PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kaspars Petrovs (ranked 702 p4p, 111 weight class) and Joost Van Buren (ranked 1860 p4p, 278 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Petrovs
vs
Van Buren

180 cm
22
210 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

188 cm
21
206 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

IniTech Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kaspars Petrovs!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joost Van Buren!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Micheangelo Fripello and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A jab from Van Buren misses.
Van Buren has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Petrovs is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Van Buren moves away from the strike by Petrovs.
Petrovs backing away here, and Van Buren unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Van Buren slips under a jab from Petrovs.
Petrovs wants to clinch.
Petrovs scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Van Buren lands an overhand right.
Van Buren lands a nice looking body shot.
Petrovs misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Van Buren tries a low kick but Petrovs avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Buren scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Petrovs lands with a cross.
Van Buren missing with a left hand there. Petrovs was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Petrovs gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Petrovs seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Petrovs cracks Van Buren with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Petrovs lunges at Van Buren with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Van Buren's hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Petrovs has closed the distance and engaged Van Buren in a clinch.
Petrovs keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Van Buren's efforts to push away.
Van Buren is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Van Buren is looking to break free of the clinch but Petrovs has double underhooks.
Van Buren is struggling to control the position.
Van Buren scores with a shot to the side of Petrovs's head.
Van Buren lands a hook that snaps the head of Petrovs backwards.
Van Buren lands a body punch in the clinch.
Petrovs throws a knee to the head but misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Petrovs.
Van Buren lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Van Buren breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Van Buren cracks Petrovs with an open hand slap.
Petrovs connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Van Buren momentarily.
Petrovs uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Van Buren.
No joy there for Petrovs, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Petrovs gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Van Buren lands the left hand.
Petrovs moves forwards but Van Buren connects with a nice, crisp jab.

Petrovs is rocked!
Van Buren swats away the attempt to clinch by Petrovs.
Oh Petrovs is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Van Buren throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Petrovs seems to have got his legs back now.
Petrovs throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Van Buren sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Van Buren is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Petrovs.
Van Buren connects with the punch.
Van Buren turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Petrovs looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Van Buren throws out a leg kick but Petrovs moves out of range and Van Buren only half commits.
Nice body punch from Petrovs.
Petrovs sizes up Van Buren with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Petrovs smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
A big right from Van Buren misses.
Good exchange - Van Buren coming out on top.
Petrovs tries to clinch there but Van Buren circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Buren lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
A big right from Petrovs misses.
Petrovs throws a series of punches but Van Buren moves out of range.
Petrovs stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
The fight stays on the outside here - Petrovs looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Van Buren bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Petrovs backing away here, and Van Buren unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Petrovs ducks under a wild hook from Van Buren.
Petrovs throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Van Buren defending well as Petrovs loads up on a big left hand.
Van Buren displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Petrovs throws out the jab.
Petrovs scores with the left hand. Van Buren knows he should have avoided that one.
Van Buren swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Petrovs, as that shot connected.
Petrovs is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Van Buren scores with a jab. Petrovs acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Van Buren throws a lazy uppercut

and Petrovs holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Van Buren trying to stall but Petrovs improves his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Buren is struggling to control the position.
Van Buren leaning his opponent against the cage.
Van Buren tries a body shot but Petrovs blocks it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Van Buren.
Petrovs misses with a hook from the clinch.
Van Buren tries to stall but Petrovs uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Petrovs tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Van Buren breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Van Buren looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Petrovs checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Van Buren takes a swing at Petrovs's ribcage but misses.
Van Buren connects with a leg kick. Petrovs looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Van Buren swats away the attempt to clinch by Petrovs.
Van Buren swings away with a body shot that misses
and Petrovs counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Petrovs fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Joost Van Buren will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Petrovs takes the fight into the clinch.
Petrovs blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Van Buren pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Petrovs tries to move into range but Van Buren moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Petrovs has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
A cross from Petrovs lands.
Petrovs lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Petrovs looks to land a right hand but Van Buren moved out of range.
Van Buren flicks out a counter leg kick but Petrovs steps away.
Van Buren has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Petrovs lands the left hand.
Van Buren wants to slow Petrovs down by chopping away at his legs.
Petrovs looks to throw the jab but Van Buren is out of range.
Petrovs throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
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!
A leg kick checked by Petrovs.
Petrovs keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Van Buren punishes Petrovs's body with a nice straight punch.

Petrovs closes the distance and pushes Van Buren back into the cage.
Petrovs fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Petrovs lands with a left to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Buren tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Petrovs swings wildly with an uppercut but Van Buren uses good head movement to avoid it.
Van Buren is trying to stall.
Van Buren blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Van Buren breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Van Buren is looking to score with low kicks.
Van Buren avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Van Buren moves into range and connects with a jab.
Van Buren uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Petrovs.
Van Buren lands a jab to the nose.
Van Buren misses with a wild body shot.
A leg kick checked by Petrovs.
Petrovs tries to close the distance and clinch up but Van Buren swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Van Buren lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Petrovs has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Petrovs and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Petrovs tries to clinch but Van Buren is having none of it.
Van Buren shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Buren slips a jab and a cross from Petrovs.
Van Buren loads up on a big right hand but Petrovs slips the punch.
Petrovs is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Van Buren.
Van Buren is looking to chop away at Petrovs's legs.

Petrovs darts in and clinches Van Buren up against the cage.

Van Buren breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Petrovs moves out of range as Van Buren strikes.
Petrovs stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Van Buren.
Van Buren uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Petrovs.
Van Buren throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Some wild striking there from Petrovs.

Petrovs clinches up against the cage.
Petrovs misses with a short punch on the inside.
Petrovs keeps control of Van Buren as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Van Buren lands a body shot in the clinch.

Van Buren breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrovs swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Petrovs feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Van Burens jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
A jab from Van Buren finds it's way through Petrovs's defenses.
Van Buren swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Petrovs tries to clinch up.
Van Buren lands an overhand right.
Petrovs moves away from the strike by Van Buren.
An attempted straight right counter from Petrovs misses the target.
Petrovs looks to score with a jab to the body but Van Buren is just out of range.
A jab from Petrovs misses.

Petrovs clinches up against the cage.
Van Buren lands a right hand.
Petrovs has a couple of punches blocked by Van Buren.
Van Buren lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Petrovs lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Petrovs as Van Buren tries to tie him up.
Van Buren working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Petrovs prevents a body shot from Van Buren.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Buren is trying to force a seperation but Petrovs has the dominant position.
Van Buren gets through Petrovs's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Van Buren blocks an uppercut.
Petrovs tries to land knees in the clinch but Van Buren avoids the damage to the body.
Petrovs has a couple of punches blocked by Van Buren.
Kaspars Petrovs has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Van Buren scores with a nice hook to the head.
Van Buren lands a body punch in the clinch.
Petrovs with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Petrovs swings wildly with an uppercut but Van Buren uses good head movement to avoid it.
Van Buren softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Petrovs throws a punch but it's blocked by Van Buren.
Van Buren leaning against his opponent.
Petrovs lands a hook that snaps the head of Van Buren backwards.
Van Buren lands with a light punch inside.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Van Buren lands an uppercut in the clinch that drops Petrovs to his knees! Van Buren keeps firing more shots against his stricken opponent and the referee jumps in to save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:54 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Joost Van Buren!
Joost Van Buren is the new light heavyweight champion!