PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ahmed Koulibaly (ranked 5422 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dimitar Stoichkov (ranked 5426 p4p, 0 weight class). Dimitar Stoichkov is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Koulibaly
vs
Stoichkov

180 cm
24
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

177 cm
24
152 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ahmed Koulibaly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Dimitar Stoichkov!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Skip Squint and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Koulibaly misses with a straight left.
Koulibaly tries to clinch but Stoichkov moves out of range.
Stoichkov doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Koulibaly misses with an uppercut
and Stoichkov counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Koulibaly thinking.
Stoichkov loads up on a big right hand but Koulibaly slips the punch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Koulibaly. Stoichkov does a little dance to reset his feet.
Stoichkov throws out a counter right but Koulibaly avoids it with no problem.
Koulibaly avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Koulibaly throwing a counter right hand but Stoichkov manages to avoid it.
Koulibaly keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Koulibaly clobbers Stoichkov with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Stoichkov throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stoichkov fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Koulibaly looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Stoichkov throws an off balance right hand
and Koulibaly counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A slow jab from Koulibaly misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koulibaly tests Stoichkov's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Stoichkov just misses with a punch to the body.
A big right from Stoichkov misses.
Koulibaly throws a sloppy body shot
and Stoichkov counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Koulibaly slips a straight right by Stoichkov.
Stoichkov misses with an uppercut.
Stoichkov misses with a left hand
and Koulibaly counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Stoichkov throws a body shot but no joy.
Koulibaly scores with a jab to the jaw.
Koulibaly cracks Stoichkov with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Koulibaly cracks a nice hook into Stoichkov's ribs.
Stoichkov falls off balance throwing a combination
and Koulibaly counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koulibaly jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Stoichkov looks like he wants to counter punch here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Koulibaly slips a straight right by Stoichkov.
Koulibaly throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Stoichkov stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Koulibaly looks to land a left hand but Stoichkov moved out of range nicely.
Stoichkov bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Koulibaly swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Koulibaly takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Koulibaly doesn't manage to clinch there - Stoichkov circles away.
Stoichkov misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Koulibaly.
Koulibaly throws a big counter combination but Stoichkov scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Stoichkov waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Koulibaly.
Stoichkov is looking to clinch but Koulibaly is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Koulibaly misses.
A jab lands there for Koulibaly.
Stoichkov uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Koulibaly.
A jab from Stoichkov misses.
Koulibaly misses with a double jab
and Stoichkov counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Stoichkov misses with a left hand
and Koulibaly counters with a nice body shot.
Koulibaly misses with a looping right.
Koulibaly moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Koulibaly misses with a body shot
and Stoichkov counters with a stiff right hand.
Koulibaly keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Stoichkov.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice shot lands for Koulibaly.
Stoichkov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Koulibaly falls off balance throwing a combination
enabling Stoichkov to counter with a crisp jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stoichkov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Koulibaly throws a poor cross that misses
and Stoichkov counters with a nice uppercut.
Koulibaly throws a jab but it's blocked by Stoichkov.
Koulibaly misses with a combination
and Koulibaly takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Stoichkov moves out of range of the strikes.
Koulibaly lands a glancing blow to the side of Stoichkov's head.
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 Ahmed Koulibaly will probably get the nod.
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.

Stoichkov throws a body shot but no joy.
Stoichkov throws a lazy right hand but Koulibaly sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Koulibaly clinches with his opponent.
Koulibaly lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Stoichkov backwards.
Stoichkov misses with a punch to the body.
Stoichkov misses with a short punch on the inside.

