Kozlaev punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kozlaev working Ribeiro over with strikes here.
Kozlaev controlling the position easily from mount.
Kozlaev looking to finish Ribeiro with some ground and pound. This is bad for Ribeiro!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kozlaev drops a big elbow. That's hurt Ribeiro! More shots from Kozlaev and the ref steps in! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:49 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Valeriy Kozlaev!