PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Rekis (ranked 8202 p4p, 744 weight class) and Nikolai Luzhin (ranked 1672 p4p, 242 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Rekis might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to AC/DC - Thunderstruck. Luzhin has chosen Lil Baby - Narcs as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rekis
vs
Luzhin

190 cm
42
210 lbs
25 - 25 - 0

181 cm
40
173 lbs
34 - 19 - 3

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Rekis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 34 - 19 - 3, fighting out of New York, Nikolai Luzhin!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Luzhin closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Luzhin scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Luzhin stalling in the clinch.
Luzhin looking to throw knees to the head but Rekis is blocking nicely.
Rekis letting Luzhin take a breather here.
Rekis changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Luzhin fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Rekis takes a shot to the body in his stride.

Luzhin fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rekis, pushing him back against the cage.
Luzhin lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Luzhin scores with a knee to the head.
Luzhin makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Luzhin landing knees to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rekis has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Luzhin after a bit of a struggle.

Rekis is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Luzhin can't fight it off and eventually Rekis manages to take the fight to the floor. Luzhin looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Luzhin is looking to stand up but Rekis isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rekis avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rekis cracks Luzhin with a solid left hand.

Luzhin has his foot on Rekis's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rekis works his way back into a safe position though.
Luzhin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rekis is one step ahead there.
Luzhin has control of Rekis's left arm, preventing Rekis from doing any damage.

Luzhin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rekis gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Luzhin is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luzhin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rekis looking to control.
Rekis utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rekis not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rekis is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Luzhin is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Luzhin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Luzhin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Luzhin slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Luzhin tries to move into full mount but can't pass Rekis's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rekis is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Luzhin off and has taken his back!
Luzhin is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Luzhin rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Rekis slips a nice elbow through Luzhin's hands, connecting with Luzhin's forehead.
Luzhin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rekis throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Luzhin gets full guard.
Rekis throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rekis wants to control from the top but Luzhin keeps moving.
Luzhin is controlling Rekis's posture.

Rekis avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rekis wants to control from the top but Luzhin keeps moving.
Rekis throwing strikes but missing.

Luzhin looking for subs off his back but Rekis has passed one foot through into half guard.
Luzhin is looking for a sweep. Rekis is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rekis passes the guard and advances to mount!
Luzhin is bucking up trying to escape but Rekis cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolai Luzhin dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Luzhin goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Luzhin gets a clinch.
Luzhin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Luzhin misses with a knee strike.

Luzhin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Luzhin's coach down at Touch Of Death Combat Academy was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Luzhin's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.

Luzhin has Rekis up against the cage in a clinch.
Luzhin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rekis blocks it with crossed arms.
Luzhin tries to land a knee to the head but Rekis blocks with his arms.
Luzhin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Luzhin connects with a nasty looking knee right to Rekis's face.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Luzhin tries to land a knee to the head but Rekis blocks with his arms.
Luzhin using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Luzhin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Luzhin gets through Rekis's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Luzhin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Luzhin tries to land a knee to the head but Rekis blocks with his arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rekis drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rekis can't get the takedown.
Rekis changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Luzhin fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Rekis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Luzhin connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Luzhin bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Luzhin throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Luzhin connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Rekis momentarily.

Luzhin forces Rekis back against the cage and clinches.
Rekis tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Luzhin's elbow.
Rekis goes for a takedown in the clinch but Luzhin prevents it.
Rekis drops down looking for an ankle pick but Luzhin pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rekis dives in for a single leg takedown but Luzhin sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Luzhin connects with a single shot there.

Luzhin clinches up against the cage.
Luzhin prevents the takedown attempt.
Luzhin misses with a knee strike.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Luzhin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Luzhin scores with a knee to the head.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Luzhin takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Luzhin lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rekis is looking to take this one to the mat.
Rekis on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Luzhin lands a right hand.
Rekis jumps guard but Luzhin turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rekis has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Luzhin is pressed up against the cage. Rekis has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Luzhin down to the mat. Luzhin avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Nikolai Luzhin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Luzhin tries to bum rush Rekis with a series of wild strikes but Rekis uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rekis misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Luzhin has managed to clinch.

Luzhin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Luzhin thuds his right hand into Rekis's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Rekis throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Luzhin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Rekis.
Luzhin throws out a counter right but Rekis avoids it with no problem.
Luzhin fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Rekis takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Luzhin listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luzhin with a jab.

Rekis is rocked!
Rekis dives in for a single leg takedown but Luzhin sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A decent looking cross lands there for Luzhin.
Oh Rekis is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Luzhin drives through and clinches with Rekis against the cage.
Rekis being controlled against the cage.
Rekis seems to have got his legs back now.
Luzhin lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Luzhin jerks Rekis's head down, straight into the path of a devastating knee! Rekis drops to the floor in a crumpled heap! Luzhin goes to throw a finishing haymaker but pulls out - good sportsmanship from Luzhin because Rekis was completely out of it. That was a nice finish - just the right level of brutality to send everyone home happy.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:42 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knee). Nikolai Luzhin!
After the fight, Nikolai Luzhin was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.
The defeated John Rekis had this to say: 'I'll be back!!!'.