PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joaquim Maria (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tolya Kozakov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maria comes to the cage accompanied by Kronos - Bloodtower. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Maria
vs
Kozakov

193 cm
20
270 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

203 cm
21
278 lbs
9 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Joaquim Maria!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tolya Kozakov!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maria throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Kozakov.

It looks like Tolya Kozakov has been cut.
Kozakov avoids the head kick by Maria.
Kozakov misses with a few strikes there.
Kozakov throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Maria counters with a nice kick to the body.
Kozakov throws a head kick that misses.
Kozakov throws a body kick the misses
and Maria counters with a big head kick but Kozakov shrugs it off.
Maria throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Maria looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Kozakov looks gassed!
Kozakov misses with a shot to the body
and Maria counters with a nice low kick that buckles Kozakov's knee momentarily.
Kozakov throws a sloppy head kick
and Maria finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Maria connects with a solid leg kick.
Maria throws a nice outside leg kick.
Maria throws a nice inside leg kick.
Maria looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Kozakov sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maria bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Maria throws a quick inside leg kick.
Maria pushes Kozakov away with a front kick.
Maria thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Kozakov if he has to take too many more of those.
Maria misses with a head kick.
Maria buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kozakov on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Maria throws a quick inside leg kick.
Maria scores with a kick to the midsection.
Maria lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Maria with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A good leg kick by Maria.
Kozakov's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Maria lands a nice looking kick to the body. Kozakov takes a step back to recover.
Maria lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Maria throws a leg kick which misses Kozakov's front leg but catches the back leg as Kozakov tries to avoid it.
Maria moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Kozakov stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Maria.
Kozakov thows a leg kick but Maria checks it
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Maria throws a nice outside leg kick.
Maria scores with a kick to the body.
Kozakov tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Maria lands a high kick!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maria misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Maria feints and then cracks Kozakov's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Kozakov down.
Maria lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Maria lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Maria lands a nice looking kick to the body. Kozakov takes a step back to recover.
A nice leg kick lands there from Maria.
Maria throws a quick inside leg kick.
Maria scores with a leg kick.
Maria buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Maria feints and then cracks Kozakov's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Kozakov down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Maria.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maria thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Kozakov if he has to take too many more of those.
Maria throws a nice inside leg kick.
Good leg kick by Maria there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Maria scores with a head kick. Kozakov tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Maria feints and then cracks Kozakov's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Kozakov down.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Maria, right into the meat.
Maria moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A chopping leg kick lands by Maria.
An inside leg kick lands from Maria.
A chopping leg kick lands by Maria.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joaquim Maria dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tolya Kozakov's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Maria goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
A nice leg kick lands there from Maria.
Maria bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Maria throws a nice inside leg kick.
Joaquim Maria seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Maria fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kozakov has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Joaquim Maria is winning the standup battle so far.
Maria is looking to slow Kozakov down with leg kicks.
Kozakov avoids the head kick by Maria.
Kozakov misses with a right hand
and Maria counters with a nice body kick.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Maria throws a sloppy head kick and Kozakov moves out of range easily.
A nice leg kick lands there from Maria.
Kozakov tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kozakov is breathing heavily.
A head kick by Kozakov misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maria lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Maria chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Kozakov takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
That kick from Maria tenderised Kozakov's leg. Kozakov is trying to keep his angry face on.
Maria connects with a good right hand that stumbles Kozakov. Kozakov circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
A head kick misses from Maria.
Tolya Kozakov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A head kick by Kozakov misses
and Maria counters with a nice leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Maria.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Maria turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Maria.
Maria throws a quick inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maria connects with an inside leg kick.
Kozakov chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Maria can pounce on him.
Maria lands a nice looking body kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Maria, right into the meat.
Maria throws a nice outside leg kick.
Maria scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Kozakov takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Maria fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kozakov has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Kozakov takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Maria dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Kozakov. That did some damage!
Kozakov chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Maria can pounce on him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kozakov takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Maria buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Maria has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Kozakov chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Maria can pounce on him.
Maria feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Kozakov's calf.
Maria throws a head kick that Kozakov semi-blocks.
Maria with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A nice leg kick lands there from Maria.
Kozakov on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Maria connects with a solid leg kick.
Kozakov chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Maria can pounce on him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kozakov takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Maria is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kozakov can do to turn this around?
Maria feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Kozakov's calf.
Kozakov has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Maria.
Maria throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Kozakov's head.
Maria connects with an inside leg kick.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Kozakov might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Maria has got the better of the exchanges.
Maria tries a head kick but it misses.
Maria pushes Kozakov away with a front kick.
Maria misses with a kick to the body.
Maria with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Maria fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kozakov has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Maria lands a nice looking kick to the body. Kozakov takes a step back to recover.
Kozakov takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joaquim Maria dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tolya Kozakov's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Kozakov has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Maria.
Maria scores with a nice body kick.
Maria with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Maria scores with a leg kick.
Maria throws a body kick that misses.
Kozakov throws a lazy head kick
and Maria counters with an inside leg kick.
Maria scoring well with a low kick there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maria lets loose with a powerful body kick. Kozakov will feel that in the morning.
Maria moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Maria lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Maria connects with a leg kick. Kozakov looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Kozakov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Maria fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Kozakov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kozakov takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Maria - that will leave a mark!
Maria connects with a solid leg kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Maria.
Nice body kick there by Maria.
Crunch! Maria slams his shin into Kozakov's torso.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A solid body kick from Maria.
Maria fakes the leg kick and cracks Kozakov in the body.
Kozakov takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Maria. Kozakov shrugs it off though.
Maria lands with a thumping leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maria lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Maria tries a head kick but it misses.
Maria throws a push kick but Kozakov slaps the foot to one side.
Kozakov throws a head kick that misses
and Maria counters with a nice kick to the body.
Maria fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Kozakov.
Maria turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Maria lands a nice leg kick that just misses Kozakov's sensitive parts.
Maria lands with a slapping head kick.
Kozakov takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Maria pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kozakov tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maria throws a leg kick which misses Kozakov's front leg but catches the back leg as Kozakov tries to avoid it.
Maria throws a nice outside leg kick.
Maria scores with a nice body kick.
Maria dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Kozakov. That did some damage!
A head kick by Kozakov misses
and Maria counters with a body kick that stops Kozakov in his tracks momentarily.
Maria fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kozakov has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Maria lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
An inside leg kick lands from Maria.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Maria throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Maria connects with a solid leg kick.
Joaquim Maria is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maria buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Maria moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Maria fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kozakov has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Maria connects with an inside leg kick.
Maria lands with a thumping leg kick.
Kozakov misses with a body shot
and Maria makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Kozakov really felt that one!
Nice body kick there by Maria.
A slapping body kick lands there for Maria.
A slapping leg kick lands for Maria.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Maria connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Both fighters circling a little - Maria finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Tolya Kozakov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Maria throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joaquim Maria showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Maria has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:24
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:24
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:24

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joaquim Maria!