PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rick Rude (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eugeniy Akulenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Akulenko has chosen Cowboys From Hell as his entrance music. Eugeniy Akulenko acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Rude
vs
Akulenko

180 cm
24
167 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

170 cm
23
165 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rick Rude!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Eugeniy Akulenko!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Fedor Mirinova and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Akulenko tries to clinch but Rude moves away
and Rude counters with a right hand to the body.
Akulenko throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Akulenko tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rude manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rude lands a right hook to the body.
Akulenko pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rude throws a good cross that connects.
Akulenko tries to clinch but fails miserably
letting Rude counter with a right hand.
Akulenko wants to clinch
and Rude cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
We've been told by Rude's head coaches at LOD Gym Now with StandUP that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Rude throws a right hand that Akulenko ducks under and follows up with a left that Akulenko also avoids with ease.
A punch combination from Rude misses.
Akulenko tries to close the distance and clinch but Rude swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Eugeniy Akulenko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rude tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Akulenko was well out of range. Poor timing from Rude.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Akulenko tries to clinch but Rude moves away
and Akulenko takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Akulenko is rocked!

It looks like Eugeniy Akulenko has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rude swats away the attempt to clinch by Akulenko.
Akulenko is still on wobbly legs! Can Rude finish him?
Rude avoids the head kick by Akulenko.
Akulenko seems to have recovered his senses.
Rude has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Akulenko.
Rude circles away from the clinch attempt
and Rude counters with a right hand to the body.
Rude keeps the fight on the outside.
Rude lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Rude throws a shot to the body.
Akulenko tries to clinch but Rude moves out of range.
Rude swats away the attempt to clinch by Akulenko.
Akulenko tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rude swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akulenko wants to clinch.
Akulenko tries to close the distance and clinch but Rude swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rude swats away the attempt to clinch by Akulenko.
Akulenko is looking to clinch.
Akulenko wants to clinch up but Rude keeps it at a distance.
Akulenko swinging wildly here.
Akulenko tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Rude counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Akulenko avoids a punch combination nicely.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Akulenko fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rude keeps the fight on the outside.
Rude throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Akulenko ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Akulenko takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Akulenko fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Rude swats away the attempt to clinch by Akulenko.
Rude misses with a two punch combination.
Rude keeps the fight on the outside.
Rude circles away from the clinch attempt
and Rude counters with a series of strikes. Akulenko will be more careful next time no doubt.
Akulenko tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rude swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akulenko throws a shot from downtown. Rude moves away and avoids it.
Akulenko throws a wild body kick that Rude sees coming a mile off.
Akulenko tries to clinch
and Rude counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rude throws a right hand that Akulenko ducks under and follows up with a left that Akulenko also avoids with ease.
Akulenko moves in looking to clinch but Rude pushes him off.
Rude circles away from the clinch attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Akulenko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Akulenko tries to clinch up
and Rude counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Rude lands with an overhand left.
Akulenko wants to clinch
and Rude counters with a left to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Rude dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Eugeniy Akulenko's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Akulenko tries to clinch but Rude is having none of it.
Akulenko takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Akulenko might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Rude has got the better of the exchanges.
Akulenko moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

Akulenko rushes Rude and presses him up against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Akulenko missing with knees to the body.
Akulenko working hard to break the clinch.
Rude looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Akulenko manages to break the clinch.
Akulenko wants to clinch
and Rude counters with a straight right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rude avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Akulenko delivers a nice body kick.
Rude is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Akulenko can do to turn this around?
Rude circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akulenko throws a sloppy body shot
and Rude counters with a right hand to the body.
Rick Rude is winning the standup battle so far.
Rude lands a nice looking body shot.

Akulenko gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Akulenko just leaning against Rude, taking a breather.
Rude tries to break free but Akulenko pushes him back against the cage.
Rude is trying to break the clinch but Akulenko is controlling him.
Rude can't find room to land a body shot as Akulenko controls the action.
Rude wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rude takes a knee right on the jaw!
Rude tries to work over Akulenko's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Nice elbow from Akulenko.
Rude on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akulenko throws a knee to the head but misses.
Akulenko is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rude is defending well for now.
Rude on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Akulenko is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rude is defending well for now.
Akulenko is trying to stall.
Rude goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Akulenko'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.
Rude can't break the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Akulenko.
Akulenko lands a left hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Akulenko tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Rude is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Akulenko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Akulenko tries to clinch but Rude moves out of range.
Akulenko tries to close the distance and clinch but Rude swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Akulenko darts in and clinches Rude up against the cage.
Akulenko lands a nice elbow.
Come on Akulenko - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Akulenko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rude throws a body shot but no joy.
Akulenko tries to clinch there but Rude circles away.

Akulenko closes the distance and clinches.

Rude's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Akulenko goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Rude throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akulenko is looking to clinch.
Akulenko tries to clinch up
and Rude counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Jab from Rude.
The fight stays on the outside here - Akulenko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Akulenko fails with an attempt to clinch.
Akulenko swings and misses with a hook to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Decent striking displayed by Rude there.
A nice combination there by Rude.
Akulenko misses with a body kick.
Akulenko tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Eugeniy Akulenko will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Eugeniy Akulenko's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Akulenko misses with a body kick.
Rude misses with a wild body shot.
Akulenko tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Akulenko is countered with a crisp right hand from Rude that sends him to the canvas! Rude follows him to the mat into side control.
Rude trying to control the position but Akulenko is working away.

Rude stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Akulenko dodges the punch combination from Rude.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Akulenko wants to clinch up but Rude keeps it at a distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Akulenko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rude takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Rude digs a good hook to Akulenko's body.
Rude misses the jab.

Rude tries to keep at a distance but Akulenko has taken the fight into the clinch.
Rude swings wildly with an uppercut but Akulenko uses good head movement to avoid it.

Akulenko manages to break the clinch.
Rude misses with a looping right.
Akulenko moves out of range of the strikes.
Akulenko is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Rick Rude is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rude circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rude scores with a jab. Akulenko acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Akulenko tries to close the distance and clinch but Rude swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Akulenko wants to clinch.
Akulenko connects with the punch.
Rude moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Akulenko tries to clinch up
and Rude cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Akulenko is looking to clinch but Rude is avoiding it.
A slapping body kick lands there for Akulenko.
Rude swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akulenko plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Akulenko is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Akulenko fails in his attempt to clinch.
Akulenko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Akulenko with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Rude blocks a head kick by Akulenko.
The fight stays on the outside here - Akulenko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rude misses the shot to the body.
Akulenko throws an off balance right hand
and Rude counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rude lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Akulenko circles away quickly and effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akulenko takes one to the side of the head.
Akulenko scores with a nice body kick.
Akulenko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Akulenko tries to clinch but Rude moves out of range.
Akulenko has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Akulenko tries to clinch there but Rude circles away.
Rick Rude is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Akulenko is looking to clinch but Rude is avoiding it.
Rude throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Eugeniy Akulenko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rude looks to score with a jab to the body but Akulenko is just out of range.
Akulenko tries to clinch up.
No joy there for Akulenko, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Akulenko tries to clinch but Rude is having none of it.
Akulenko tries a head kick but it misses.
Rude throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rick Rude showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rude 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight for Rick Rude!
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight for Rick Rude!
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight for Rick Rude!

Rick Rude wins by unanimous decision!
Rick Rude took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, GREEN!160 for their support in the buildup to the fight.