PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Frank Esposito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rustam Kersikov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kersikov is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Eminem - Survival . Rustam Kersikov has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Esposito
vs
Kersikov

178 cm
39
187 lbs
50 - 21 - 1

181 cm
30
176 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

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 50 - 21 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Frank Esposito!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rustam Kersikov!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Daniel Franklin and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Esposito avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kersikov avoids the body shot from Esposito.
Esposito tries to clinch up.
Kersikov flicks out a counter leg kick but Esposito steps away.
Kersikov looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Kersikov swings for the body but Esposito moves out of range.
Esposito throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Kersikov has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

It looks like Rustam Kersikov has been cut.
Esposito is looking to land body kicks.
Esposito looks to score with a jab to the body but Kersikov is just out of range.
Kersikov misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Esposito.
Esposito appears to be looking for a big counter.
Esposito lands a nice looking body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice shot lands for Kersikov.
Esposito misses with a right hand
and Kersikov counters with a nice body shot.
Kersikov misses with a kick to the body
enabling Esposito to counter with a crisp jab.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Esposito throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Kersikov is looking to land body kicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A clash of legs there as Kersikov blocks the low kick.
Esposito keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Esposito throwing a counter right hand but Kersikov manages to avoid it.
Kersikov connects with a leg kick. Esposito looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Esposito looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Esposito will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Esposito rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Kersikov counters with a nice leg kick.
Kersikov takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Esposito misses with a low kick.
Kersikov connects with a jab.
Esposito scores with a punch to the head.
Kersikov throws a nice outside leg kick.
Kersikov staying out of range there.
Kersikov cracks Esposito with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Esposito throws an overhand right that lands on Kersikov's shoulder, as Kersikov tries to avoid the shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kersikov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Esposito.
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!
A leg kick checked by Kersikov.
Kersikov tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Esposito is able to avoid easily.
Esposito appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Esposito tries to work over Kersikov's front leg with a kick but Kersikov checks it.
Esposito tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kersikov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Esposito throws a poor cross that misses
and Kersikov counters with a low kick, right behind Esposito 's knee.
Esposito tries to clinch but Kersikov moves away
and Kersikov counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Kersikov scores with a body shot.
Kersikov is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Esposito rather than just go for the knockout.
Esposito takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Esposito misses with a leg kick.
Kersikov flicks out a counter leg kick but Esposito steps away.
That kick from Kersikov tenderised Esposito's leg. Esposito is trying to keep his angry face on.
Kersikov connects with a body shot.
Esposito moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Esposito keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Esposito blocks a head kick by Kersikov.
The fight stays on the outside here - Esposito looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kersikov connects with an inside leg kick.
Kersikov is looking to score with low kicks.
It looked like Esposito was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Esposito moves out of range as Kersikov throws a body kick.
It looked like Esposito was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Kersikov.
Kersikov lands a nice leg kick that just misses Esposito's sensitive parts.
Kersikov misses with a low kick.
Esposito misses with a body shot.
Kersikov throws a counter combo.
Kersikov shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
A good leg kick by Kersikov.
Kersikov throws a quick inside leg kick.
Kersikov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Esposito.
Esposito lunges at Kersikov with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Kersikov's hand.
Esposito throws a nice looking combination but Kersikov bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kersikov chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Esposito paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
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!
Kersikov walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Kersikov scoring well with a low kick there.
Esposito misses with an uppercut. Kersikov saw that one coming.
Kersikov unleashes a big counter combination but Esposito bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Kersikov misses with a body kick.
Kersikov throws a head kick that misses.
Esposito slips under a jab.
Esposito lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Esposito throws a hook but Kersikov blocks it.
Esposito moves away from the strike by Kersikov.
Esposito on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Esposito takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Esposito.
Kersikov with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rustam Kersikov dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rustam Kersikov's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Esposito throws a low kick but it's checked well by Kersikov.
Kersikov throws a front kick aimed at Esposito's knee but Esposito avoids it well.
Kersikov lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Frank Esposito has been cut.
Kersikov has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Jab, jab by Kersikov - just one landing.
Kersikov throws a lazy head kick
and Esposito counters with a nice body kick.
Rustam Kersikov seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Kersikov - that will leave a mark!
Esposito lands with a thumping leg kick.
Esposito scores with a push kick.
Esposito looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Esposito works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Esposito lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Kersikov has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Kersikov and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Esposito displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kersikov throws out the jab.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Esposito might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
Kersikov takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kersikov scores with a hook to the body. Esposito takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Kersikov throws a looping overhand right but Esposito ducks down to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esposito throws a wild body kick that Kersikov sees coming a mile off.
Esposito fails in his attempt to clinch.
Esposito rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Kersikov counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Kersikov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Esposito tries to land a leg kick but Kersikov saw it coming and moves away.
Esposito tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kersikov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kersikov throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Kersikov throws a body punch but Esposito moves out of range.
Kersikov looks to land a combination but Esposito avoids it well.
Esposito throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A decent looking cross lands there for Kersikov.
Good exchange - Kersikov coming out on top.

Esposito is rocked!
A combination from Kersikov does no damage.
Oh Esposito is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Esposito punishes Kersikov's body with a nice straight punch.
A big left from Esposito misses.
Kersikov jabs at Esposito's body.
Kersikov steps in with a hook that catches Esposito right on the chin and knocks him to the floor! Kersikov follows him down with more strikes and that's all she wrote! Esposito looks absolutely devastated.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rustam Kersikov!