PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Papp Laci (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikkel Kessler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mikkel Kessler will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Laci
vs
Kessler

200 cm
18
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
21
220 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Papp Laci!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mikkel Kessler!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, John Mangel and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sloppy strikes from Kessler. Those never looked like landing.
Laci looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kessler is fending him off so far but Laci persists. Nope, Kessler circles away and we're back to standing.
Mikkel Kessler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Laci moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
A looping hook to the body misses from Laci. Kessler does a little dance to reset his feet.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Kessler!
A combination from Kessler does no damage.
Kessler looks winded!
Kessler looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Laci shoots in for a takedown but Kessler shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Laci swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A combination from Laci does no damage.
Kessler throws a left and a right that both miss

and Laci moves into the clinch.
Kessler working hard to break the clinch.
Laci is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Laci tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kessler just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Papp Laci. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laci is trying to pull guard but Kessler turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Laci has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Kessler is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Kessler's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kessler misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Laci closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Laci manages to pull guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Laci is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Laci not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Kessler stands up from Laci's guard - Kessler perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laci throws a front kick aimed at Kessler's knee but Kessler avoids it well.
Laci closes the distance and clinches up with Kessler, looking for a takedown. Laci pushes Kessler against the cage but Kessler circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Kessler misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kessler misses with a double jab

and Laci counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Laci tries for a takedown. No joy.
Kessler wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Laci has him pressed against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Kessler breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Laci swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laci shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Kessler sprawls well. Kessler wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Laci gets slowly back to his feet.
Laci shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kessler as he jumps to the side.
Kessler misses with a series of wild punches.
No luck for Laci with that takedown attempt.
Laci showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kessler.
Laci shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kessler as he avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laci jabs at Kessler's body.
Kessler misses with a jab, cross combination.
Laci has a takedown stuffed.
Mikkel Kessler is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kessler misses with a double jab.
Kessler throws a nice looking combination but Laci bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kessler keeps the fight on the outside.

Laci moves into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kessler stops a takedown attempt from Laci.

Kessler manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Papp Laci dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Laci fails with a takedown attempt.
Kessler misses with a double jab.
Laci shoots in but no luck this time.
Kessler defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Laci.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Papp Laci. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kessler misses with a few strikes there.

Laci fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kessler, pushing him back against the cage.
Laci struggles to land a body shot inside as Kessler controls his hands.

Kessler breaks from the clinch.
Kessler rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Laci moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Laci looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Laci throws a leg kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kessler blocks a leg kick.
A combination from Kessler does no damage.
Laci fails with a takedown attempt.
Laci will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Kessler misses with a double jab.
Laci looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Papp Laci is winning the standup battle so far.
Kessler throws a nice looking combination but Laci bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Kessler in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kessler swinging wildly here.
Kessler checks a leg kick.
Kessler lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Laci scores with a jab to the jaw.
Some wild striking there from Kessler.
Laci throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kessler avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Laci goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Laci shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Kessler defends it nicely.
Kessler throws a series of punches but Laci moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kessler fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kessler is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Kessler stuffs the takedown attempt from Laci. Laci gets slowly back to his feet.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Kessler looks to land a combination but Laci avoids it well.
Laci will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Kessler lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Laci looks to land a combination but Kessler avoids it well.
Kessler throws a right and a left that Laci avoids nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laci shoots in for a takedown but Kessler shows good takedown defense.

Laci has Kessler up against the cage in a clinch.
Laci effectively controlling the action here.
Kessler looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Laci has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

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

Laci moves into range and clinches up with Kessler.
Laci tries to break free but Kessler pushes him back against the cage.
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 Papp Laci 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. This is the final round!

Kessler showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Laci.
Kessler stuffs the takedown.
Laci shoots in for a takedown but Kessler shows good takedown defense.
Nice takedown defense from Kessler. No joy for Laci on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Papp Laci. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kessler closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Kessler fails to land with a series of punches.
Kessler throws a right and a left that Laci avoids nicely.
Laci is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kessler sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Laci slips a jab and a cross from Kessler.

Laci moves into the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Laci tries to break free but Kessler pushes him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laci fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Kessler has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Laci working hard to break the clinch.
Laci wants to take the fight to the mat but Kessler manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Kessler escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kessler misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A clash of legs there as Kessler blocks the low kick.

Laci closes the distance and pushes Kessler back into the cage.
Kessler stops a takedown attempt from Laci.
Laci is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Kessler is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kessler breaks from the clinch.
Kessler misses with the combination.
Kessler takes a swing at Laci's ribcage but misses.
Laci fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
No joy there for Kessler, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kessler stuffs the takedown attempt from Laci. Laci gets slowly back to his feet.
Kessler throws a nice looking combination but Laci bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laci scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Sloppy strikes from Kessler. Those never looked like landing.
Kessler throws a series of punches but Laci avoids them all with ease.
A combination from Kessler does no damage.

Laci shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Kessler's guard.
Kessler is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Kessler has his feet on Laci's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Laci fails with an attempt to clinch.
Laci tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A bone on bone clash there as Kessler blocks the leg kick.
Laci fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Laci tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kessler swivels and escapes.
Kessler goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Kessler throws a one two combo.
Kessler throws a series of punches but Laci avoids them all with ease.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Laci.
Papp Laci is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kessler looks to land a combination but Laci avoids it well.
Mikkel Kessler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Laci with a poor takedown
and Kessler counters with a three punch combo that has Laci backing up. Laci nods at Kessler to acknowledge the strikes.
Laci throws a front kick aimed at Kessler's knee but Kessler avoids it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mikkel Kessler.
I think Laci has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 30:28
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Papp Laci!