PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rayful Edmond (ranked 1682 p4p, 221 weight class) and Denis Kurlaev (ranked 2264 p4p, 289 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Edmond
vs
Kurlaev

190 cm
24
210 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

185 cm
21
220 lbs
5 - 6 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
Conviction

Dark Knight Nutrition

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 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rayful Edmond!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Denis Kurlaev!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Jonathan Paton and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kurlaev throws an overhand right that lands on Edmond's shoulder, as Edmond tries to avoid the shot.
A leg kick checked by Kurlaev.
As Edmond backs off Kurlaev throws a huge counter combo but Edmond manages to avoid it all.
Kurlaev checks a low kick from Edmond.
A lazy left from Kurlaev finds it's target.
Edmond throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A little jabbing left from Kurlaev on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Edmond uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kurlaev.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kurlaev swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Edmond counters with a series of strikes. Kurlaev will be more careful next time no doubt.
Edmond misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Edmond takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Kurlaev misses with an uppercut. Edmond saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kurlaev swings widly with a right hand
and Edmond makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Edmond has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Edmond pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Kurlaev misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Edmond counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Kurlaev looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Kurlaev falls off balance throwing a combination
and Edmond counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Good work by Kurlaev as he checks the leg kick.
Edmond feints a jab promting Kurlaev to slip. Edmond then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Kurlaev slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Edmond connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kurlaev misses the shot to the body.
Kurlaev swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Edmond cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Edmond swings away with a leg kick that misses.
A big right from Kurlaev misses.
Kurlaev is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Edmond.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Edmond works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Edmond fakes the leg kick and cracks Kurlaev in the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edmond doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

Edmond drives through and clinches with Kurlaev against the ropes.
Kurlaev tries to work over Edmond's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Edmond works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Kurlaev looks winded!

Edmond breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Kurlaev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kurlaev takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Kurlaev takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Edmond lands a really nice looking cross but Kurlaev seems unphased.
Edmond pivots, looking for a leg kick but Kurlaev is out of range and Edmond settles back down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kurlaev is looking to clinch but Edmond is avoiding it.
Edmond bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Edmond misses with a left hand
and Kurlaev counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Kurlaev is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kurlaev connects with a body shot that sends Edmond's belly button to the back.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kurlaev tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Edmond was well out of range. Poor timing from Kurlaev.
Edmond was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kurlaev ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Edmond moves away.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Edmond!

Edmond has Kurlaev up against the ropes in a clinch.
Edmond works on Kurlaev's body with a couple of short punches.
Edmond misses with a punch on the inside.
Kurlaev scores with a hook to the body.
Kurlaev misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Edmond.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Kurlaev as Edmond tries to tie him up.
A short right from Kurlaev on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Still in the clinch, Edmond scores with a nice short uppercut.

Edmond escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Edmond throws out a loose jab but Kurlaev uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kurlaev steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Edmond.

Edmond moves into the clinch successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edmond scores with a nice hook to the head.
Kurlaev landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Edmond scores with a shot to the side of Kurlaev's head.

Edmond manages to break the clinch.
Kurlaev misses with a body punch
and Edmond connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Edmond misses with a left hand
and Kurlaev counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Edmond thinking.
Kurlaev uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Edmond.
Kurlaev looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Kurlaev throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Kurlaev falls off balance throwing a combination
and Edmond counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kurlaev dodges the punch combination from Edmond.
Kurlaev takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Edmond misses with a low kick.
Kurlaev throws a left and a right that both miss
letting Edmond counter with a right hand.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Kurlaev in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Edmond tries to keep at a distance but Kurlaev has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Edmond.
Edmond misses with a punch to the body.

Edmond breaks the clinch.
The crowd cheers as Edmond lands an impressive looking overhand right. Kurlaev doesn't seem phased though.
Edmond blocks a jab.
Nice cross by Edmond.
Kurlaev's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Edmond connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Kurlaev scrambles back to his feet.
Edmond uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Rayful Edmond is winning the standup battle so far.
Kurlaev connects with a nice looking jab.
Edmond misses with an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheers as Edmond lands an impressive looking overhand right. Kurlaev doesn't seem phased though.
Kurlaev swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Edmond moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Edmond lands with a slapping head kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kurlaev. Edmond does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kurlaev throws a big shot that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rayful Edmond dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Edmond throws a nice outside leg kick.
Denis Kurlaev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Edmond swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Kurlaev tries to clinch up.
Edmond takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Kurlaev throws an off balance right hand
and Edmond counters with a right hand to the body.
Kurlaev looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Edmond throws a head kick that misses.

Edmond forces Kurlaev back against the ropes and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kurlaev blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Edmond tries to throw a body punch but Kurlaev avoids it by throwing Edmond back against the ropes.
Edmond blocks an elbow strike.
Edmond is leaning against Kurlaev and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Edmond working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Edmond tries to circle away but Kurlaev has him pinned against the ropes.

Edmond's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Edmond swinging wildly here.
Sloppy strikes from Kurlaev. Those never looked like landing.
Edmond went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Edmond will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Edmond throws out a powerful jab.
Kurlaev is the more experienced fighter here and he's going to need to draw on some of that experience if he's going to pull this one out the bag.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kurlaev swings widly with a right hand
and Edmond counters with an outside leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kurlaev. Edmond does a little dance to reset his feet.

Edmond clinches with his opponent.
Kurlaev misses with a knee to the head.
Edmond scores with a shot to the side of Kurlaev's head.
Edmond pushes Kurlaev back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.

It looks like Denis Kurlaev has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
A short left from Edmond.
Edmond softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Edmond lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Edmond lands a right hand.
Edmond blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Edmond softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Rayful Edmond has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Kurlaev takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kurlaev lands a knee to the body.
A shot in the inside from Edmond.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kurlaev misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kurlaev misses with a knee to the head.
Edmond blocks the elbow strike.
Edmond lands a body punch in the clinch.

Edmond breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kurlaev takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Kurlaev ducks right into an uppercut from Edmond.
Kurlaev has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Edmond moves into range and connects with a jab.
Kurlaev blocks a head kick by Edmond.
Kurlaev throws out a counter right but Edmond avoids it with no problem.
A shot to the body from Kurlaev misses
and Edmond counters with a three punch combo that has Kurlaev backing up. Kurlaev nods at Edmond to acknowledge the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Edmond scores with a punch to the head.
Kurlaev misses with a double jab.
Edmond fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Kurlaev lands a nice shot to the body.
Kurlaev misses with a wild body shot.
Edmond showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kurlaev.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rayful Edmond showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Edmond has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight for Rayful Edmond!
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight for Rayful Edmond!
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight for Rayful Edmond!

Rayful Edmond wins by unanimous decision!
Rayful Edmond seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.