PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Simeon Malaya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rokki Kukko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Malaya
vs
Kukko

190 cm
42
180 lbs
49 - 21 - 0

176 cm
33
171 lbs
24 - 17 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 49 - 21 - 0, fighting out of London, Simeon Malaya!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 17 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rokki Kukko!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Malaya throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kukko is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Kukko moves into range and clinches up with Malaya.
Malaya gets through Kukko's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A short right from Kukko on the inside.
Malaya is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Malaya working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Malaya escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Malaya scoring well with a low kick there.
Malaya misses with a kick to the body.
Kukko tries to work over Malaya's front leg with a kick but Malaya checks it.
Malaya with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Kukko throws a body shot but no joy.
Malaya listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Kukko will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
This has been an exciting period of action!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Kukko.
Malaya throws a chopping leg kick but Kukko manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Malaya pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Kukko back to the cage. Malaya follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Kukko has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Kukko displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Malaya throws out the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kukko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kukko fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Simeon Malaya has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rokki Kukko.
Kukko throws a looping overhand right but Malaya ducks down to avoid it.
Simeon Malaya seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A nice leg kick lands there from Malaya.
Kukko keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Malaya throws a low kick but it's checked well by Kukko.
Malaya throws a poor cross that misses
and Kukko counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Malaya tries to move into range but Kukko moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Kukko lands with a thumping leg kick.
Kukko swings for the body but Malaya moves out of range.
Malaya is looking to counter punch.
Malaya throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Kukko tries to close the distance and clinch up but Malaya swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Malaya lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Kukko on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Malaya attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Kukko feints the counter takedown.
Kukko swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
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!
Nice body kick there by Malaya.
A chopping leg kick lands by Malaya.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Malaya looks to land a right hand but Kukko moved out of range.
Kukko scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Kukko takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Malaya is looking to chop away at Kukko's legs.
Kukko avoids the body shot from Malaya.
Kukko keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kukko uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Malaya.
Simeon Malaya is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A big left from Kukko misses.
Malaya throws a head kick but Kukko moves out of range.

Kukko looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Malaya!
Kukko throws an elbow but Malaya slips to the side and avoids it well.
Kukko misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Kukko working the ground and pound but Malaya is defending the strikes.
Malaya is holding Kukko down, trying to stall.
Kukko fails to land a wild elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kukko wants to control but Malaya is keeping him busy.
Kukko controls the position from side control.
Kukko is looking to take a break and control but Malaya is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Malaya tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Kukko wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

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.
Kukko fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Kukko wants to control but Malaya is keeping him busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Malaya is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
Kukko trying to control the position but Malaya is working away.
Kukko working the ground and pound from side control.
Kukko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Malaya keeps working.
Kukko is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Kukko working away.
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 Simeon Malaya will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kukko shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Kukko showed some decent athleticism there.
Kukko wants to take a breather but Malaya is having none of it.
Malaya avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kukko.
Malaya trying to control but Kukko postures up.
Kukko performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Rokki Kukko has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Malaya is refusing to be controlled, as Kukko sits in half guard.
Kukko thows a huge punch but Malaya dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kukko thows a huge punch but Malaya dodges it nicely.
Malaya wants to control but Kukko is keeping busy.
Kukko controlling the pace.
Malaya is in trouble now - Kukko has advanced to mount!
Kukko trying to control but Malaya is having none of it.
Kukko with the ground and pound from mount.

It looks like Simeon Malaya has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kukko lands a couple of good shots and Malaya has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Kukko controlling from the back.
Kukko lands shots from the back.
Well, with Kukko on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Malaya is tapping out... Can he escape the position?
Kukko is controlling the position but Malaya somehow manages to roll and ends up with half guard.
Kukko is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Kukko takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Kukko takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Kukko looks to land a strike but Malaya avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Kukko has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kukko wants to pass the guard but Malaya is keeping the position.
Kukko trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kukko stands and throws Malaya's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Kukko cracks Malaya with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Kukko happy to just control the position for now.
Malaya struggling a bit here.
The ground and pound from Kukko seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Kukko wants to control but Malaya is keeping him busy.
Kukko controlling from side mount.
Kukko trying to control the position but Malaya is working away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rokki Kukko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Simeon Malaya's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Malaya darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Kukko checks a leg kick.
Malaya tried to score with a low kick but Kukko checks it.
Malaya fakes the leg kick and cracks Kukko in the body.
Malaya throws a big shot that misses.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Kukko has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Malaya regains guard immediately.
Kukko stays in close to Malaya's body and controls the position.
Kukko pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Malaya is keeping the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Malaya is controlling Kukko's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kukko sitting in guard here, content to control.
Kukko trying to control but Malaya is working from the bottom.
Malaya will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Kukko controls from within his opponent's guard.
Malaya trying to keep a closed guard but Kukko is proving a slippery customer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Malaya throws a leg kick which misses Kukko's front leg but catches the back leg as Kukko tries to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Malaya cracks the inside of Kukko's front leg.
Malaya paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Kukko motions for Malaya to come forward. Kukko throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Malaya doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

Kukko has closed the distance and engaged Malaya in a clinch.
Malaya misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kukko tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Kukko misses with a punch on the inside.
Kukko scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Kukko lands with a light punch inside.
Malaya fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kukko is looking for a takedown.
Malaya stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Malaya throws a head punch that misses.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Kukko drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Malaya gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Malaya pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Malaya lands a nice looking kick to the body. Kukko takes a step back to recover.
Kukko moves out of range of the body kick.
Malaya is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Malaya keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Malaya tried to counter with a leg kick but Kukko avoided it.
Simeon Malaya has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rokki Kukko.
Malaya throws a quick inside leg kick.
Kukko tries to close the distance and clinch but Malaya swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Malaya with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Malaya thumps Kukko with a low kick.
Malaya fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Kukko.
Kukko feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Malaya's calf.
Malaya slips a jab from Kukko.

Malaya gets tackled into the cage by Kukko. Kukko maintains the clinch.
Malaya digs a right hand underneath Kukko's ribcage. Kukko let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Kukko takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Malaya fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kukko wants a takedown but no success here.
Malaya is pressed up against the cage. Kukko has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Malaya down to the mat. Malaya avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Malaya lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kukko misses with a straight right.
Malaya turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Kukko moves forwards but Malaya connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Kukko is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Malaya lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
A decent looking cross lands there for Malaya.

Kukko closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Malaya did well to prevent Kukko getting side control.
Malaya is doing well to control the position and prevent Kukko from advancing to side control.
Malaya wants to control but Kukko is keeping busy.
Kukko is nestled in close to Malaya, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

And that's the end of the fight!
Simeon Malaya showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Malaya has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Simeon Malaya!
Simeon Malaya seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.