PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nicolas Karkmananis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Liha Rekka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Karkmananis
vs
Rekka

185 cm
26
215 lbs
6 - 9 - 0

202 cm
27
220 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Fast

Perkele!

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 6 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nicolas Karkmananis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Liha Rekka!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Karkmananis darts in and clinches Rekka up against the cage.
Rekka pushes off an throws an elbow but Karkmananis leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Karkmananis pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Karkmananis takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Karkmananis takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Karkmananis fails to land with a series of punches.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Rekka tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Karkmananis paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rekka throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Karkmananis stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Rekka blocks the body kick.
Rekka wants to clinch up but Karkmananis keeps it at a distance.
Rekka throws a sloppy head kick and Karkmananis moves out of range easily.

Rekka drives through and clinches with Karkmananis against the cage.
Rekka missing with knees to the body.
Rekka blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rekka has Karkmananis pushed against the cage.
Rekka misses with a knee strike.
The referee calls for Karkmananis to work.
Rekka manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Karkmananis takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Nicolas Karkmananis has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rekka tries to land a knee to the head but Karkmananis blocks with his arms.
Rekka missing with knees to the body.
Karkmananis looking to stall.
Karkmananis lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Rekka backwards.
Karkmananis misses with some punches.
Rekka has Karkmananis pushed against the cage.
Karkmananis tries a body shot but Rekka blocks it.
Karkmananis using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Rekka with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Karkmananis wants to stall.
Karkmananis tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rekka avoids it.
Rekka tries to land knees in the clinch but Karkmananis avoids the damage to the body.
Rekka trying to control the position but instead, Karkmananis has worked for underhooks and has pushed Rekka into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karkmananis can't find room to land a body shot as Rekka controls the action.
Come on Karkmananis - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Knees in the clinch landing for Karkmananis.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rekka creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Rekka tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rekka taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Karkmananis stalls.
Rekka unloads a knee to the mid-section. Karkmananis lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Karkmananis is trying to break the clinch but Rekka has him pressed against the cage.
Rekka looking to slow down the pace here.
Karkmananis doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Karkmananis is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karkmananis looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Rekka slows down the pace here.
Rekka lands a nice knee to the body.
Rekka missing with knees to the body.
Karkmananis tries to work over Rekka's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rekka tries a knee to the head but Karkmananis blocks it.
Karkmananis scores with a nice hook to the head.
Karkmananis wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A knee to the head by Rekka.
Karkmananis throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rekka blocks it with crossed arms.
Rekka keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Karkmananis's efforts to push away.
Knees in the clinch landing for Rekka.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Karkmananis moves into the clinch successfully.
Rekka is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Knees to the body from Rekka.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Karkmananis as Rekka tries to tie him up.
Rekka tries to land a knee to the head but Karkmananis blocks with his arms.

Karkmananis breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rekka throws a front kick that sends Karkmananis stumbling back into the cage.
Rekka swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Karkmananis is looking to land body kicks.
Rekka throws a head kick that misses.
Sloppy strikes from Karkmananis. Those never looked like landing.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Karkmananis closes the distance and clinches.
Karkmananis working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Karkmananis tries a knee to the head but Rekka blocks it.
Karkmananis takes a knee right on the jaw!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Liha Rekka dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nicolas Karkmananis's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rekka gets tackled into the cage by Karkmananis. Karkmananis maintains the clinch.
Rekka misses with an elbow over the top.
Rekka unloads a knee to the mid-section. Karkmananis lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Rekka with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rekka misses with a knee strike.
Rekka connects with a knee to the head.
Rekka missing with knees to the body.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Karkmananis as Rekka tries to tie him up.
Karkmananis wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Karkmananis misses with the head strike.
Rekka scores a nice knee to the body.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Rekka scores with a nice hook to the head.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A frustrated look appears on Karkmananis's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karkmananis stalling against the cage.
Karkmananis trying to stall but Rekka improves his position.
Rekka tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Karkmananis avoids it.

Karkmananis's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Karkmananis swats away the attempt to clinch by Rekka.
Rekka takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

