PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight kickboxing rules bout between Rodriguez Julien (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Piugnu Kopo (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.

Julien
vs
Kopo

177 cm
27
166 lbs
4 - 1 - 1

169 cm
27
165 lbs
3 - 7 - 0

Solid Muay Thai
Very strong

Good kicks
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rodriguez Julien!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Piugnu Kopo!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Viktor Lagutenko and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sloppy strikes from Julien. Those never looked like landing.
Julien misses with a double jab
and Kopo counters with a head kick. That will keep Julien thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Julien lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Julien throws a series of punches but Kopo moves out of range.

Kopo forces Julien back against the ropes and clinches.

Julien manages to break the clinch.
Kopo moves in looking to clinch but Julien pushes him off.
Kopo throws a nice looking combination but Julien bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kopo tries to clinch but Julien moves out of range.

Julien fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kopo, pushing him back against the ropes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Julien tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Kopo dodges an elbow strike from Julien.
Kopo is trying to maintain a safe position but Julien gets an underhook and turns Kopo into the ropes.
Julien pushes off an throws an elbow but Kopo leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.

Julien's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Julien gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Julien just misses with a elbow thrown towards Kopo's brow.

Julien manages to break the clinch.
Julien pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Julien has Kopo up against the ropes in a clinch.
Kopo tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Julien avoids it.
Julien throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Julien breaks the clinch.

Julien moves into the clinch.
Julien tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kopo is trying to break free.
Kopo is looking to break free of the clinch but Julien has double underhooks.
Julien misses with an elbow over the top.
Kopo blocks the elbow strike.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kopo manages to break the clinch.

Kopo gets tackled into the ropes by Julien. Julien maintains the clinch.
Kopo avoids the elbow strike from Julien, against the ropes.

Julien breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A head kick misses from Julien.
Julien keeps the fight on the outside.
Julien scores with a one two! Kopo had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Julien throws a series of punches but Kopo avoids them all with ease.
Julien misses with a head kick.
Kopo tries to clinch up but Julien circles away and keeps his distance.
Kopo tries to clinch up.
Julien misses with a wild combination.
Kopo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Julien gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Kopo avoiding damage as Julien throws knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Julien's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kopo tries to clinch up.
Julien throws the left hand but Kopo avoids the punch easily.

Julien drives through and clinches with Kopo against the ropes.
Kopo tries a knee to the head but Julien blocks it.
Kopo blocks an elbow strike from Julien.
Kopo is looking to break free of the clinch but Julien has double underhooks.

Julien breaks from the clinch.

Julien pushes Kopo up against the ropes in a clinch.
Julien pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.

Julien escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Julien will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Julien tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Julien tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kopo is looking to clinch but Julien is avoiding it.

Julien drives through and clinches with Kopo against the ropes.

Julien breaks the clinch.

Julien forces Kopo back against the ropes and clinches.
Julien throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kopo blocks it with crossed arms.
Kopo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Julien tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kopo avoids it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Julien breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kopo misses with a body shot.
Julien throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Julien is breathing heavily.
A head kick misses from Julien.
Kopo wants to clinch but Julien slips to the side

and Julien counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Julien.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kopo tries to stall but Julien uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Julien escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Julien swats away the attempt to clinch by Kopo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodriguez Julien dominated that round.
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.

Kopo darts in trying to clinch

and Julien moves into the clinch.
Julien misses with an elbow strike.
Kopo is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Julien is defending well for now.
Julien looking to throw knees to the head but Kopo is blocking nicely.
Julien has Kopo pressed against the ropes, preventing Kopo from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Julien escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Julien moves into the clinch successfully.
Kopo tries to land knees in the clinch but Julien avoids the damage to the body.
Kopo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Julien keeps control of Kopo as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Kopo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Julien.
Kopo blocks an elbow strike.
Kopo tries a body shot but Julien blocks it.

Julien breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Julien has closed the distance and engaged Kopo in a clinch.
Julien throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Kopo can't break the clinch.
Julien has Kopo pressed against the ropes, preventing Kopo from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Rodriguez Julien has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Julien escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kopo tries to close the distance and clinch but Julien swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Julien misses with a double jab.
Julien misses with a wild body shot.
Kopo is looking to clinch but Julien is avoiding it.

