PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Kacik (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pablo Manjuelez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kacik comes into the arena with The Hydrant - Bali Bandidos blaring out of the sound system. Manjuelez has chosen el Jarabe Tapatio as his entrance music. This should be a great matchup!

Kacik
vs
Manjuelez

188 cm
21
223 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

182 cm
22
200 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Powerful

THE END 32

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Alexander Kacik!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Pablo Manjuelez!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kacik clinches up against the cage.

Kacik breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Manjuelez throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Manjuelez forces Kacik back against the cage and clinches.
Kacik blocks the elbow strike.
Manjuelez tries for a takedown. No joy.

Manjuelez manages to break the clinch.
Kacik looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Manjuelez has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Kacik is landing a low percentage of strikes.

Kacik rushes Manjuelez and presses him up against the cage.
Kacik tries for a takedown but Manjuelez manages to get underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kacik avoiding damage as Manjuelez throws knees to the body.
Manjuelez tries to work over Kacik's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kacik cracks Manjuelez with a nice body shot.
Manjuelez changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Kacik fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Kacik takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kacik has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Manjuelez is trying to keep an underhook but Kacik manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Kacik prevents Manjuelez from improving his position.
Manjuelez gets back to full guard.
Manjuelez keeping full guard, as Kacik tries to pass.
Manjuelez looking to control.
Kacik trying to control the position from guard on top but Manjuelez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Manjuelez seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kacik loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kacik stops Manjuelez from standing up.
Kacik postures up.
Kacik works over Manjuelez with some ground and pound from guard.
Kacik cracks Manjuelez with a solid left hand.
Kacik pushes down on Manjuelez's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Kacik throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Manjuelez is staying active underneath Kacik, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kacik is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Manjuelez moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manjuelez trying to control the position here.
Manjuelez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Kacik is staying active underneath Manjuelez, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Manjuelez trying to mount his opponent but Kacik defends it.
Kacik moves into full guard.
Kacik is trying to keep Manjuelez in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Manjuelez is stalling in the full guard.
Manjuelez wants to control from the top but Kacik keeps moving.
Kacik is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kacik looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Manjuelez puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kacik is trying to stand.
Kacik is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
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 Alexander Kacik will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kacik has Manjuelez up against the cage in a clinch.

Kacik is trying to trip Manjuelez. He has hold of a leg but Manjuelez is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Kacik persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Manjuelez is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Kacik has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Manjuelez avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Manjuelez has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Kacik is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Stalling in the clinch from Manjuelez.

Kacik breaks the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Kacik goes for a takedown attempt but Manjuelez pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Manjuelez defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Kacik.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexander Kacik. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kacik moves into range and clinches up with Manjuelez.
Kacik misses with a hook to the ribs.

Kacik breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kacik with a poor takedown
and Manjuelez counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Nice sprawl there from Manjuelez as Kacik shoots in.

Kacik closes the distance and clinches.
Kacik misses with a punch to the body.

Manjuelez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Kacik clinches up with Manjuelez and pushes him back against the cage.
Kacik wants a takedown.
Kacik has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Manjuelez after a bit of a struggle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manjuelez being controlled against the cage.
Manjuelez trying to land knees to the body.

Kacik turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Manjuelez sneaks out the side door and pushes Kacik away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
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!
Kacik tries to close the distance and clinch up but Manjuelez swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Kacik scores with a takedown into Manjuelez's guard.
Manjuelez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kacik is one step ahead there.
Kacik trying to control the position from guard on top but Manjuelez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kacik in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Manjuelez is controlling Kacik's posture.
Manjuelez keeping moving, preventing Kacik from controlling successfully.
Kacik is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Manjuelez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kacik connects with a couple of short punches.
Kacik wants to control from the top but Manjuelez keeps moving.
Manjuelez is pulling down on Kacik's head. It's preventing any offense from Kacik, at least for the moment.
Manjuelez tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Kacik's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Kacik postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Kacik postures up in Manjuelez's guard and throws a big left but Manjuelez blocks it.
Manjuelez looking for a sweep. Not yet Manjuelez, not yet.
Manjuelez wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Manjuelez has his feet on Kacik's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Kacik tries to clinch up.
Despite the aggression on Manjuelez's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Alexander Kacik seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Kacik clinches up against the cage.

Kacik breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Manjuelez swats away the attempt to clinch by Kacik.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Pablo Manjuelez will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Kacik throws a head kick that misses.
Manjuelez changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Kacik stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kacik wants it to stay on the feet.
Kacik wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Manjuelez misses with a double jab.

Kacik closes the distance and pushes Manjuelez back into the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Kacik.
Manjuelez is pressed up against the cage. Kacik has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Manjuelez down to the mat. Manjuelez avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Kacik darts in and clinches Manjuelez up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manjuelez can't break the clinch.
Manjuelez looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Manjuelez tries a knee to the head but Kacik blocks it.
Manjuelez wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kacik is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kacik jumps guard and drags Manjuelez to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Manjuelez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kacik is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Manjuelez trying to control but Kacik is working from the bottom.
Pablo Manjuelez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Manjuelez advances position into side control!
Kacik on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Kacik tries to get out of the position.
Kacik tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Kacik is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manjuelez throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Manjuelez throws some wild stikes that Kacik manages to avoid easily.
Kacik is squirming around, avoiding Manjuelez's attempts to control the action.
Kacik swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Manjuelez trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Kacik is wriggling around trying to escape.
Manjuelez looking to control but Kacik is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Manjuelez controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kacik wants to hold on but Manjuelez pushes him away.
Kacik is working to get back to half guard.
Manjuelez avoids the attempt from Kacik to control.
Manjuelez trying to control but Kacik is having none of it.

That's four 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.
Manjuelez scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Kacik is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Kacik definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Manjuelez cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Manjuelez trying to control but Kacik is having none of it.
Manjuelez landing punches.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Manjuelez is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Kacik has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Kacik!
Kacik has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Manjuelez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pablo Manjuelez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Manjuelez has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Pablo Manjuelez!
A victorious Pablo Manjuelez thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.