PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Konstantin Khavin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ville Kuukkeli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kuukkeli comes into a darkened arena with his song building. a-ha - Take On Me kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Khavin
vs
Kuukkeli

196 cm
27
204 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

187 cm
30
224 lbs
23 - 23 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

5th Round Clothing

- - - - - All Nutrients 160 - - - - -

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 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Konstantin Khavin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 23 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ville Kuukkeli!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Steve Smith and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Khavin tries a low kick but Kuukkeli avoids it.
Kuukkeli misses with a straight right.
Khavin lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Khavin lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
A shot to the liver by Khavin. Beautiful body shot.
Kuukkeli misses with a looping left.
Khavin slips a straight right by Kuukkeli.
Kuukkeli misses with a two punch combination.
A big left from Khavin misses.
Khavin cracks Kuukkeli with a right hand to the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kuukkeli fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Khavin is out of range.
Kuukkeli throws a head kick that misses.

Kuukkeli drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Kuukkeli won't allow Khavin to sweep him here.
Kuukkeli controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Kuukkeli won't allow Khavin to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khavin has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Kuukkeli missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Khavin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kuukkeli postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kuukkeli pushes down on Khavin's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Khavin is doing well to control the position and prevent Kuukkeli from advancing to side control.
Khavin blocking the ground and pound attempt from Kuukkeli.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kuukkeli is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Khavin tries to roll over but Kuukkeli keeps him under control.
Kuukkeli throwing shots but Khavin is blocking nicely.
Khavin is trying to get back to full guard.
Khavin makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Khavin.
Kuukkeli wants to control from the top but Khavin keeps moving.
Khavin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuukkeli looking to sit in guard and control but Khavin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Kuukkeli looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kuukkeli is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Kuukkeli missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Khavin trying to hold on to Kuukkeli's head to control him but Kuukkeli postures up.

Kuukkeli is looking for a kimura but Khavin is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kuukkeli to get the leverage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khavin is looking to escape.
Khavin moves into full guard.
Kuukkeli wants to control from the top but Khavin keeps moving.
Kuukkeli lands a couple of elbows.
Kuukkeli has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kuukkeli looking to pass the guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Khavin looking for a sweep. Not yet Khavin, not yet.
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 Konstantin Khavin 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.

Khavin connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Kuukkeli pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Khavin takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Khavin scores with a leg kick.
Khavin moves out of range of the body kick.
Kuukkeli ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Khavin moves away.
Khavin walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Kuukkeli checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Khavin fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Kuukkeli lands a nice shot to the body.
Kuukkeli blocks a low kick nicely.
Kuukkeli tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Khavin blocks a low kick nicely.
Kuukkeli throws a leg kick
and Khavin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kuukkeli connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khavin thows a body shot but no joy.
Kuukkeli walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Kuukkeli throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Khavin's waist but Khavin gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Kuukkeli off to one side.
Good exchange - Khavin coming out on top.
Kuukkeli misses with an uppercut
and Khavin counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Khavin scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Kuukkeli looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Khavin is fending him off so far but Kuukkeli persists. Nope, Khavin circles away and we're back to standing.
Khavin takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Kuukkeli tries to land a body kick
and Khavin counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Kuukkeli is breathing heavily.
Good shot there by Khavin.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kuukkeli misses with a head kick.
Kuukkeli takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Kuukkeli motions for Khavin to come forward. Kuukkeli throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Nice shot lands for Kuukkeli.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice leg kick lands there from Khavin.

Khavin has managed to clinch.
Khavin lands a hook to the side of the head.
Khavin misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Khavin takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Khavin putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Kuukkeli in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Khavin putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Kuukkeli in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Khavin lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Kuukkeli backwards.
Khavin tries to land knees in the clinch but Kuukkeli avoids the damage to the body.
Khavin lands with a light punch inside.
Khavin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kuukkeli.

Kuukkeli gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Khavin is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khavin is working hard here to advance position.
Khavin works his way to full guard. Good work.
Khavin seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Kuukkeli tries to free his leg and advance position but Khavin is retaining full guard.
Ville Kuukkeli has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kuukkeli looking to sit in guard and control but Khavin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Kuukkeli wants to control but Khavin passes easily into half guard.
Khavin is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Kuukkeli!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khavin throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Kuukkeli can't escape the position.
Kuukkeli is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Kuukkeli avoids a series of strikes thrown by Khavin.
Khavin controlling from mount.
Khavin trying to control but Kuukkeli is having none of it.
Khavin looking to control and managing it successfully.
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!
Kuukkeli is looking to get to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Khavin lands with a thumping leg kick.
Khavin cracks the inside of Kuukkeli's front leg.
Good exchange - Khavin coming out on top.
Khavin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kuukkeli looks to score with a jab to the body but Khavin is just out of range.
Kuukkeli has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Khavin.
Ville Kuukkeli seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Khavin connects with a leg kick. Kuukkeli looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Khavin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Khavin throws a good cross that connects.
Kuukkeli throws a head kick that half lands.

It looks like Konstantin Khavin has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Khavin turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Kuukkeli's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Kuukkeli thows a leg kick but Khavin checks it
and Khavin counters with a head kick. That will keep Kuukkeli thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Kuukkeli shoots in but no luck this time.
Kuukkeli takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Khavin on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khavin fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kuukkeli has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Khavin tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Kuukkeli manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Khavin dodges the punch combination from Kuukkeli.
Kuukkeli looks to score with a jab to the body but Khavin is just out of range.
Khavin is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Kuukkeli showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Khavin.
Khavin checks the leg kick.
Khavin buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

Khavin moves into range and clinches up with Kuukkeli.
Khavin scores with a knee to the head.
Khavin tries to work over Kuukkeli's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kuukkeli is trying to drag Khavin to the mat but Khavin just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Khavin with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Ville Kuukkeli has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Kuukkeli is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khavin pushes Kuukkeli back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kuukkeli is still on wobbly legs! Can Khavin finish him?
Kuukkeli managing to block the knees to the body from Khavin.
Khavin's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Kuukkeli is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Kuukkeli seems to have recovered his senses.
Khavin looking to throw knees to the head but Kuukkeli is blocking nicely.
Kuukkeli is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Khavin is keeping busy.
Khavin misses with a punch to the body.
Khavin lands a nice elbow.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Khavin connects with a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuukkeli is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Khavin lands a left hand.
Khavin lands a big knee to the head and Kuukkeli goes down! Khavin pounces and finishes the fight with strikes! He jumps to his feet and celebrates with the crowd!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:25 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Konstantin Khavin!
Konstantin Khavin managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, 5th Round Clothing, into his post fight interview.