PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Viktor Kulakov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jan Janssen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kulakov kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Lube-Shparu. The crowd seem to be enjoying Janssen's choice of entrance music: DJ Madman - Meisje zo lelijk als de nacht . Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Kulakov
vs
Janssen

184 cm
28
186 lbs
13 - 12 - 1

176 cm
29
181 lbs
18 - 17 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

SPARTA FIGHTWARE-GTI
Pot Factory 40$ 159Q

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Viktor Kulakov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jan Janssen!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Roosa Järviläinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Janssen throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Kulakov stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Janssen misses with a hook.

Janssen shoots in and gets a takedown into Kulakov's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Janssen lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Janssen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Janssen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Kulakov wants to get back to his feet but Janssen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Janssen trying to control the position from guard on top but Kulakov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Janssen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Kulakov pushes Janssen off and scrambles back to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kulakov walks into a straight right hand from Janssen.
Kulakov misses the body punch
and Janssen counters with a right hand to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Janssen loads up on a big right hand but Kulakov slips the punch.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Janssen, as that shot connected.
Kulakov misses with a shot to the body
and Janssen makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Janssen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Janssen lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Kulakov tries to bum rush Janssen with a series of wild strikes but Janssen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Janssen throws a lazy right hand but Kulakov sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Janssen avoids the body shot from Kulakov.
Janssen misses with a looping left.
Kulakov misses with a looping left.
Janssen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Janssen slips a jab and a cross from Kulakov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kulakov misses the jab.
Kulakov throws a lazy right hand but Janssen sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Kulakov on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kulakov misses with a right hand
letting Janssen counter with a right hand.
Kulakov blocks a jab.
Kulakov has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Kulakov there as he acknowledges the shot.
Janssen on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Kulakov throws a series of punches but Janssen avoids them all with ease.
Kulakov swings for the body but Janssen moves out of range.
Kulakov throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Janssen gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Kulakov lands with a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kulakov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Janssen was well out of range. Poor timing from Kulakov.
Janssen goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Viktor Kulakov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Janssen sizes up Kulakov with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

Kulakov is rocked!
Kulakov cracks Janssen with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Oh Kulakov is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Kulakov moves out of range as Janssen strikes.
Kulakov seems to have got his legs back now.
Kulakov misses with a body shot.
A punch combination from Kulakov misses.

Janssen bobbing and weaving well here. And he's unloaded with a massive right hand that drops Kulakov! He dives into his guard looking to finish!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Janssen working some strikes from top position.
Janssen postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kulakov wants to stand but Janssen is controlling the position.
Kulakov knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Janssen on the ground.
Janssen working some strikes from top position.
Janssen trying to control but Kulakov is working from the bottom.
Kulakov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Janssen.
Janssen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kulakov utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kulakov keeping moving, preventing Janssen from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kulakov wants to stand but Janssen is controlling the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Janssen trying to control the position from guard on top but Kulakov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kulakov is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jan Janssen dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Nice cross by Janssen.
Janssen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kulakov swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Janssen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kulakov scores with a shot to the body.
Kulakov throws a right and a left that both miss.
Danga de danga de dang - Kulakov scores with a four punch combination!
Janssen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kulakov.
Kulakov looks to score with a jab to the body but Janssen is just out of range.
Janssen throws a hook but Kulakov blocks it.
Kulakov shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kulakov ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Viktor Kulakov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Donk. Kulakov catches Janssen right on the button with a cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Janssen throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kulakov's waist but Kulakov gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Janssen off to one side.
Kulakov throws a left and a right that both miss
and Janssen counters with a straight right hand.
Kulakov misses with a straight left.
Janssen shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Kulakov misses with the combination.
Janssen takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Viktor Kulakov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Janssen dives in and grabs Kulakov's left leg, looking for a takedown. Kulakov pushes down on Janssen's head and hops out.
Kulakov misses with the combination.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Janssen fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kulakov uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Janssen.
Janssen misses the jab.
Kulakov misses with a combination
and Janssen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
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!
Janssen throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kulakov's waist but Kulakov gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Janssen off to one side.
Viktor Kulakov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jan Janssen.
Janssen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kulakov throws a looping overhand right but Janssen ducks down to avoid it.
Kulakov fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kulakov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Janssen manages to avoid it.
Kulakov throws a right hand that misses
and Janssen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Janssen misses the shot to the body.
Kulakov thows a body shot but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Janssen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Janssen cracks Kulakov with an uppercut from hell and Kulakov crumples to the canvas, he's out! Oh no, he's recovered and he's grabbed one of Janssen's legs and pulled him into guard. The ref thought about stopping it there but he's let it go - good reffing!
Kulakov wants to stand and escape but Janssen is having none of it.
Janssen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Janssen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Janssen throws a big elbow that misses.
Janssen postures up in Kulakov's guard and throws a big left but Kulakov blocks it.
Janssen postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Kulakov is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Janssen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Janssen throws a strike but Kulakov rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Janssen is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Jan Janssen has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Janssen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Kulakov defends it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jan Janssen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Janssen fails with the takedown.
Kulakov ducks under a wild hook from Janssen.
Janssen lands a jab to the head.
Kulakov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Janssen manages to avoid it.
Janssen just misses with a punch to the body.
Kulakov throws a predictable looking body shot

and Janssen counters with a single leg into guard. Kulakov didn't expect that.
Janssen postures up in Kulakov's guard and throws a big left but Kulakov blocks it.

Janssen drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Kulakov manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Janssen has Kulakov in his guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Janssen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Janssen holds on and takes a little breather.
Kulakov wants to stand but Janssen has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Janssen trying to control the position here.

Jan Janssen has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Kulakov loads up on a big right hand but Janssen slips the punch.
Kulakov lands a nice looking body shot.
Kulakov misses with a straight right.
Janssen drops his hands momentarily and Kulakov takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Janssen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kulakov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Janssen misses.
Kulakov misses with a wild combination.
Kulakov looks to score with a jab to the body but Janssen is just out of range.
Janssen shoots in looking for a takedown. Kulakov tries to sprawl out of it but Janssen keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kulakov manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Kulakov misses with a double jab
and Janssen counters with a left to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Janssen defending well as Kulakov loads up on a big left hand.
Janssen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A slow jab from Janssen misses its intended target.
Jan Janssen is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Kulakov misses with a straight left.
Kulakov on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Kulakov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Kulakov misses.
Kulakov just misses with a punch to the body.
Kulakov throws a body punch but Janssen moves out of range.
Kulakov misses with a double jab
and Janssen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kulakov wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Janssen on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Janssen lands with an overhand left.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kulakov throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Janssen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Janssen lands with a cross.
Viktor Kulakov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kulakov throws a looping overhand right but Janssen ducks down to avoid it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jan Janssen.
Well Janssen has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jan Janssen!
Jan Janssen got down on his knees post fight and begged the management for a title shot. 'Please, I want that title shot so bad! Give it to me!'