PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kaban Demidov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexey Rykov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Demidov
vs
Rykov

210 cm
30
281 lbs
19 - 4 - 0

200 cm
30
272 lbs
14 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

Seven Sins™
Adam's NORTHERN WILD $10 Sale

xXx - iForce Nutrition
ACME-Blood Red Q158 Always $30

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 19 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kaban Demidov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Alexey Rykov!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Valeri Chadov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Demidov misses with a kick to the body.
Demidov tries to clinch but Rykov is having none of it.
Demidov stuffs the takedown attempt from Rykov. Rykov gets slowly back to his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Demidov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rykov looks to throw the jab but Demidov is out of range.
Demidov does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Demidov scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Rykov doesn't seem bothered though.
Demidov is looking to land body kicks.
Demidov throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rykov takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Rykov looks gassed!
Rykov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rykov cracks Demidov with a right hand to the side of the head.

Rykov dives in and scores a takedown into Demidov's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Rykov loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Demidov keeping full guard, as Rykov tries to pass.
Rykov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rykov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rykov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rykov scoring with punches to the head and body.
Rykov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rykov throwing strikes but missing.
Rykov trying to control but Demidov is working from the bottom.
Rykov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rykov tries to free his leg and advance position but Demidov is retaining full guard.
Demidov wants to stand and escape but Rykov is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rykov trying to control the position from guard on top but Demidov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rykov controlling from the top position.
Rykov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rykov throws a big right hand that misses.
Demidov keeping full guard, as Rykov tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rykov thows a big elbow that misses.
Rykov wants to pass the guard but Demidov is keeping the position.
Demidov looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rykov looks for a takedown but Demidov sprawls well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rykov misses with a jab, cross combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Alexey Rykov will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

A big left from Rykov misses.
Demidov delivers a nice body kick.
Kaban Demidov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Demidov fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Rykov has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Demidov doesn't manage to clinch there - Rykov circles away.
Demidov turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Rykov missing with a left hand there. Demidov was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Demidov looks to land a body kick but Rykov moved away.
Demidov stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Demidov wants it to stay on the feet.
Rykov misses with a looping right.
Demidov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Demidov throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

It looks like Alexey Rykov has been cut.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Demidov.
Kaban Demidov is winning the standup battle so far.
Demidov stalks Rykov and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Rykov's face. Rykov staggers backwards, shaken.
Demidov looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Demidov chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Demidov lands with a thumping leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Demidov moves in looking to clinch but Rykov pushes him off.
Demidov throws a head kick but Rykov moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Demidov misses with a wild body shot.
Kaban Demidov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Demidov misses with a kick to the body.
Rykov throws a poor cross that misses
and Demidov counters with a slapping leg kick.
Rykov missing with a left hand there. Demidov was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rykov throws a shot to the body.
Good standup being displayed there by Rykov as he connects with a hook.

It looks like Kaban Demidov has been cut.
Rykov avoids the head kick by Demidov.
Rykov comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Demidov takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rykov moves out of range as Demidov throws a body kick.
Demidov tries a head kick but it misses.
Demidov lands with a nice body kick.
Rykov stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Demidov.
Demidov lands a leg kick that knocks Rykov off balance momentarily.

Rykov looking to score a takedown here. Demidov is defending well but Rykov drives through and ends up in Demidov's guard.
Rykov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rykov is working Demidov over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Rykov throwing strikes from guard but Demidov blocks nicely.
Rykov trying to control the position from guard on top but Demidov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rykov stands and throws Demidov's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Demidov avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Rykov.
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!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rykov trying to control the action but Demidov is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kaban Demidov will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Demidov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rykov was well out of range. Poor timing from Demidov.
Demidov throws a wild body kick that Rykov sees coming a mile off.

Rykov bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Rykov tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rykov has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Rykov trying to control the position but Demidov is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Demidov tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rykov wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Demidov parries the strikes from Rykov easily there. Rykov is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Demidov to escape.
Rykov landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Rykov scoring with punches and elbows.

Kaban Demidov's cut is getting worse.

Rykov tries for a kimura but Demidov is defending well.
Rykov trying to control the position but Demidov is working away.
Rykov working the strikes but Demidov uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Rykov connects with a nice short shot to Demidov's temple.

Kaban Demidov's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Kaban Demidov's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Alexey Rykov!
After the fight, Alexey Rykov was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.