PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kostas Karelis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ludko Struja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Karelis kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Sail - AwolNation. Struja has chosen HIJACK - THE BADMAN IS ROBBIN as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Karelis
vs
Struja

182 cm
25
222 lbs
16 - 10 - 1

182 cm
36
211 lbs
27 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Humanoid Nutrition (160Q for 180$)

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 16 - 10 - 1, fighting out of New York, Kostas Karelis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 14 - 0, fighting out of London, Ludko Struja!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karelis throws a hook to the side of Struja's head but Struja sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Karelis plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

It looks like Ludko Struja has been cut.
Struja lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Struja.
Struja takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Struja throws a right and a left that Karelis avoids nicely.
Karelis lands with a thumping leg kick.
Karelis moves away from the strike by Struja.
Struja keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Karelis.
Karelis lands an overhand right.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Struja looks to land a left hand but Karelis moved out of range nicely.
Karelis gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Struja.
Karelis looks for the body kick but Struja saw that one coming.
Struja throws a body shot but no joy.
Karelis dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Struja scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Struja missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Karelis trying to control but Struja postures up.
Karelis holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelis looks like he's trying to stand up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Struja slips a nice elbow through Karelis's hands, connecting with Karelis's forehead.
Struja lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Struja stops Karelis from getting back to his feet.
Karelis is positioning himself well to prevent Struja advancing to mount.
Karelis taking some punishment here, with Struja in his half guard.
Struja not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Karelis is trying to stand.
Struja scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Karelis trying to control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Struja throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Karelis is refusing to be controlled, as Struja sits in half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Karelis manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Struja working his ground and pound in the gym.
Karelis avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Struja won't allow Karelis to sweep him here.
Struja connects with a couple of short punches.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Karelis wants to stand and escape but Struja is having none of it.
Karelis working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Struja.
Struja throwing strikes from guard but Karelis blocks nicely.
Karelis tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Karelis seems keen to control Struja's posture.
Struja is working Karelis over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Struja has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Struja accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Struja trying to control but Karelis is working from the bottom.
Struja throwing strikes but missing.
Karelis pulls Struja in close to his closed guard and prevents Struja from doing any damage or advancing position.
Karelis's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Struja landing with the ground and pound.
Karelis working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Struja.
Struja trying to control but Karelis is working from the bottom.
Struja makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Karelis controlling the position.
Karelis utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Karelis is controlling Struja's posture.
Struja trying to control but Karelis is working from the bottom.
Karelis is trying to keep Struja in close.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Struja bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Struja fails with the takedown
and Karelis counters with a nice uppercut.
Karelis moves in looking to clinch but Struja pushes him off.
Karelis on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Karelis wants to clinch up but Struja keeps it at a distance.
Struja throws out a counter right but Karelis avoids it with no problem.
Karelis tries to close the distance and clinch up but Struja swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Struja lands a nice shot that snaps Karelis's head back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ludko Struja dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ludko Struja's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Karelis is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
A head kick misses from Karelis.
Struja misses with the combination.
Struja throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Struja looks to land a right hand but Karelis moved out of range.
Struja dives in and grabs Karelis's left leg, looking for a takedown. Karelis pushes down on Struja's head and hops out.
Kostas Karelis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Struja ducks under a wild hook from Karelis.
Karelis throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Struja is defended easily by Karelis.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karelis misses with a right hand
and Struja counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Karelis.
Karelis avoids a punch combination nicely.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Karelis - that will leave a mark!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelis lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Struja circles away quickly and effectively.
Karelis is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nice uppercut there from Karelis.
Karelis stuffs the takedown.
Kostas Karelis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ludko Struja.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Karelis.
Karelis swings for the body but Struja moves out of range.
Karelis tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Struja counters with a stiff right hand.
Struja lands a lovely overhand right.
Struja throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Karelis connects with a solid leg kick.
Karelis lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

That has opened up Ludko Struja's cut even more.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Struja waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Karelis.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Struja misses with a left hand
and Karelis counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Struja uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Karelis.
Nice body kick there by Karelis.
Struja shoots in and drives through. Karelis sprawls well.
Karelis wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Karelis is looking to chop away at Struja's legs.
Karelis throws a body punch but Struja moves out of range.
Karelis rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Struja moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Struja lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Karelis backs up against the cage.
Karelis moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Struja ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A looping hook to the body misses from Struja. Karelis does a little dance to reset his feet.
Struja tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Karelis was well out of range. Poor timing from Struja.
Kostas Karelis is winning the standup battle so far.
Struja looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Struja stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Struja throws a series of strikes that have Karelis backpedaling.
Struja uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Karelis.
Struja lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
A head kick misses from Karelis.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Karelis.
Struja is breathing heavily.
Karelis throws a leg kick but Struja moved away.
Karelis stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Karelis keeps Struja at a distance using the push kick.
Struja steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Karelis. That one must have hurt.
Karelis connects with a body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Karelis fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Struja has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Karelis throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Karelis scores with a decent looking hook.
Karelis scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Kostas Karelis is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Karelis slips under a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karelis cracks Struja with a big right hand that sees him stumbling back against the cage! Struja falls to his knees and Karelis doesn't need a second invitatation - he rushes in and fires off several unanswered shots that force the referee to stop the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:07 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kostas Karelis!