PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jerry Cantrell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nate Kulina (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cantrell
vs
Kulina

176 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

173 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jerry Cantrell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Nate Kulina!
The judges for this bout are Winston Alpacca, Peter Branson and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kulina shoots in for a takedown but Cantrell shows good takedown defense.
As Kulina looks to move away, Cantrell throws a big counter combo but Kulina just gets out of the way.
Cantrell lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Cantrell.
Cantrell looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Cantrell throws a head kick that Kulina semi-blocks.
Cantrell throws a predictable looking body shot

and Kulina counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Cantrell breaks from the clinch.
Jerry Cantrell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cantrell shoots for a double leg takedown but Kulina sprawls well. He's pushed Cantrell's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Cantrell throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Cantrell has managed to clinch.
Cantrell content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Kulina misses with a body punch.

Cantrell's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cantrell lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kulina circles away quickly and effectively.
Kulina unleashes a big counter combination but Cantrell bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cantrell wants to clinch

and Kulina counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Cantrell is looking to get back to is feet but Kulina passes into side control.
Kulina working the body and head with strikes.
Kulina is chipping away with strikes.
Kulina cracks Cantrell with a big right hand but Cantrell just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Kulina working away.
Cantrell is breathing heavily.
Cantrell takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Kulina landing strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kulina working the head and body with strikes.
Cantrell is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Cantrell is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cantrell takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

Cantrell is rocked!
Kulina in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Oh Cantrell is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Kulina lands an elbow.
Cantrell taking punishment in the form of punches.
Kulina lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Cantrell takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Kulina works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Kulina working the ground and pound.
Kulina working the ground and pound.
Cantrell on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Cantrell takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cantrell taking a bit of punishment here - Kulina scoring with strikes.
Kulina scoring with punches and elbows.
Kulina working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Cantrell taking punishment in the form of punches.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Cantrell takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Kulina trying to control the action but Cantrell is working from the bottom.
Kulina working the ground and pound from side control.
Kulina grinds an elbow into Cantrell's temple.
Cantrell seems to have got his legs back now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Check out the look on Kulina's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Kulina lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Kulina in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Cantrell is trying to get back to half guard.
Kulina landing strikes.
Kulina cracks Cantrell with a big elbow.
Kulina working the head and body with strikes.
Cantrell misses with a strike from the bottom.
Cantrell tries to bench press Kulina off him but Kulina keeps the position.
Kulina working the head and body with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nate Kulina dominated that round.
That's time! Cantrell's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Kulina tries for a takedown but Cantrell sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Kulina has managed to clinch.
Kulina drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Cantrell breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cantrell misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cantrell changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cantrell shoots in for a double leg but Kulina sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
A decent looking cross lands there for Cantrell.
Kulina blocks the body kick.
And Kulina tries to counter it with a takedown but Cantrell pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Kulina misses with a takedown attempt - Cantrell sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Jerry Cantrell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nate Kulina.
Kulina looks for a takedown but Cantrell sprawls well.
Kulina shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cantrell but Cantrell pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cantrell throws a nice head kick!
Cantrell tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kulina paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cantrell ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
It looked like Cantrell wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Cantrell fails in his attempt to clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Kulina is defended easily by Cantrell.
Cantrell darts in trying to clinch

and Kulina decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Cantrell's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cantrell working a defensive guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kulina looking to pass the guard.
Kulina scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Kulina working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Kulina lands a couple of elbows.
Kulina works over Cantrell with some ground and pound from guard.
Kulina scoring with some ground and pound.
Nate Kulina has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Kulina's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Cantrell has momentary wrist control but Kulina slips an elbow through the middle.
Kulina is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Kulina chips away with some ground and pound.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kulina is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Kulina must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Kulina stops Cantrell from standing up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Nate Kulina will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Cantrell's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Kulina misses with a head kick.
Kulina shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cantrell but Cantrell pushes him off and we're back to square one.
No luck for Kulina with that takedown attempt.
Kulina avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
It seemed like Kulina was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kulina dives in for a single leg takedown but Cantrell sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Jerry Cantrell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nate Kulina.
Cantrell throws a nice inside leg kick.
Kulina takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cantrell scores with a decent looking hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cantrell fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Cantrell clinches up against the cage.

Cantrell pulls guard successfully.
Cantrell manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kulina manages to get himself to full guard.

Cantrell wants to stand and escape but instead Kulina has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Cantrell controls Kulina momentarily but Kulina frees himself.
Kulina with a nice head shot there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kulina connects with a couple of short punches.
Kulina chips away with some ground and pound.
Kulina is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Cantrell is looking to stand up but Kulina isn't so interested in that idea.
Kulina content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Kulina landing some decent shots from guard.
Kulina landing with the ground and pound.
Kulina lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kulina is working Cantrell over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Cantrell wants to improve his position but instead Kulina has moved into half guard.
Cantrell looks like he's trying to stand up.
Kulina is controlling the pace.
Cantrell flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Cantrell taking some punishment here, with Kulina in his half guard.

That's four 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.
Cantrell wants to control but Kulina is keeping busy.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Cantrell has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Kulina.
Kulina shoots in for a takedown but Cantrell shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Cantrell tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Kulina manages to circle out of the way.
Cantrell swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Kulina counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Kulina changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Cantrell looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Cantrell throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Jerry Cantrell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cantrell misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Kulina drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Cantrell defends it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jerry Cantrell.
I think Kulina 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 Winston Alpacca scores the fight 28:29
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nate Kulina!
Nate Kulina took his opportunity to call for a title shot in his post fight interview.