PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Darius Badolato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lasi Kukko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Badolato comes to the cage accompanied by Nneka - Heartbeat. This should be a great matchup!

Badolato
vs
Kukko

180 cm
35
200 lbs
30 - 10 - 0

185 cm
41
194 lbs
36 - 20 - 2

Great wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Granite chin

//buriedALIVE// Fight Gear
Hellbent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 30 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Darius Badolato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 36 - 20 - 2, fighting out of London, Lasi Kukko!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Gregory Folan and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Badolato misses with a kick to the body.
Kukko slips a straight right by Badolato.
Lasi Kukko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kukko will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nice takedown defense from Kukko. No joy for Badolato on that attempt.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Kukko! But no joy.
Badolato has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Kukko.
Kukko throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Badolato lands a nice leg kick that just misses Kukko's sensitive parts.
Badolato throws a series of punches but Kukko avoids them all with ease.
Badolato throws out a powerful jab.
Badolato bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Kukko misses with a straight right.
Badolato tries to move into range but Kukko moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Badolato swings for the body but Kukko moves out of range.
Badolato tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kukko was well out of range. Poor timing from Badolato.
Badolato uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kukko.
Badolato attempts a counter takedown but Kukko avoids it well and moves away.
Kukko blocks a head kick by Badolato.
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!
Kukko lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Kukko keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Badolato.
Badolato misses with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Badolato avoids the body shot from Kukko.
Badolato appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Kukko misses with a body kick.
Kukko falls off balance throwing a combination

and Badolato counters with a single leg into guard. Kukko didn't expect that.
Kukko utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kukko seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Kukko controls Badolato momentarily but Badolato frees himself.
Badolato tries to free his leg and advance position but Kukko is retaining full guard.

Kukko has his foot on Badolato's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Badolato works his way back into a safe position though.
Kukko looking to hit a scissor sweep but Badolato is one step ahead there.
Badolato keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Kukko's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Badolato trying to control the position from guard on top but Kukko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Badolato preventing the sweep.
Kukko manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Badolato manages to get himself to full guard.

Kukko wants to control from the top but Badolato keeps moving.

Badolato escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kukko gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Badolato is controlling Kukko's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Badolato is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Kukko wants to pass the guard but Badolato is keeping the position.
Badolato looking for a sweep. Not yet Badolato, not yet.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Badolato keeping full guard, as Kukko tries to pass.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Kukko shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Kukko was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Badolato tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Kukko wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kukko advances nicely into full mount.
Kukko avoids the attempt from Badolato to control.
Badolato bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Kukko has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Badolato is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Kukko.
Badolato misses with the ground and pound.
Kukko is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Kukko struggling a bit here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Darius Badolato will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Badolato drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Kukko has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Badolato.
Badolato has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Badolato misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Badolato tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kukko paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Badolato tries to sprawl but Kukko drives through with a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Badolato manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Badolato pulls Kukko in to control the position.
Kukko slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Kukko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Badolato keeps working.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kukko is staying tight to Badolato's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Badolato tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kukko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Badolato keeps working.
Badolato parries the strikes from Kukko easily there. Kukko is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Badolato to escape.
Kukko misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Kukko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Badolato keeps working.
Badolato can't do much from the bottom here.

Kukko decides to stand back up. Kukko steps back and let's Badolato get back to his feet.
A telegraphed right hand from Kukko misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Badolato misses with a straight right.
Kukko takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Badolato connects with a jab.
Kukko misses with a wild combination.
Kukko misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Kukko closes this distance looking for a takedown but Badolato circles away.
Badolato closes this distance looking for a takedown but Kukko circles away.
Kukko looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Kukko tries to clinch up.
Badolato feinted with a counter takedown.
Kukko lands with an uppercut that bounces Badolato off the cage and back into range.
Badolato scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Badolato staying out of range there.
Nice uppercut there from Kukko.
Lasi Kukko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Badolato lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Kukko misses with an uppercut. Badolato saw that one coming.
Kukko throws a series of punches but Badolato avoids them all with ease.
Badolato swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kukko shoots for a double leg takedown but Badolato sprawls well. He's pushed Kukko's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Badolato appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Darius Badolato has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lasi Kukko.
Kukko tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Badolato feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Kukkos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Badolato tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kukko swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Badolato avoids the body shot from Kukko.
Badolato half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Kukko lands with a straight right. Badolato didn't see that one coming.
Kukko throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Badolato counters with a single leg into guard. Kukko didn't expect that.
Kukko being controlled here, momentarily.
Badolato trying to control the position from guard on top but Kukko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Badolato content to stall in guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kukko trying to control the position.
Badolato wants to control from the top but Kukko keeps moving.
Badolato with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Kukko wants to improve his position but instead Badolato has moved into half guard.
Kukko trying to control from the bottom.

Kukko looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Kukko trying to hold on to Badolato's head to control him but Badolato postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Lasi Kukko will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Badolato's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Badolato misses with a series of wild punches.
Badolato cracks Kukko with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Kukko fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Kukko tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Badolato lands with a kick to the ribs.
Kukko tries to score with a low kick but Badolato moves his leg out of the way.
Darius Badolato is winning the standup battle so far.
A combination from Kukko does no damage.
Kukko swinging wildly here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Badolato shoots in but no luck this time.

Badolato has managed to clinch.
Badolato working aggressively here.
Kukko prevents Badolato from breaking the clinch.

Kukko pulls guard successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Badolato slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Kukko keeping moving, preventing Badolato from controlling successfully.
Kukko avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Badolato chips away with some ground and pound.
We've been hearing that Badolato has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Kukko being controlled here, momentarily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Badolato throwing strikes from guard but Kukko blocks nicely.
Badolato advances position into side control!

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.
You can see the frustration on Kukko's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
A control attempt from Kukko but he's now mounted!
Badolato trying to control but Kukko is having none of it.
Badolato lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

It looks like Lasi Kukko has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kukko sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Kukko is staying active underneath Badolato, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Badolato takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Badolato controlling the action here.
Kukko regains full guard. Nicely done.
Kukko has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Badolato has passed into side control.
Badolato creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kukko trying to remain calm as Badolato controls from the top position.
Kukko wants to control but Badolato postures up.
Kukko is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Badolato is looking to take a break and control but Kukko is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kukko is looking to reverse the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Darius Badolato showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Badolato has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Peck scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Darius Badolato!