PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Luki Puki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bax Baczikov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Puki
vs
Baczikov

195 cm
20
217 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

190 cm
26
215 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Luki Puki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bax Baczikov!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Wesley Smith and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Puki circles away from the clinch attempt.
Baczikov uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Puki.
Baczikov doesn't manage to clinch there - Puki circles away.
Puki blocks a head kick by Baczikov.
Baczikov tries to clinch up.
Puki misses with a body kick.
Puki avoids the head kick by Baczikov.
Baczikov is looking to clinch.
Puki misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Baczikov tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Puki counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Baczikov!

Puki goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Baczikov turns into him and now he's in Puki's guard.
Puki tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Puki looking for a guillotine here but Baczikov defends easily.
Baczikov wants to stand but Puki has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two 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.
Puki is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Baczikov got a little sloppy there for a moment and Puki has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Baczikov has managed to get both his arms back between Puki's legs - danger averted.
Baczikov wants to stand and escape but instead Puki has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puki throws and elbow that misses. Baczikov uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Puki's guard. Nice move by Baczikov!
Puki wants to control the position but Baczikov says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Puki works his way to full guard. Good work.
Baczikov is looking to stand up but Puki won't let him.
Puki is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Baczikov is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Puki is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Puki working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Baczikov doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Baczikov manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Baczikov wants to stand but Puki has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luki Puki dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Puki looks to score with a jab to the body but Baczikov is just out of range.
Baczikov pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Baczikov tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Puki manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Baczikov tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Puki manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Puki blocks a head kick by Baczikov.
Puki takes a kick to the side of the head.
Baczikov moves in looking to clinch but Puki pushes him off.
Baczikov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Puki paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Baczikov lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Luki Puki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Puki closes the distance and clinches up with Baczikov, looking for a takedown. Puki pushes Baczikov against the cage but Baczikov circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Puki throws a lazy right hand but Baczikov sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Baczikov fails in his attempt to clinch.
Baczikov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Baczikov tries to clinch there but Puki circles away.
Baczikov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Puki paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Baczikov is looking to clinch but Puki is avoiding it.
Baczikov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Puki paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Puki shoots in and drives through. Baczikov sprawls well.
Puki ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Baczikov wants to clinch up but Puki keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baczikov stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Baczikov wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luki Puki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Puki throws a push kick but Baczikov slaps the foot to one side.
Puki has a takedown stuffed.
Baczikov displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Puki.
Bax Baczikov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The fighters circling - Baczikov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Puki scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Puki decides to return to a standing position.
Baczikov tries to clinch up but Puki circles away and keeps his distance.
Puki misses with a body shot.
Puki swats away the attempt to clinch by Baczikov.
Baczikov looks to clinch
and Puki counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Baczikov will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Baczikov throws a series of punches but Puki moves out of range.
Baczikov moves in looking to clinch but Puki pushes him off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Puki jabbing away but nothing is landing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Baczikov wants to clinch
and Puki counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Baczikov fails with an attempt to clinch.
Baczikov takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Baczikov takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Puki circles away from the clinch attempt.
Puki is looking to wear down Baczikov with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Baczikov moves out of range as Puki throws a body kick.
Baczikov tries to clinch up but Puki circles away and keeps his distance.
Puki will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Baczikov throws a head kick that misses.
Puki fails to land the takedown.
Baczikov wants to clinch up but Puki keeps it at a distance.
Puki shoots in and drives through. Baczikov sprawls well.
Baczikov tries to clinch up but Puki circles away and keeps his distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baczikov throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Puki swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Puki digs a good hook to Baczikov's body.
Puki shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Baczikov doesn't manage to clinch there - Puki circles away.
Baczikov tries to close the distance and clinch but Puki swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Puki fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Baczikov avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Puki on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Puki showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Baczikov.
Puki shoots in for a double leg but Baczikov sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Baczikov pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Puki shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Baczikov misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Baczikov gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

Puki shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Puki trying to control but Baczikov is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Puki looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
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!

Baczikov somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Bax Baczikov will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Puki lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Puki throws a series of punches but Baczikov moves out of range.
Baczikov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Puki paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Baczikov is looking to clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Puki is defended easily by Baczikov.
Puki fails to land the takedown.
Danga de danga de dang - Baczikov scores with a four punch combination!
Baczikov throws a head kick that misses

and Puki counters with a nice double leg into side control. Baczikov won't be happy with that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Puki fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Baczikov regains half guard, as Puki was trying to land strikes.
Puki missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baczikov blocking the ground and pound attempt from Puki.
Baczikov wants to get back to his feet.

Baczikov kicks Puki off and gets back to his feet.
Baczikov misses the jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Puki takes a swing at Baczikov's ribcage but misses.
Puki steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Baczikov.
Puki swings for the body but Baczikov moves out of range.
Baczikov is looking to clinch.
Baczikov fails with an attempt to clinch.
Puki wants to slow Baczikov down by chopping away at his legs.

Baczikov gets caught flat footed, as Puki shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Puki working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Puki in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Puki has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Baczikov is proving hard to escape from.
Baczikov preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puki content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Puki trying to control the position from guard on top but Baczikov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Puki prevents Baczikov from getting back to his feet.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Baczikov preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Puki throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Puki throws a jab when Baczikov was well out of range.
Bax Baczikov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Baczikov moves into range and clinches up with Puki.
Baczikov misses with a knee to the head.
Baczikov tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Puki wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luki Puki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Baczikov gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Puki.
Baczikov gets underhooks to prevent Puki's takedown attempt.
Baczikov landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Puki blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Puki wants a takedown but no success here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Puki has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Baczikov avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Baczikov misses with an elbow over the top.
Baczikov prevents a takedown attempt there.
Baczikov utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luki Puki showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Puki 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 Alan Glass scores the fight for Luki Puki!
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight for Luki Puki!
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight for Luki Puki!

Luki Puki wins by unanimous decision!