Koulibaly breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Stoichkov rushes Koulibaly and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Koulibaly working aggressively here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stoichkov leaning his opponent against the cage.
Stoichkov stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koulibaly stalling the fight.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Stoichkov.
Koulibaly looking to slow down the pace here.
Stoichkov blocks an uppercut.
Koulibaly blocks the elbow strike.
Koulibaly looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Stoichkov blocking some punches.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Koulibaly misses with a punch on the inside.
Stoichkov throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koulibaly has a couple of punches blocked by Stoichkov.
Stoichkov lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Koulibaly doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Stoichkov blocks an elbow strike from Koulibaly.
Stoichkov can't find room to land a body shot as Koulibaly controls the action.
Stoichkov lands a right hand that snaps the head of Koulibaly backwards.
Koulibaly misses with a punch on the inside.
Stoichkov effectively controlling the action here.
A short right from Stoichkov.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Koulibaly.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
A short left from Stoichkov.
Dimitar Stoichkov seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Stoichkov softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stoichkov avoiding damage.
Koulibaly has a couple of punches blocked by Stoichkov.
Koulibaly wants to break the clinch but can't.
Koulibaly has a couple of punches blocked by Stoichkov.
Come on Stoichkov - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Koulibaly misses with a short punch on the inside.
Koulibaly working aggressively here.
Koulibaly swings wildly with an uppercut but Stoichkov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Stoichkov pushes Koulibaly back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Koulibaly tries to throw a body punch but Stoichkov avoids it by throwing Koulibaly back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stoichkov blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Koulibaly taking a breather.
Stoichkov doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Stoichkov just misses with a elbow thrown towards Koulibaly's brow.
Stoichkov blocks an uppercut.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Stoichkov takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Koulibaly trying to stall but Stoichkov improves his position.
Stoichkov stalling.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stoichkov blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Stoichkov tries a body shot but Koulibaly blocks it.
The referee calls for Stoichkov to work.
Stoichkov scores with an uppercut up the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dimitar Stoichkov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Koulibaly swings away with a body shot that misses
and Stoichkov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Stoichkov misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Koulibaly.
Stoichkov throws a lazy right hand but Koulibaly sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Koulibaly is looking to counter punch.
Stoichkov scores with a jab.
Stoichkov fails to land with a series of punches.
Stoichkov misses with a left hand
and Stoichkov takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Koulibaly takes one to the side of the head.
Stoichkov jabbing away but nothing is landing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stoichkov throws a predictable looking body shot
and Koulibaly counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Koulibaly walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Stoichkov lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Stoichkov throws out a loose jab but Koulibaly uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koulibaly ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Stoichkov tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Koulibaly counters with a straight right hand.
Stoichkov scores with a hook.
Koulibaly lands the left hand.
Koulibaly throws a right and a left that both miss.
Stoichkov avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Koulibaly lands with a straight right. Stoichkov didn't see that one coming.
Koulibaly lands a jab to Stoichkov's midsection.
Stoichkov scores with a hook.
Koulibaly throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koulibaly is looking to clinch but Stoichkov is avoiding it.
Stoichkov misses with a body shot.
Koulibaly throwing a counter right hand but Stoichkov manages to avoid it.
Stoichkov just misses with a punch to the body.
Koulibaly is looking for a counter combo.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Koulibaly throws a nice looking combination but Stoichkov bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Koulibaly uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Stoichkov.
Stoichkov ducks under a wild hook from Koulibaly.
Stoichkov swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Koulibaly misses with an uppercut. Stoichkov saw that one coming.
Koulibaly's corner calls for a 1-2. Koulibaly obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Stoichkov misses with a hook. Koulibaly ducked under it nicely.
Koulibaly scores with a nice head shot.
Stoichkov has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stoichkov connects with a single shot there.
Koulibaly misses with a straight right.
Stoichkov staying out of range there.
Stoichkov misses with a left hand
and Stoichkov takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A short left from Stoichkov.
Koulibaly working aggressively here.
Koulibaly throws a head punch that misses.
Koulibaly misses with the head strike.
Stoichkov is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Stoichkov.
Stoichkov doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Stoichkov blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Koulibaly looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Stoichkov goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Koulibaly tries to work over Stoichkov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Stoichkov blocks an uppercut.
Koulibaly lands with a right to the head.
Stoichkov scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Stoichkov keeps control of Koulibaly as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Stoichkov lands with a short head shot on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ahmed Koulibaly.
I think Koulibaly 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight for Dimitar Stoichkov!
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight for Ahmed Koulibaly!
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight for Dimitar Stoichkov!

Dimitar Stoichkov wins by split decision!