PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dustin Assad (ranked 1835 p4p, 226 weight class) and Johannes Tulikoura (ranked 2448 p4p, 306 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Assad
vs
Tulikoura

174 cm
25
186 lbs
11 - 9 - 0

175 cm
24
172 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Granite chin

Organic Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dustin Assad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Johannes Tulikoura!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Bruno Lombardi and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Assad shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Tulikoura pinned against the cage. Tulikoura gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Tulikoura throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Assad darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Assad wants to free his trapped foot but Tulikoura is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Tulikoura keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Tulikoura is looking to control Assad's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Tulikoura avoid being mounted?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Assad looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tulikoura is looking for a sweep. Assad is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Assad thows a huge punch but Tulikoura dodges it nicely.

Assad is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Assad wants to pass the guard but Tulikoura is defending well.
Assad seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Tulikoura does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Assad trying to pass the guard but Tulikoura defending well.
We've been hearing that Assad has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.

Assad is trying to work for a kimura but Tulikoura is defending well.
Tulikoura keeping hold of Assad's head, controlling as best he can.
Assad trying to control from half guard but Tulikoura is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Assad is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Tulikoura controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Assad misses with a head shot. Tulikoura uses the momentum to regain guard.
Tulikoura keeping full guard, as Assad tries to pass.
Assad throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Assad wants to pass the guard but Tulikoura is keeping the position.
Assad trying to control but Tulikoura is working from the bottom.
Assad looking to sit in guard and control but Tulikoura gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Assad controls Tulikoura momentarily but Tulikoura frees himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tulikoura slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Assad is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Assad can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tulikoura controls the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tulikoura won't allow Assad to sweep him here.

Assad looking for a guillotine here but Tulikoura defends easily.
Assad looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Tulikoura puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Assad tries to get to full guard but Tulikoura has control of the leg.
Tulikoura perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Assad is looking to improve his position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tulikoura is controlling the pace.
Assad wants to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Assad shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Assad looks to land a right hand but Tulikoura moved out of range.
A slow jab from Tulikoura misses its intended target.
Assad appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Tulikoura does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Assad takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Assad throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Assad misses with a wild body shot.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Tulikoura enables Assad to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Tulikoura manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Assad wants to control from the top but Tulikoura keeps moving.
Assad content to stall in guard here.
Tulikoura bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Assad's guard.

Assad lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Assad trying to control the position from guard on top but Tulikoura is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Assad tries to free his leg and advance position but Tulikoura is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Assad trying to control the position from guard on top but Tulikoura is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Assad stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tulikoura swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tulikoura wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Assad pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tulikoura is keeping the position for now.
Assad wants to control from the top but Tulikoura keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Assad throws a big right hand that misses.
Tulikoura pulls Assad in close to prevent any damage.
Assad looking to pass the guard.
Assad trying to control the position from guard on top but Tulikoura is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Assad slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Assad thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Assad tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Assad is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Tulikoura is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Dustin Assad overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tulikoura is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Assad's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Assad is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Tulikoura!
Tulikoura bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Tulikoura avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Assad is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tulikoura defends well.
Tulikoura must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Assad isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Tulikoura stacks Assad on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Tulikoura!
Assad is looking for a sweep.
Tulikoura slows the pace down.
Assad manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Assad works his foot free and advances to mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Assad trying to control but Tulikoura is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dustin Assad dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Tulikoura connects with a leg kick. Assad looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Assad scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Tulikoura displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Assad throws out the jab.
Assad waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Tulikoura.
Tulikoura swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Assad misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Assad takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

It looks like Dustin Assad has been cut.
Tulikoura connects with a nice looking jab.
Good work by Assad as he checks the leg kick.
Assad throws the left hand but Tulikoura avoids the punch easily.
Tulikoura throws a leg kick which misses Assad's front leg but catches the back leg as Assad tries to avoid it.
Tulikoura uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Assad.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tulikoura feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Assad's calf.
Assad tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Tulikoura misses with a hook.
Assad throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tulikoura lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Assad on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Tulikoura. Tulikoura obviously looking to wear him down.
Johannes Tulikoura is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tulikoura ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Assad moves away.
Assad checks the leg kick.
Tulikoura thuds his right hand into Assad's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Assad rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tulikoura moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Assad throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Dustin Assad seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tulikoura lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Tulikoura lands with a good body shot.
Assad slips a jab from Tulikoura.
Tulikoura throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Assad sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Assad shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Tulikoura pinned against the cage. Tulikoura gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Assad swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Tulikoura throws a leg kick that misses.
Tulikoura throws a body shot but no joy.
Tulikoura feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Assad's calf.
Tulikoura dips to his left and cracks Assad with an uppercut!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Assad misses with a body shot.
A nice side step and Tulikoura releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Assad scores with a jab.
Johannes Tulikoura has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Assad tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Tulikoura plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Tulikoura connects with a leg kick. Assad looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Assad misses with a takedown
and Tulikoura counters with a thumping low kick.
Assad throws a jab but it's blocked by Tulikoura.
Tulikoura displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Assad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dustin Assad. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tulikoura lands a nice leg kick that just misses Assad's sensitive parts.
Assad is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Assad throws a right hand that misses
and Tulikoura counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Assad takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Assad on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Tulikoura lands a big right hand that sends Assad crashing to the mat! Tulikoura stays standing though and waves Assad back to his feet!

Assad is rocked!
Assad looks to land a left hand but Tulikoura moved out of range nicely.
Oh Assad is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
A chopping leg kick lands by Tulikoura.
Assad swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Assad misses with a hook. Tulikoura ducked under it nicely.
A head kick misses from Tulikoura.
Assad drops down looking for a counter takedown but Tulikoura sprawls and moves away.

Tulikoura drops Assad with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Assad looks back up at him and smiles so Tulikoura waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Assad changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Tulikoura has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Assad walks into a straight right, dropping him to the canvas! Tulikoura swarms him and finishes the fight with a hail of punches! What a brutal finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:11 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Johannes Tulikoura!
After the fight, Johannes Tulikoura 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.
Dustin Assad spoke after the fight, saying 'I am the best BJJ player in the world. I will refine my striking game and be back. '.