PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marek Koltun (ranked 3426 p4p, 362 weight class) and Tony Duff (ranked 4340 p4p, 435 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Koltun
vs
Duff

182 cm
46
177 lbs
38 - 29 - 4

181 cm
28
180 lbs
11 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 38 - 29 - 4, fighting out of Helsinki, Marek Koltun!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tony Duff!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Robert Douchet and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Duff connects with a body shot that sends Koltun's belly button to the back.
Duff throws the kick towards the body but Koltun avoids it.
Koltun ducks right into an uppercut from Duff.
Duff throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Koltun attempts a counter takedown but Duff avoids it well and moves away.
Duff misses with a hook.
Koltun looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Duff throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Koltun decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Duff's guard.
Duff working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Koltun.
Koltun trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Koltun trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Koltun wants to control from the top but Duff keeps moving.
Koltun trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Duff keeping moving, preventing Koltun from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koltun tries to free his leg and advance position but Duff is retaining full guard.
Duff working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Koltun.
Koltun working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Koltun is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Koltun wants to control from the top but Duff keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Koltun fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Duff to the ground. Koltun is now in Duff's guard.
Koltun working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Koltun with a flurry of punches that miss.
Koltun stops Duff from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duff seems keen to control Koltun's posture.
Koltun 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.
Koltun loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Koltun accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Koltun is looking to work some ground and pound but Duff has wrist control.
Duff preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Koltun wants to pass the guard but Duff is keeping the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Duff manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Koltun drops down looking for an ankle pick but Duff pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick from Duff misses.
Duff looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Koltun tries to clinch up but Duff circles away and keeps his distance.
A left lands for Duff.
Duff throws a head kick that misses.
Duff looks to land a combination but Koltun avoids it well.
Duff throws a right hand that misses
and Koltun counters with a left and a right that stings Duff.
Duff scores with a hook to the body. Koltun takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
No luck for Koltun with that takedown attempt.
A nice side step and Duff releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marek Koltun. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Koltun drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

Koltun gets the takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Koltun is trying to ground and pound but Duff uses the momentary lack of control by Koltun to regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Duff is trying to stand.
Koltun wants to take a breather but Duff is having none of it.
Duff manages to get to full guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Duff preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Koltun looking to sit in guard and control but Duff gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Duff preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Duff dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Duff defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Koltun.
Duff misses with a wild combination.
It looked like Koltun was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Koltun fails with a takedown attempt.
Duff misses the shot to the body.
Koltun attempts a counter takedown but Duff avoids it well and moves away.
Duff thuds his shin into the meat of Koltun's side.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Duff!

It looks like Marek Koltun has been cut.
Tony Duff seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Duff with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Duff fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Koltun takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Koltun walks into a stiff left hand from Duff.
A cross from Duff lands.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Duff scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koltun is trying hard to land a takedown here. Duff sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marek Koltun. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Duff scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Koltun is rocked!
Duff lands a body shot.
Duff rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Koltun moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Tony Duff is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Duff lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Oh Koltun is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Duff throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Koltun shoots in but Duff avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Duff feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Koltuns jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

Oooooh!!! Duff has knocked Koltun down with a huge combo! Duff steps away and waves a wobbly Koltun back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Duff throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Duff fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Koltun slips a jab and a cross from Duff.
A little feinted left hand from Koltun on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
A lazy left from Duff finds it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Duff.
Koltun takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Duff misses with a wild combination.
Koltun feinted with a counter takedown.
Koltun shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Duff pinned against the cage. Duff gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Duff throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Koltun drops down looking for a counter takedown but Duff sprawls and moves away.
Koltun seems to have got his legs back now.
Koltun changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Duff tries to avoid it but Koltun manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Duff to the ground. Duff escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Duff throws a looping overhand right but Koltun ducks down to avoid it.
Duff throws a right and a left that both miss.

Koltun fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Duff to the ground. Koltun is now in Duff's guard.
Duff has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Koltun is pushing down on Duff's leg trying to pass to half guard. Duff is fighting to maintain full guard but Koltun has managed to sneak the leg through.
Duff keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Koltun is looking for a kimura here.
Koltun throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Koltun wants to control but Duff is keeping him busy.

Koltun is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Koltun thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Duff's head.
Koltun sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Duff defending well though.
Koltun is controlling the pace.

That's four 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.
Duff is staying active underneath Koltun, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Duff is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Koltun is working for a submission of some sort.

Koltun is looking for a kimura but Duff is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Koltun to get the leverage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Duff showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Marek Koltun's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Duff fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Koltun manages to avoid it.
Tony Duff seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Koltun shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Koltun throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Duff to regain full guard.
Koltun with a flurry of punches that miss.
Duff pulls Koltun in close to prevent any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Koltun in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Koltun throwing strikes from guard but Duff blocks nicely.
Koltun is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koltun throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Duff works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Duff keeping full guard, as Koltun tries to pass.
Koltun postures up in Duff's guard and throws a big left but Duff blocks it.
Koltun stops Duff from standing up.
Duff bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Koltun's guard.

Koltun not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Duff got a little sloppy there for a moment and Koltun has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Duff has managed to get both his arms back between Koltun's legs - danger averted.
Duff wanted to stand there but Koltun had control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Koltun is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Duff is aware though and is defending well.
Koltun controls Duff momentarily but Duff frees himself.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Duff displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Koltun.
Koltun moves out of range as Duff throws a body kick.
Koltun is trying hard to land a takedown here. Duff sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koltun takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Duff misses with a kick to the body.
Koltun feinted with a counter takedown.
Koltun shoots in for a double leg but Duff sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marek Koltun. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Koltun has Duff up against the cage in a clinch.
Duff tries to work over Koltun's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Koltun is looking to take this one to the mat.
Duff misses with a hook to the ribs.
Duff digs a right hand underneath Koltun's ribcage. Koltun let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Tony Duff is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Duff tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Koltun blocks the elbow strike.

Koltun is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Duff can't fight it off and eventually Koltun manages to take the fight to the floor. Duff looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Duff is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Duff tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Koltun avoids it.
Koltun tries for a takedown. No joy.

Duff drops Koltun with a big knee straight up the middle! Koltun is covering up against the cage but manages to escape and gets back to his feet!
Marek Koltun has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Duff throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Duff uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Koltun has time to react.
Duff lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Duff is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Duff getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tony Duff comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Duff winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tony Duff!
A relieved looking Tony Duff thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
In defeat, Marek Koltun stepped up to the mic, saying 'My opponent was the better man tonight, but I will be back.'.