Karkmananis gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Karkmananis looking to stall.
Rekka prevents a body shot from Karkmananis.
Rekka misses with a knee strike.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rekka as Karkmananis tries to tie him up.
Rekka with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Karkmananis breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nicolas Karkmananis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rekka throws a sloppy head kick and Karkmananis moves out of range easily.
Rekka throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A head kick misses from Rekka.
Rekka scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Karkmananis checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Karkmananis moves out of range of the strikes.
Rekka throws a jab when Karkmananis was well out of range.
Rekka chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Karkmananis throws a right hand that misses
and Rekka counters with a slapping leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Karkmananis fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rekka, pushing him back against the cage.
Karkmananis lands on the inside with an uppercut.
The referee calls for Rekka to work.
Rekka avoiding damage as Karkmananis throws knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rekka looking to throw knees to the head but Karkmananis is blocking nicely.
Rekka tries to land knees in the clinch but Karkmananis avoids the damage to the body.
Karkmananis tries to throw a body punch but Rekka avoids it by throwing Karkmananis back against the cage.
Karkmananis tries to throw a body punch but Rekka avoids it by throwing Karkmananis back against the cage.
Come on Karkmananis - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Rekka scores a nice knee to the body.
Rekka tries a knee to the head but Karkmananis blocks it.
Rekka is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Karkmananis is keeping busy.
Karkmananis has had enough of the clinch but Rekka keeps him there for the moment.
Rekka trying to land knees to the body.
Karkmananis on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rekka blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rekka lands with a right to the head.
Rekka tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Karkmananis tries to circle away but Rekka has him pinned against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karkmananis has had enough of the clinch but Rekka keeps him there for the moment.
Karkmananis blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rekka stalling the fight.

Karkmananis pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rekka throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A chopping leg kick lands by Rekka.

Karkmananis clinches up with Rekka and pushes him back against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rekka avoiding damage.
Karkmananis lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Rekka misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Karkmananis.
Karkmananis has Rekka pushed against the cage.
Karkmananis misses with an elbow over the top.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Rekka on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Karkmananis goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Liha Rekka will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Nicolas Karkmananis's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Karkmananis avoids the head kick by Rekka.

Karkmananis clinches.
A short right from Karkmananis.
Rekka tries to land knees in the clinch but Karkmananis avoids the damage to the body.
Karkmananis is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
A short body shot lands from Karkmananis as the two fighters clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Karkmananis fails to land.
Rekka misses with a knee strike.
Karkmananis stalling in the clinch.
Karkmananis tries to stall but Rekka uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Rekka blocking some punches.
Rekka unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Rekka throws a knee to the head but misses.

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

Karkmananis moves into the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Karkmananis taking a breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karkmananis's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Rekka throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rekka fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Rekka tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Rekka tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Rekka takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A short right from Karkmananis on the inside.
Karkmananis has had enough of the clinch but Rekka keeps him there for the moment.
A bit of stalling here from Karkmananis.
Karkmananis stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A nice right hand lands inside from Rekka.
Rekka blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Karkmananis is leaning against Rekka and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Karkmananis wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rekka has him pressed against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Karkmananis is trying to force a seperation but Rekka has the dominant position.
Rekka is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Karkmananis is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karkmananis managing to block the knees to the body from Rekka.
Rekka trying to control the position but instead, Karkmananis has worked for underhooks and has pushed Rekka into the cage.
Rekka tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Karkmananis avoids it.

Karkmananis breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rekka lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Karkmananis circles away quickly and effectively.
Karkmananis lands a head shot.
Karkmananis throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Karkmananis forces Rekka back against the cage and clinches.
Rekka is trying to maintain a safe position but Karkmananis gets an underhook and turns Rekka into the cage.

Karkmananis's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rekka lands a high kick!

Karkmananis clinches up with Rekka and pushes him back against the cage.
Rekka lands a good knee to the midsection. Karkmananis won't want to take too many of those.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stalling in the clinch from Karkmananis.
Karkmananis misses with a body punch.
Liha Rekka seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Rekka has Karkmananis pressed against the cage, preventing Karkmananis from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Rekka blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rekka is trying to maintain a safe position but Karkmananis gets an underhook and turns Rekka into the cage.
Rekka is persisting with his attempts to control the action in the clinch, rather than do any real damage.
Karkmananis has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Karkmananis avoiding damage as Rekka throws knees to the body.
Rekka tries to land knees in the clinch but Karkmananis avoids the damage to the body.
Karkmananis on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rekka managing to block the knees to the body from Karkmananis.
Karkmananis is stalling here.
Karkmananis managing to block the knees to the body from Rekka.
Rekka missing with knees to the body.
Rekka misses with a knee strike.
Karkmananis is trying to break the clinch but Rekka has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rekka takes a knee to the side of the body.
Karkmananis misses with a punch to the body.
Karkmananis lands a hook to the side of the head.
Karkmananis on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Karkmananis creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Karkmananis stalling in the clinch but Rekka improves position.
Karkmananis slows down the pace here.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rekka as Karkmananis tries to tie him up.
Rekka working Karkmananis over with knees to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Karkmananis blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rekka stalls.
Karkmananis swings wildly with an uppercut but Rekka uses good head movement to avoid it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nicolas Karkmananis showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rekka has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight for Liha Rekka!

The fight ends as a draw!