PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Vyacheslav Kowalchuk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jake Kirby (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kowalchuk comes to the cage accompanied by Kalinka Mix. 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.

Kowalchuk
vs
Kirby

165 cm
22
149 lbs
12 - 11 - 0

182 cm
22
165 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent 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 12 - 11 - 0, fighting out of London, Vyacheslav Kowalchuk !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jake Kirby!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, James Atkins and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kirby connects with a leg kick. Kowalchuk looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kowalchuk looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kirby scores with a head kick. Kowalchuk tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
We've been told by Kowalchuk 's head coaches at Canadian Top Team that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Kowalchuk fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kowalchuk tries to clinch but Kirby is having none of it.
Kowalchuk fails with an attempt to clinch.

Kowalchuk instigates a clinch.
Kowalchuk jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kirby walks away with a smile on his face. Kowalchuk gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Kirby looks for the body kick but Kowalchuk saw that one coming.
Kirby pulls out of a head kick attempt.
An inside leg kick lands from Kirby.

Kowalchuk forces Kirby back against the cage and clinches.
Kowalchuk on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kirby misses with a knee to the head.
Kowalchuk jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kirby walks away with a smile on his face. Kowalchuk gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Kirby keeps the fight on the outside.
Kirby was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Kowalchuk tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kirby manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kowalchuk moves in looking to clinch but Kirby pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kowalchuk clinches with his opponent.
Kowalchuk is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Kirby to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vyacheslav Kowalchuk . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kowalchuk jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kirby walks away with a smile on his face. Kowalchuk gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Kirby throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Kowalchuk tries to clinch up but Kirby circles away and keeps his distance.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Kirby.
Kowalchuk fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kirby feints a counter leg kick.
Kirby throws a head kick that misses.
Kowalchuk is looking to counter the offense by Kirby and move into the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kowalchuk looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kowalchuk doesn't manage to clinch there - Kirby circles away.
Kowalchuk moves out of range as Kirby throws a body kick.
Kowalchuk closes the distance looking to clinch
and Kirby counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Kowalchuk tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kirby swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kowalchuk chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Kirby can pounce on him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kowalchuk is looking to clinch but Kirby is avoiding it.
Kowalchuk tries to clinch but Kirby moves out of range.
Kowalchuk wants to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kowalchuk looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kirby throws a head kick that misses.
Kowalchuk doesn't manage to clinch there - Kirby circles away.
Kirby tries a quick counter leg kick but Kowalchuk is wise to it.
Kirby scores with a push kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kirby lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Kirby avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kowalchuk tries to close the distance and clinch but Kirby swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kirby only half commits to the counter leg kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Kirby.
Kowalchuk closes the distance but Kirby moves to the side
and Kirby counters with a nice low kick that buckles Kowalchuk 's knee momentarily.
Kowalchuk tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Kirby counters with a nice body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kirby feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Kowalchuk 's calf.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kowalchuk looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kowalchuk tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kirby manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kirby avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kowalchuk wants to clinch
and Kirby counters with a nice low kick that buckles Kowalchuk 's knee momentarily.
Kirby swats away the attempt to clinch by Kowalchuk .
Kirby does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Kowalchuk is looking to clinch.
Kirby circles away from the clinch attempt
and Kirby counters with an outside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Kirby.
Kowalchuk tries to clinch up
and Kirby counters with a nice kick to the body.
Kowalchuk is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Kirby throws a head kick but Kowalchuk moves out of range.
Kowalchuk is looking to clinch but Kirby is avoiding it.
Kowalchuk takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like Vyacheslav Kowalchuk has been cut.
Kowalchuk tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kowalchuk wants to clinch up but Kirby keeps it at a distance.
Kowalchuk is looking to clinch but Kirby is avoiding it.
Kowalchuk tries to clinch but Kirby moves out of range.
Kirby circles away from the clinch attempt
and Kirby counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kowalchuk doesn't manage to clinch there - Kirby circles away.
Kirby flicks out a counter leg kick but Kowalchuk steps away.
Vyacheslav Kowalchuk seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kowalchuk moves to clinch but Kirby breaks away
and Kirby counters with a head kick. That will keep Kowalchuk thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Kirby dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Vyacheslav Kowalchuk 's cut.
That's time! Kowalchuk 's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Kowalchuk is looking to clinch but Kirby is avoiding it.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Kirby. Kowalchuk shrugs it off though.

Kowalchuk pushes Kirby up against the cage in a clinch.
Kirby lands a knee to the body.
Kirby leaning his opponent against the cage.
Kirby connects with a knee to the head.

Kowalchuk gets control of Kirby's arms and successfully pulls guard. Kowalchuk will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Kirby trying to stand up but can't free himself from Kowalchuk 's guard.

Kowalchuk escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kirby gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Kowalchuk is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kirby defends well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kirby stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kowalchuk on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Kirby lands with a thumping leg kick.

Kowalchuk takes the fight into the clinch.
Kirby tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kowalchuk avoids it.

Kowalchuk jumps guard and drags Kirby to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Kirby has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Kirby wants to stand but Kowalchuk has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Kowalchuk working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kirby doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kirby manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Kirby really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kowalchuk . If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Kirby got a little sloppy there for a moment and Kowalchuk has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kirby has managed to get both his arms back between Kowalchuk 's legs - danger averted.

Kowalchuk is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Kirby wants to stand but Kowalchuk is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kowalchuk has his foot on Kirby's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kirby works his way back into a safe position though.

Kowalchuk working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kirby doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kirby manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Kirby wants to stand but Kowalchuk has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Kowalchuk had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Kirby defends it easily.

Kowalchuk is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kirby defends well.
Kirby trying to stand up but can't free himself from Kowalchuk 's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kowalchuk working for a triangle but Kirby defends it easily.
Kowalchuk has a closed guard, preventing Kirby from standing up.

Kowalchuk is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kirby defends well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Kowalchuk looking for a guillotine here but Kirby defends easily.

Kowalchuk throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Kirby has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Kowalchuk to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Kirby is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Kowalchuk pulls down on the head and he's put Kirby to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Vyacheslav Kowalchuk !
A relieved looking Vyacheslav Kowalchuk thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.