PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ray Carter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marek Sykora (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marek Sykora has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Ray Carter's chin.

Carter
vs
Sykora

195 cm
25
220 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

203 cm
18
230 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ray Carter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Marek Sykora!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Carter shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That kick from Sykora tenderised Carter's leg. Carter is trying to keep his angry face on.
Carter avoids the head kick by Sykora.
Carter seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Carter misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Sykora is looking for the big counter here.
Sykora misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sykora throws a wild body kick that Carter sees coming a mile off.
Carter feinted with a counter takedown.
Sykora throws the kick towards the body but Carter avoids it.
It looked like Carter wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Carter looks for a takedown but Sykora sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ray Carter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carter blocks a head kick by Sykora.
Sykora scores with a push kick.
Carter steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Sykora. That one must have hurt.
Carter fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sykora throws a head kick that half lands.
Carter is breathing heavily.
Sykora stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sykora wants it to stay on the feet.
Carter throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sykora's waist but Sykora gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Carter off to one side.
Carter shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sykora pinned against the cage. Sykora gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Sykora throws a head kick that lands with a deafening thwack! The crowd roars as Carter stumbles backwards and falls to the mat. Sykora follows into mount!

Carter is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Sykora gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Sykora tries a head kick but it misses.
Sykora gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Carter counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sykora wants to stand but Carter is controlling the position.
Carter trying to control but Sykora is working from the bottom.
Sykora is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sykora has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Carter off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Horrible takedown attempt by Carter or perhaps it was just good defense by Sykora, which made it look bad.
Sykora throws a body kick that misses.
Carter shoots in and drives through. Sykora sprawls well.
Sykora throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Carter shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Sykora but Sykora pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sykora thumps Carter with a low kick.
Sykora tries a head kick but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sykora lands a nice leg kick that just misses Carter's sensitive parts.
Carter misses with a head kick.
Sykora is looking for the big counter here.
Sykora slaps away a takedown attempt from Carter, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Sykora finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

Carter forces Sykora back against the cage and clinches.

Sykora breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sykora cracks the inside of Carter's front leg.
Marek Sykora is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Carter doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Sykora counters with an outside leg kick.
Sykora throws a head kick that misses.
Carter fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sykora avoids it really well and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marek Sykora dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Sykora lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Sykora stuffs the takedown.
Marek Sykora seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Carter shoots for a double leg takedown but Sykora sprawls well. He's pushed Carter's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Carter shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Sykora throws a body kick that misses.
Sykora goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sykora circles away from the clinch attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A bone on bone clash there as Carter blocks the leg kick.
Sykora throws a quick inside leg kick.
Sykora connects with a high kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sykora lands a high kick!
Oh Carter is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Sykora misses with a head kick.
Sykora lands with a thumping leg kick.
Carter avoids the head kick by Sykora.
A head kick misses from Sykora.

Carter moves into the clinch.
Carter seems to have got his legs back now.
Sykora wants to break the clinch but can't.

Sykora breaks from the clinch.

Carter closes the distance and pushes Sykora back into the cage.
Sykora prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ray Carter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sykora on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Carter tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sykora smiles and moves away.
Nice body kick from Sykora.
Carter is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sykora will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Carter misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sykora.
Carter sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Carter looks for the body kick but Sykora saw that one coming.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Carter scores with a one two! Sykora had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sykora pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Carter tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sykora manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sykora tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Carter throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sykora scores with a head kick. Carter tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Sykora has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Carter pulls out of a head kick attempt.
No luck for Carter with that takedown attempt.
Sykora scores with a head kick.
Sykora throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Carter clinches with his opponent.

Carter pulls Sykora into guard.

Sykora decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Carter, up you get!
A thudding body kick lands there by Sykora!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carter avoids the head kick by Sykora.
Carter looks for the body kick but Sykora saw that one coming.

Carter darts in and clinches Sykora up against the cage.

Sykora breaks from the clinch.
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!
Sykora throws a leg kick but Carter checks it.
Carter lands a jab-cross combination.

Carter closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Sykora pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sykora throws a head kick that misses.

Carter gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marek Sykora showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Sykora goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Carter appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Carter moves out of range of the leg kick from Sykora.
Carter fails to land the takedown.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Carter.
Sykora lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Carter takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carter has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Sykora.
Sykora misses with a low kick.
Carter misses with a takedown attempt
and Sykora counters with a nice kick to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ray Carter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Carter shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Sykora counters with a big head kick but Carter shrugs it off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sykora tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sykora throws a head kick but Carter moves out of range.
Ray Carter is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sykora tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Sykora scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

Carter moves into range and clinches up with Sykora.

Sykora breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Carter forces Sykora back against the cage and clinches.
Carter will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Sykora wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Carter throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Sykoras head.
Sykora wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Carter has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Carter's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sykora pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Carter checks the leg kick nicely there.
Carter fails with a takedown attempt.
Carter looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sykora is fending him off so far but Carter persists. Nope, Sykora circles away and we're back to standing.
Sykora is looking to slow Carter down with leg kicks.
Sykora lands a high kick!

Carter fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Sykora to the ground. Carter is now in Sykora's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sykora wants to stand up but Carter is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carter pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sykora is keeping the position for now.
Marek Sykora is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Carter won't allow Sykora to get back to his feet.
Carter not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Sykora has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Carter has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for Carter to work.

Carter escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Carter checks a leg kick nicely.
Carter is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Sykora.
Carter shoots in for a takedown but Sykora shows good takedown defense.
Sykora lands with a kick to the temple. Carter shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Carter misses with a takedown attempt - Sykora sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ray Carter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sykora throws a head kick that Carter semi-blocks.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marek Sykora comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sykora winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marek Sykora!