PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mark Riccuito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andriy Kuzmenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Riccuito comes to the cage accompanied by walk hard . Mark Riccuito has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Riccuito
vs
Kuzmenko

193 cm
34
248 lbs
23 - 14 - 1

195 cm
30
260 lbs
16 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Lion Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 14 - 1, fighting out of New York, Mark Riccuito!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andriy Kuzmenko!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Eddie Farnsworth and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riccuito needs to keep his hands up - Kuzmenko had a free shot at his head there.

Kuzmenko takes the fight into the clinch.
Riccuito working aggressively here.
Kuzmenko is trying to maintain a safe position but Riccuito gets an underhook and turns Kuzmenko into the cage.
Kuzmenko tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Riccuito's elbow.
Kuzmenko stalling.
Kuzmenko scores with a nice hook to the head.
Riccuito misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kuzmenko wants to get back to striking at distance but Riccuito won't allow it.
Kuzmenko lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Riccuito or not.
Kuzmenko lands a shoulder strike.
Kuzmenko avoiding damage as Riccuito throws knees to the body.
Riccuito fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kuzmenko.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Riccuito.
A short left from Kuzmenko.
Riccuito tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kuzmenko avoids it.
Riccuito misses with the head strike.
Kuzmenko blocking some punches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Riccuito fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Riccuito misses with some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short right from Riccuito.
I was talking to Riccuito's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Kuzmenko.
Riccuito looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Riccuito misses with a punch to the body.

Kuzmenko breaks from the clinch.
Kuzmenko lands with an uppercut that bounces Riccuito off the cage and back into range.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Kuzmenko working hard to break the clinch.
Riccuito misses with a punch on the inside.
With the fighters up against the cage, Riccuito throws an elbow but misses.
Kuzmenko avoids the elbow strike from Riccuito, against the cage.
Kuzmenko throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Riccuito blocks it with crossed arms.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kuzmenko.
Riccuito has a couple of punches blocked by Kuzmenko.
Riccuito pushes off an throws an elbow but Kuzmenko leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Kuzmenko blocks an elbow strike from Riccuito.
Riccuito lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Kuzmenko or not.
Riccuito lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Riccuito lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuzmenko swings wildly with an uppercut but Riccuito uses good head movement to avoid it.
Riccuito blocking some punches.
Riccuito lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kuzmenko lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Riccuito backwards.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Riccuito.
Kuzmenko missing with knees to the body.
Riccuito scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Kuzmenko tries to work over Riccuito's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Riccuito lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Riccuito lands a shoulder strike.
Kuzmenko lands with a left to the head.
Riccuito scores with a shoulder strike.
With the fighters up against the cage, Riccuito throws an elbow but misses.
Riccuito throws an elbow that misses.
Riccuito lands an elbow that stopped Kuzmenko in his tracks for a moment.
Kuzmenko misses with some punches.
Riccuito blocks an uppercut.
Riccuito missing with knees to the body.
Kuzmenko avoids a wild elbow strike from Riccuito.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Riccuito fails to land.
Riccuito blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Riccuito scores with a shot to the side of Kuzmenko's head.
Riccuito misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kuzmenko tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nice elbow from Riccuito.

It looks like Andriy Kuzmenko has been cut.
Kuzmenko lands a left hand that snaps the head of Riccuito backwards.
A shot in the inside from Kuzmenko.
Kuzmenko prevents a body shot from Riccuito.
Riccuito throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Riccuito lands a nice knee to the body.
Riccuito misses with a body punch.
Kuzmenko has had enough of the clinch but Riccuito keeps him there for the moment.
Kuzmenko misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kuzmenko lands a body shot.
Riccuito pushes Kuzmenko back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kuzmenko lands a nice uppercut.
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!
Riccuito misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kuzmenko lands a left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuzmenko misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Riccuito.
Kuzmenko misses with some punches.
Kuzmenko stalls.
Kuzmenko blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kuzmenko misses with the head strike.
A head punch on the inside from Kuzmenko fails to land.
Kuzmenko makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Riccuito misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kuzmenko.
Riccuito misses with some punches.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Kuzmenko.
Kuzmenko tries to land a knee to the head but Riccuito blocks with his arms.
Kuzmenko avoids a wild elbow strike from Riccuito.
With the fighters up against the cage, Riccuito throws an elbow but misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Riccuito fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Kuzmenko throws a punch but it's blocked by Riccuito.
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 Mark Riccuito will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Andriy Kuzmenko's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Riccuito lands with a cross.
Riccuito with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A jab from Kuzmenko finds it's way through Riccuito's defenses.
Kuzmenko throws a jab but it's blocked by Riccuito.
Nice defenses there by Riccuito.

