PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Charles Richter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexei Kovalev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Richter
vs
Kovalev

166 cm
19
140 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

172 cm
19
135 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Big Bear Nutrition 160Q
Arcticus University: London

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Charles Richter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Alexei Kovalev!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A clash of legs there as Kovalev blocks the low kick.
Richter lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Kovalev at a distance.
Richter looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Richter misses the body punch
and Kovalev counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Richter lands a nice leg kick that just misses Kovalev's sensitive parts.
Kovalev lands a jab to the head.
Richter throws a nice outside leg kick.
Alexei Kovalev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Some wild striking there from Richter.
Kovalev lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Kovalev wants to land a leg kick but Richter is out of range.
Kovalev takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Kovalev looks to land a left hand but Richter moved out of range nicely.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Richter wants to slow Kovalev down by chopping away at his legs.
Kovalev scores with a jab to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kovalev wants to clinch up but Richter keeps it at a distance.
Richter misses with a two punch combination.
Kovalev's jab looks to have found its range, popping Richter under the eye.
Richter fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Richter throws a body punch but Kovalev moves out of range.
Richter throws a right hand that Kovalev ducks under and follows up with a left that Kovalev also avoids with ease.
Kovalev misses with a looping left.
Richter throws a wild body kick that Kovalev sees coming a mile off.
Kovalev steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Richter.
Richter walks into a stiff left hand from Kovalev.
Kovalev misses with a low kick as Richter jumps back.
Richter looks to land a right hand but Kovalev moved out of range.
Richter falls off balance throwing a combination
and Kovalev connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kovalev tries a head kick but it misses.
It looked like Richter was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
A cross from Kovalev lands.
Kovalev looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Kovalev is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Richter had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kovalev avoids a punch combination nicely.
Richter will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Kovalev is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Kovalev pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Richter ducks under a wild hook from Kovalev.
A cross from Richter lands.
Richter throws a hook but Kovalev blocks it.
A shot to the liver by Kovalev. Beautiful body shot.
Kovalev steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Richter. That one must have hurt.
Richter uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
A looping hook to the body misses from Richter. Kovalev does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kovalev looks to throw the jab but Richter is out of range.
Kovalev misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richter takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Richter throws a hook but Kovalev blocks it.
A little jabbing left from Kovalev on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Kovalev scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kovalev looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
As Kovalev backs away, Richter returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Jab by Kovalev.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Richter.
Kovalev fails with an attempt to clinch.
Richter throws a quick counter kick to the body but Kovalev avoids it.
Kovalev throws a leg kick
and Richter counters with a nice body shot.
Richter scores with a leg kick.
Richter ducks right into an uppercut from Kovalev.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kovalev works the jab nicely.
Richter walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Richter is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Richter, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Richter wants to slow Kovalev down by chopping away at his legs.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Kovalev! But no joy.

Kovalev sends Richter crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Kovalev is motioning to the referee to let Richter up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!
Oh Richter is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Richter misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Kovalev scores with a counter punch that sends Richter to the canvas! Kovalev smells blood - he's punishing Richter with more strikes and the ref has stopped it! Richter has no idea where he is - he's tackled the ref... oh dear, poor guy, the crowd is in hysterics!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:21 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Alexei Kovalev!