PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Kang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikolai Volkov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Kang
vs
Volkov

178 cm
27
203 lbs
21 - 8 - 0

176 cm
26
204 lbs
18 - 13 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Reaper Combatwear
Revolution Fatigues

Revolution Fatigues

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Paulo Kang!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nikolai Volkov!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Yves DeLean and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kang throws a series of punches but Volkov moves out of range.
Volkov takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Kang defending well as Volkov loads up on a big left hand.
Volkov attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Kang scores with a jab.
The fighters circling - Volkov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Volkov takes a swing at Kang's ribcage but misses.
Volkov throws out a loose jab but Kang uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kang gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Volkov misses with a shot to the body
and Volkov takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Kang throws a nice head kick!
Volkov scores with the left hand. Kang knows he should have avoided that one.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Volkov lands with a shot to the body.
Kang connects with a nice looking jab.
Volkov misses with an uppercut.
Kang moves away from the strike by Volkov.
Volkov lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kang throws out a powerful jab.
Volkov works Kang's body with a nice hook.
Kang throws a big shot that misses.
Jab, jab by Volkov - just one landing.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Kang.
Kang connects with a jab.
Volkov uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Volkov uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Volkov stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Kang.
Volkov missing with a left hand there. Kang was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Volkov swats away the attempt to clinch by Kang.
Volkov tries a low kick but Kang avoids it.
Volkov keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kang.
Kang looks to land a left hand but Volkov moved out of range nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Volkov swinging wildly here.
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!
Volkov misses with the combination.
Volkov swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Kang counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Kang doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Kang catches Volkov with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Volkov scores with a kick to the body.
Volkov moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Volkov throws a nice looking combination but Kang bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Volkov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Volkov uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Kang has time to react.
Kang slips a jab from Volkov.
Volkov lands a body shot.
Kang is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Kang digs a good hook to Volkov's body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kang misses with a wild body shot.
Kang's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Kang duly obliges.
Volkov misses with a lunging right hand
and Kang counters with an outside leg kick.
Kang cracks the inside of Volkov's front leg.
Volkov moves out of range of the body kick from Kang.
Kang just misses with a punch to the body.
Volkov misses with a straight left.
Volkov misses with a hook. Kang ducked under it nicely.
Volkov scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Kang doesn't seem bothered though.
Volkov takes one on the button.
Volkov takes one to the side of the head.
Volkov misses with a few strikes there.
Kang scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Nikolai Volkov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Volkov takes a swing at Kang's ribcage but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kang looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kang lands with a thumping leg kick.
Volkov looks gassed!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Kang has closed the distance and engaged Volkov in a clinch.
Kang misses with a punch to the body.
Kang working aggressively here.
Kang lands an uppercut.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Volkov is trying to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Paulo Kang will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Kang fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Paulo Kang is winning the standup battle so far.
Volkov tries to clinch there but Kang circles away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Kang misses with a body punch.
Volkov prevents a body shot from Kang.
Volkov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A short right from Kang.
A head punch on the inside from Kang fails to land.
Kang missing with knees to the body.
Kang stalling the fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kang throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kang can't find room to land a body shot as Volkov controls the action.
Kang manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Volkov blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kang throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Kang tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Kang is stalling here.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kang gets through Volkov's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Kang lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Stalling in the clinch from Kang.
Kang misses with some punches.
Kang lands with a right to the head.
Kang with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Volkov is trying to maintain a safe position but Kang gets an underhook and turns Volkov into the cage.
Kang utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A right hand to the body from Kang.
Volkov slowing the pace effectively.
Kang tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Kang struggles to land a body shot inside as Volkov controls his hands.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kang.
Kang misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kang struggles to land a body shot inside as Volkov controls his hands.
Kang lands a nice uppercut.
Kang stalling against the cage.
Kang misses with a hook to the ribs.
Paulo Kang has scored more points in the clinch so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Volkov looking to slow down the pace here.
Kang crunches a lovely knee into Volkov's ribcage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paulo Kang dominated that second round.
That's time! Kang's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Kang chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A lazy body kick from Volkov
and Kang counters with a big head kick but Volkov shrugs it off.
Kang moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Nice defenses there by Kang.
Volkov staying out of range there.

Kang rushes Volkov and presses him up against the cage.
Kang is struggling to control the position.
Kang lands with a right to the head.
A short left from Kang.
Kang misses with a punch to the body.
Kang using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Volkov has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kang tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Volkov avoids it.
Kang misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Volkov will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Kang up against the cage.
Kang lands a knee to the head.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Volkov.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Kang lands a left hand.
Kang misses with a knee strike.
Nikolai Volkov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Kang cracks Volkov with a nice body shot.
Volkov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kang connects with a nasty looking knee right to Volkov's face.
Kang lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Kang pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Volkov misses with a combination
and Kang counters with a low kick, right behind Volkov 's knee.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Volkov moves forwards but Kang connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Kang lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Kang connects with a leg kick. Volkov looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Kang cracks Volkov with a good jab.
Kang paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kang drives through and clinches with Volkov against the cage.
Knees to the body from Kang.
A shot in the inside from Kang.
Kang stalling.
Kang scores a nice knee to the body.
Kang is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Volkov can do to turn this around?
Stalling in the clinch from Kang.
Volkov is looking to control Kang's arms but Kang gets an underhook and turns him. Now Volkov has his back to the cage.
Kang tries a knee to the head but Volkov blocks it.
Kang lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A short right from Kang on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for Kang.
Kang lands with a short shot to the head.
Kang lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Kang avoiding damage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kang has a couple of punches blocked by Volkov.
Kang taking a breather.
Volkov is trying to stall.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Kang manages to break the clinch.
Kang uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Volkov.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paulo Kang showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Kang 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paulo Kang!
Paulo Kang retains his middleweight title!
An out of breath Paulo Kang thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.