PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nikolai Kuznetsov (ranked 688 p4p, 703 weight class) and Athos Knox (ranked 96 p4p, 99 weight class). Knox comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Click Click Boom | Saliva kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kuznetsov
vs
Knox

178 cm
36
186
25 - 19 - 0

185 cm
27
188
13 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

PWNAGE

Voodoo Nutrition
Money Inc. (160Q with Proof ) 165$

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 19 - 0, fighting out of London, Nikolai Kuznetsov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Athos Knox!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Daniel Cesar and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Knox ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Kuznetsov moves out of range of the strikes.
Kuznetsov misses with a jab to the body
enabling Knox to counter with a crisp jab.
Kuznetsov connects with a good right hand that stumbles Knox. Knox circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

It looks like Athos Knox has been cut.
Kuznetsov misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Knox avoids the head kick by Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov throws a looping overhand right but Knox ducks down to avoid it.
Kuznetsov explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Nice straight punches there by Knox. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Knox.
Kuznetsov throws a lazy right hand but Knox sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Knox stuns Kuznetsov with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Knox drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Knox just misses with a punch to the body.
Kuznetsov throws a counter high kick but Knox was just alert enough to avoid it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Knox throws the left hand but Kuznetsov avoids the punch easily.
Kuznetsov tries to bum rush Knox with a series of wild strikes but Knox uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Knox throws out a counter right but Kuznetsov avoids it with no problem.
Knox throws a hook to the side of Kuznetsov's head but Kuznetsov sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Knox lands a nice shot that snaps Kuznetsov's head back.
Knox misses with a hook. Kuznetsov ducked under it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knox digs a good body shot into Kuznetsov's ribs.
Kuznetsov throws a series of punches but Knox avoids them all with ease.
Knox scores with a punch to the head.
Kuznetsov looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Knox slips a jab from Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov misses with an uppercut. Knox saw that one coming.
Kuznetsov throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Knox counters with a nice uppercut.
A head kick misses from Kuznetsov.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Knox! But no joy.
Knox getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Knox throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kuznetsov sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Kuznetsov lands a jab to the head.
Kuznetsov looks to land a right hand but Knox moved out of range.
Knox has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
The fighters circle momentarily. Knox darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Knox uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kuznetsov.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A punch lands to the side of Kuznetsov 's head but he takes it in his stride.
The fighters circling - Kuznetsov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Kuznetsov is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuznetsov throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Kuznetsov misses with a hook.
A leg kick checked by Knox.
Kuznetsov fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A nice side step and Knox releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Knox takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Nice body punch from Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov throws a leg kick that is checked
and Kuznetsov takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Kuznetsov throws a head kick but Knox moves out of range.
Kuznetsov throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Knox ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Kuznetsov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A big left from Knox misses.
Kuznetsov was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Knox lands a body shot.

Knox moves into the clinch.

Knox manages to break the clinch.
Kuznetsov misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kuznetsov lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuznetsov misses with a jab, cross combination.
Knox cracks a nice hook into Kuznetsov's ribs.
Kuznetsov misses with a hook
and Knox counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Nikolai Kuznetsov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kuznetsov throws a leg kick but Knox sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Knox let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Knox blocks a jab.
Kuznetsov misses with a right hand
and Knox counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Kuznetsov throws a sloppy body shot
and Knox counters with a stiff right hand.
Kuznetsov tries to land a front kick but Knox steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Knox clinches up with Kuznetsov and pushes him back against the cage.
Kuznetsov blocks an uppercut.
Knox displaying some good clinch control by pressing Kuznetsov up against the cage.

Knox breaks the clinch.
Knox has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Kuznetsov throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Knox sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Knox looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Kuznetsov throws a head kick that misses.
A little jabbing left from Knox on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knox ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Kuznetsov is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice defenses there by Kuznetsov.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov misses with a wild combination.
Knox swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

Knox drives through and clinches with Kuznetsov against the cage.
Knox stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Kuznetsov breaks the clinch.
Kuznetsov shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kuznetsov throws a lazy uppercut
and Knox connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Knox is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Kuznetsov had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Knox throws the left hand but Kuznetsov avoids the punch easily.
Kuznetsov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nice defenses there by Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov throws a big counter combination but Knox scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Athos Knox will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Athos Knox's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Kuznetsov throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Knox.
Nikolai Kuznetsov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kuznetsov lands with a nice body punch.
Knox moves out of range of the strikes.
Nikolai Kuznetsov is winning the standup battle so far.
Knox slips a straight right by Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov lands a jab to Knox's midsection.
Kuznetsov smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Kuznetsov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Knox manages to avoid it.

Knox has taken the fight to the clinch.

Kuznetsov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Knox checks the leg kick nicely there.
Knox staying out of range there.
Knox moves out of range of the body kick.
Knox cracks Kuznetsov with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Decent striking displayed by Knox there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A jab from Kuznetsov finds it's way through Knox's defenses.
Kuznetsov swings widly with a right hand
and Knox counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuznetsov rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Knox counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Kuznetsov throws a sloppy body shot
letting Knox counter with a right hand.
Kuznetsov misses with a wild combination.
Knox bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Kuznetsov's head.
Knox throws a looping overhand right but Kuznetsov ducks down to avoid it.
Kuznetsov misses with a double jab.
Knox waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov misses with the combination.
Kuznetsov misses with a series of wild punches.
Knox fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kuznetsov manages to avoid it.
Kuznetsov is looking to counter punch.
Kuznetsov throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kuznetsov misses with a jab to the body
and Knox cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lazy left from Knox finds it's target.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kuznetsov throws a series of punches but Knox avoids them all with ease.
Knox thuds a left hand into Kuznetsov's body.

Knox clinches.
A short right from Kuznetsov on the inside.

Knox manages to break the clinch.
Knox with a nice cross.
Knox misses the jab.
Kuznetsov tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kuznetsov tries a head kick but it misses.
Knox loads up on a big right hand but Kuznetsov slips the punch.
A little feinted left hand from Kuznetsov on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Good leg kick by Kuznetsov.
A swing and a miss from Knox.
Knox walks into a straight right hand from Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov works the jab nicely.
Knox tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuznetsov fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
It seemed like Knox was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Knox jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kuznetsov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Knox takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Kuznetsov rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Knox counters with a stiff right hand.
Knox punishes Kuznetsov's body with a nice straight punch.
Knox scores with a jab to the jaw.
Knox lands a jab to the head.
Knox cracks Kuznetsov with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Kuznetsov falls off balance throwing a combination
and Knox counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Kuznetsov is rocked!
Kuznetsov looks to score with a jab to the body but Knox is just out of range.
Kuznetsov rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Knox moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kuznetsov ducks under a wild hook from Knox.
Knox lands with a right hand.
Oh Kuznetsov is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Kuznetsov throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Knox! But no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knox takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Knox lands a nice hook to Kuznetsov's body. Kuznetsov takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Kuznetsov takes one on the button.
Knox blocks a head kick by Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Knox takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Kuznetsov throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Knox sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A little jabbing left from Knox on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Nice uppercut lands for Knox. That snapped Kuznetsov's head back.
Kuznetsov misses with a wild body shot.
Kuznetsov tries to land a front kick but Knox steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Knox looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Knox feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Kuznetsovs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Knox circles and sees the opportunity to plant his feet and throw a really nice straight left hand that drops Kuznetsov to the canvas! Kuznetsov doesn't know where he is but he's trying to survive - Knox keeps piling on the pressure and forces the referee to step in! This one is aaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:43 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Athos Knox!
Athos Knox very nearly forgot to thank Money Inc. (160Q with Proof ) 165$ amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.