PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Slobodan Kacar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Athelston Cupp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Kacar
vs
Cupp

175 cm
19
168 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Slobodan Kacar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Athelston Cupp!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Ivan Kurochkin and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cupp changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kacar tries to avoid it but Cupp manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kacar to the ground. Kacar escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Kacar misses with a takedown attempt - Cupp sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Kacar showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cupp.
Cupp misses with a head kick.

Kacar has taken the fight to the clinch.
Cupp wants to get back to striking at distance but Kacar won't allow it.

Kacar drags the fight down to the ground.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Cupp throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Cupp tries to free his leg and advance position but Kacar is retaining full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kacar avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cupp has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kacar preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kacar knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cupp on the ground.
Kacar working a defensive guard here.
Kacar is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Cupp is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Cupp working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kacar's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cupp sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Kacar controls Cupp momentarily but Cupp frees himself.
Kacar is trying to hold Cupp in close to prevent damage but Cupp has managed to pass into half guard.
Cupp lands with a punch from half guard.
Cupp is taking a breather. Kacar 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.

Cupp decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Cupp drives through and clinches with Kacar against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Kacar is trying to stall.
Cupp scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Kacar jumps guard.
Cupp content to stall in guard here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cupp keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Kacar's head.
Cupp slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Cupp trying to control the position but Kacar is working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cupp landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kacar is being controlled here.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Kacar is looking for a sweep.
Cupp is putting a hurting on Kacar here, landing some big shots from side control.
Kacar is breathing heavily.
Cupp working the ground and pound.

Cupp stands up.
Cupp takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Kacar moves in looking to clinch but Cupp pushes him off.

Cupp closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Kacar did well to prevent Cupp getting side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kacar wants to get back to full guard but Cupp has passed into side control.
Cupp landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cupp lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Kacar down.
Cupp landing a few strikes.
Cupp lands some shots froms side control.
Cupp advances nicely into full mount.
Cupp unloading with bombs!
Cupp looking to control and managing it successfully.
Cupp punishing his opponent with strikes.
Cupp lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cupp lands a big shot there that rocks Kacar but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Cupp lands a big shot there that rocks Kacar but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Cupp controlling the position easily from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Athelston Cupp dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Cupp drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Cupp content to stall in guard here.
Cupp with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Cupp throwing strikes but missing.
Cupp scoring with some ground and pound.
Cupp keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Kacar's head.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Cupp's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Cupp is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kacar keeping moving, preventing Cupp from controlling successfully.
Cupp has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cupp controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Cupp gets to his feet - Kacar follows without any prompting.
Cupp shoots in for a takedown but Kacar shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Kacar tries for a takedown but Cupp sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cupp will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Cupp.
Cupp shoots in but Kacar avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Kacar slips a jab and a cross from Cupp.
Kacar throws a chopping leg kick but Cupp manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kacar showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cupp.
Cupp swats away the attempt to clinch by Kacar.

Cupp gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Kacar tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Cupp looking for a takedown.
Slobodan Kacar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Athelston Cupp.
Cupp goes for a takedown attempt but Kacar pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Nice body kick from Kacar.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cupp leaves Kacar with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Some wild striking there from Kacar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cupp fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Kacar shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Cupp defends it nicely.

Cupp has Kacar up against the cage in a clinch.
Cupp softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Cupp escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cupp tries to clinch there but Kacar circles away.
Cupp tries to land a leg kick but Kacar saw it coming and moves away.
Cupp lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cupp drives through with a takedown into Kacar's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Cupp pushes down on Kacar's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Cupp passes to full mount!
Cupp scores with a couple of good head shots there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cupp putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Cupp scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Kacar?
Kacar is in a horrible position here. Cupp smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cupp controlling the position easily from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Athelston Cupp showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Cupp lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Kacar backs up against the cage.
Cupp is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kacar sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Kacar tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Cupp swivels and escapes.
Cupp throws a series of punches but Kacar moves out of range.
Kacar fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cupp avoids it really well and circles away.
Cupp with a jab.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kacar keeps the fight on the outside.

Cupp shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Cupp lands a couple of digs.
Cupp landing with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cupp's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Kacar working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cupp.
Cupp with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Cupp is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Cupp working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kacar's head.
Cupp distracts Kacar with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cupp connects with a couple of short punches.
Cupp slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Kacar is working to avoid the ground and pound but Cupp connects with a decent elbow.
Kacar is working to avoid the ground and pound but Cupp connects with a decent elbow.
Athelston Cupp has got the better of the ground game so far.
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!
Cupp lands a nice forearm strike.
Cupp scoring with punches from side control.
Check out the look on Cupp's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Cupp in side control lands a decent elbow.
Cupp lands a decent elbow from side control.

Cupp wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Kacar, who protects the arm well.
Kacar is trying to control Cupp's posture but Cupp avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cupp is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Kacar knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Cupp cracks Kacar with a big elbow.

Cupp stands up.

Cupp has closed the distance and engaged Kacar in a clinch.
Kacar fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Slobodan Kacar. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cupp breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
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!
Cupp misses with a head kick.
Kacar avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

Cupp takes the fight into the clinch.
Kacar tries to pull guard but Cupp holds him up against the cage and eventually Kacar drops back down to his feet.

Cupp pulls Kacar into guard.
Kacar is looking to advance position but Cupp has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kacar is desperately trying to improve his position but Cupp has a good base and remains in mount.
Slobodan Kacar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Athelston Cupp is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Cupp is controlling this nicely and is looking to make no mistakes. Kacar is trying to wiggle out of this horrible position. Kacar flips to his side and attempts to get a leg in for half guard. Cupp anticipates the leg and manages to get behind Kacar and secures both hooks! This could be bad! Cupp slips an arm under Kacar chin and tries to position for a rear naked choke. Cupp has worked the choke in now and it looks tight. Cupp is squeezing on Kacar like an anaconda would it's prey. Kacar fails to tap and has fallen unconscious! We've got ourselves a winner by way of a rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Athelston Cupp!