Riccuito takes the fight into the clinch.
Riccuito lands an uppercut.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Riccuito lands a shoulder strike.
Riccuito has a couple of punches blocked by Kuzmenko.
A short body shot lands from Riccuito as the two fighters clinch.
Kuzmenko pushes off an throws an elbow but Riccuito leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Riccuito pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Riccuito working aggressively here.
Riccuito blocking some punches.
Knees in the clinch landing for Riccuito.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Kuzmenko is breathing heavily.
Riccuito gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Mark Riccuito has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Riccuito working Kuzmenko over with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuzmenko avoiding damage as Riccuito throws knees to the body.
Riccuito comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Riccuito lands a right hand that snaps the head of Kuzmenko backwards.
Riccuito misses with a body punch.
Kuzmenko tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Kuzmenko blocks a body shot from Riccuito.
Riccuito makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Kuzmenko misses with an elbow over the top.
Kuzmenko managing to block the knees to the body from Riccuito.
Riccuito tries to land knees in the clinch but Kuzmenko avoids the damage to the body.
Riccuito scores with a nice hook to the head.
Riccuito lands a nice elbow.
Riccuito misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kuzmenko.
Kuzmenko can't break the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Kuzmenko.
Kuzmenko struggles to land a body shot inside as Riccuito controls his hands.
Riccuito lands a damaging elbow.

Kuzmenko is rocked!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Riccuito tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Kuzmenko is still on wobbly legs! Can Riccuito finish him?
Riccuito pushes Kuzmenko back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Kuzmenko seems to have recovered his senses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kuzmenko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kuzmenko chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Riccuito can pounce on him.
A solid leg kick lands there for Riccuito.
Kuzmenko misses with an uppercut. Riccuito saw that one coming.

Riccuito gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Riccuito misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kuzmenko lands with a left to the head.
Kuzmenko swings wildly with an uppercut but Riccuito uses good head movement to avoid it.
A hook to the body from Kuzmenko.
Nice body punch from Riccuito - that landed with a thud.
Riccuito misses with some punches.
Kuzmenko throws a head punch that misses.
Riccuito scores with a shoulder strike.
Riccuito presses Kuzmenko against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Kuzmenko tries to break the clinch but Riccuito is controlling the position.
Kuzmenko avoiding damage as Riccuito throws knees to the body.
Kuzmenko blocks an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuzmenko misses with a short punch on the inside.
Riccuito misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kuzmenko struggles to land a body shot inside as Riccuito controls his hands.
Riccuito tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Kuzmenko lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kuzmenko throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Kuzmenko's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Riccuito can't find room to land a body shot as Kuzmenko controls the action.
Kuzmenko throws a head punch that misses.
Riccuito blocking some punches.
Kuzmenko managing to block the knees to the body from Riccuito.
Kuzmenko swings wildly with an uppercut but Riccuito uses good head movement to avoid it.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Kuzmenko.
Kuzmenko throws a punch but it's blocked by Riccuito.
Riccuito misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Kuzmenko fails to land.
Riccuito misses with a hook to the ribs.

Kuzmenko breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuzmenko lands the left hand.
Nice shot by Riccuito.
Kuzmenko misses with an uppercut.
Riccuito walks into a stiff left hand from Kuzmenko.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Riccuito clinches.
Kuzmenko is trying to break the clinch but Riccuito has him pressed against the cage.
Riccuito pushes Kuzmenko back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kuzmenko.
Riccuito lands a left hand.
Riccuito misses with the head strike.
Riccuito lands a left hand.
Kuzmenko is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Kuzmenko looking to stall.
Riccuito working Kuzmenko over with knees to the body.
Nice elbow from Riccuito.

That has opened up Andriy Kuzmenko's cut even more.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Riccuito lands a left hand that snaps the head of Kuzmenko backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Riccuito dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Andriy Kuzmenko's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Riccuito throws a series of strikes that have Kuzmenko backpedaling.
Riccuito turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Riccuito lands a left hand.
Riccuito lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Riccuito is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kuzmenko can do to turn this around?
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Riccuito just misses with a elbow thrown towards Kuzmenko's brow.
Riccuito pushes Kuzmenko against the cage and as Kuzmenko bounces back, Riccuito cracks him with a massive overhand right that sends him crashing to the mat! Riccuito follows up with more strikes but Kuzmenko was out from that first, devastating punch! Wow!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Mark Riccuito!
Mark Riccuito retains his heavyweight title!
A very excited looking Mark Riccuito rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.