PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Kennedy (ranked 3326 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luukas Kuukas (ranked 24129 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Kennedy
vs
Kuukas

180 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
19
200 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, John Kennedy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Luukas Kuukas !
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Steve Erwin and Topper Green.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kuukas gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Kennedy to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Kennedy controls from within his opponent's guard.
Kuukas looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kennedy is one step ahead there.
Kennedy's corner is telling him to maintain position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kuukas is trying to keep Kennedy in close.
Kennedy stopping the sweep attempt from Kuukas .

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kennedy is stalling in the full guard.
Kuukas working a defensive guard here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Kennedy tries to work over Kuukas 's front leg with a kick but Kuukas checks it.
Kuukas is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.

Kennedy closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Kennedy lands in his opponent's guard.
Kennedy's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Kennedy decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Kuukas , up you get!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kennedy tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Kennedy shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kuukas as he jumps to the side.
Kennedy is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kuukas sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Kennedy misses with a low kick.
Kuukas is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kennedy closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Kuukas is trying to get back to half guard.
Kennedy has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Kuukas !
Kennedy is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Kuukas can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Kuukas is trying desperately to improve position.
The referee warns Kuukas that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Kennedy with the ground and pound from mount.
Kennedy content just to control the position here.
Kuukas throwing hammer fists to the chest of Kennedy. What's that going to do exactly?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kennedy lands a big shot there that rocks Kuukas but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Kennedy has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Kennedy is in the full mount, landing strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kuukas wants to hold on but Kennedy pushes him away.
Kuukas is in all sorts of trouble here.
Kennedy lands a big elbow.
Kennedy controlling the position easily from mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Kennedy prevents Kuukas from getting the reversal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kuukas slaps away a takedown attempt from Kennedy, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Kuukas shapes to counter with a head kick.
Kennedy throws a series of punches but Kuukas moves out of range.
Kennedy tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Kuukas defends well and Kennedy ends up having to push Kuukas into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Kennedy shoots in but no luck this time.
As Kennedy backs off Kuukas throws a huge counter combo but Kennedy manages to avoid it all.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Kennedy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Kennedy is defended easily by Kuukas .
Kuukas tries a quick counter leg kick but Kennedy is wise to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kennedy looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kuukas is fending him off so far but Kennedy persists. Nope, Kuukas circles away and we're back to standing.
Kennedy dives in for a single leg takedown but Kuukas sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Kennedy pushes Kuukas up against the cage in a clinch.
Kennedy goes for a takedown attempt but Kuukas pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Kennedy misses with a takedown
and Kuukas counters with an inside leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kennedy shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kuukas as he jumps to the side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kennedy looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Kuukas unleashes a big counter combination but Kennedy bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Kuukas keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Kennedy with a lazy takedown attempt
and Kuukas counters with a two punch combo.
Kennedy shoots in but no luck this time.
Kuukas leaves Kennedy with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kennedy shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Kuukas pinned against the cage. Kuukas gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Kennedy with a poor takedown
and Kuukas counters with a one-two to the body.
Kennedy closes the distance looking to clinch
and Kuukas counters with a series of strikes. Kennedy will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kennedy doesn't manage to clinch there - Kuukas circles away.
Kennedy shoots in and drives through. Kuukas sprawls well.
Kuukas is looking for the big counter here.

Kennedy is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Kuukas 's half guard.
Kuukas is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kuukas trying to control here.
Kennedy wants to control but Kuukas is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luukas Kuukas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Kennedy shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kuukas as he jumps to the side.
Kennedy tries to clinch there but Kuukas circles away.
Kennedy will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Kuukas throws a counter combo.
Kennedy shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kuukas but Kuukas pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Kennedy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kuukas leaves Kennedy with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Kuukas throws a counter combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kennedy looks to clinch
and Kuukas counters with a series of strikes. Kennedy will be more careful next time no doubt.
Kennedy tries to close the distance and clinch but Kuukas swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kennedy shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kuukas as he jumps to the side.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kennedy fails with a takedown attempt.

Kennedy drives through with a takedown into Kuukas 's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kennedy prevents Kuukas from getting back to his feet.
Kennedy wants to control from the top but Kuukas keeps moving.
Kuukas looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kennedy stays in close to Kuukas 's body and controls the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kuukas can do anything to dispel that myth.
Kennedy seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Kuukas for as long as he can get away with.
Kuukas looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kennedy trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuukas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kennedy stopping the sweep attempt from Kuukas .

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Kennedy misses with a takedown
and Kuukas counters with a series of strikes. Kennedy will be more careful next time no doubt.
Horrible takedown attempt by Kennedy or perhaps it was just good defense by Kuukas , which made it look bad.
Kennedy shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kuukas as he avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuukas keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Kennedy tries to clinch but Kuukas moves out of range.

Kennedy forces Kuukas back against the cage and clinches.
Kennedy on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kuukas crunches a lovely knee into Kennedy's ribcage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kennedy tries to stall but Kuukas uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Kennedy avoiding damage as Kuukas throws knees to the body.
Kuukas tries to land knees in the clinch but Kennedy avoids the damage to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luukas Kuukas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kuukas has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Topper Green scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luukas Kuukas !