Julien drives through and clinches with Kopo against the ropes.
Julien trying to land knees to the body.
Julien is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kopo is defending well for now.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Kopo just misses with a elbow thrown towards Julien's brow.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Julien tries to land knees in the clinch but Kopo avoids the damage to the body.

Julien breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kopo wants to clinch up but Julien keeps it at a distance.

Julien clinches.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Julien tries to land knees in the clinch but Kopo avoids the damage to the body.
Kopo lands a damaging elbow.

Julien manages to break the clinch.
Kopo swings for the body but Julien moves out of range.

Kopo pushes Julien up against the ropes in a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Julien using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kopo has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Julien's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Julien clinches.
Julien pushes off an throws an elbow but Kopo leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Kopo has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Julien breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Julien paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Kopo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Julien swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Some wild striking there from Julien.

Julien moves into the clinch.
Julien prevents Kopo from breaking the clinch.

Julien manages to break the clinch.

Julien closes the distance and clinches.
Julien creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Kopo tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Kopo avoids the elbow strike from Julien, against the ropes.

Julien breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kopo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Julien circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Julien closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Kopo on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kopo misses with a knee to the head.

Julien escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Julien pushes Kopo away with a front kick.
Rodriguez Julien is winning the standup battle so far.

Julien clinches with his opponent.
Julien tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kopo avoids it.
Julien throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Julien looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Julien breaks from the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Julien tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kopo was well out of range. Poor timing from Julien.
No joy there for Julien, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kopo fails with an attempt to clinch.

Julien clinches with his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodriguez Julien dominated that second round.
That's time! Julien's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Kopo gets tackled into the ropes by Julien. Julien maintains the clinch.
Kopo is trying to break the clinch but Julien is controlling him.

Julien breaks from the clinch.

Julien rushes Kopo and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.

Julien manages to break the clinch.
Julien connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Kopo throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Rodriguez Julien is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kopo is looking to clinch but Julien is avoiding it.
Kopo tries to clinch there but Julien circles away.

Julien moves into the clinch successfully.
Kopo on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kopo is trying to break free.
Kopo stalling in the clinch but Julien improves position.
Julien avoiding damage as Kopo throws knees to the body.
Julien looking to throw knees to the head but Kopo is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Julien breaks from the clinch.
Julien lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kopo circles away quickly and effectively.
Kopo lands a head kick. Julien smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Kopo tries to clinch but Julien is having none of it.
Julien throws a push kick but Kopo slaps the foot to one side.
Rodriguez Julien seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Julien circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kopo tries to clinch there but Julien circles away.
A head kick misses from Julien.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kopo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Julien forces Kopo back against the ropes and clinches.
Kopo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Julien blocks it with crossed arms.
Julien trying to land knees to the body.
Julien pushes off an throws an elbow but Kopo leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.

Julien breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Julien looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Kopo doesn't manage to clinch there - Julien circles away.

Julien moves into the clinch.
Julien tries to land a knee to the head but Kopo blocks with his arms.
Kopo avoiding damage as Julien throws knees to the body.

Julien's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A head kick misses from Kopo.

Julien clinches up against the ropes.
Kopo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kopo is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Julien looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Julien with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kopo blocks the elbow strike.
Kopo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Julien pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Julien missing with knees to the body.
Kopo is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Kopo breaks from the clinch.

Julien clinches up against the ropes.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Julien pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Julien closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Julien throws a right and a left that both miss.
Julien circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kopo tries to clinch but Julien moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kopo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Julien has closed the distance and engaged Kopo in a clinch.
Julien throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kopo blocks it with crossed arms.
Julien creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
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!

Julien pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kopo lands with a shot to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kopo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kopo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rodriguez Julien is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Julien is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kopo can do to turn this around?

Julien darts in and clinches Kopo up against the ropes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kopo is trying to break the clinch but Julien has him pressed against the ropes.
Kopo wants to break the clinch but can't.
Piugnu Kopo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kopo on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kopo missing with knees to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rodriguez Julien showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Julien 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rodriguez Julien!