PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ilya Kushnirov (ranked 1296 p4p, 2172 weight class) and Kazuki Takeda (ranked 199 p4p, 311 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kushnirov
vs
Takeda

175 cm
23
195
8 - 6 - 0

185 cm
22
188
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

High Peak Fightwear

Barry Bonds Performance Enhancers $110 160q Rec&St

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 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ilya Kushnirov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazuki Takeda!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kushnirov lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Kushnirov with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Takeda to score with a decent uppercut.
Takeda takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Kushnirov throws a combination. Takeda tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Kushnirov takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Kushnirov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Takeda walks into a left hand.
Takeda swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Takeda takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Takeda avoids the head kick by Kushnirov.
Kushnirov throws a sloppy head kick
and Takeda counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kushnirov is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Takeda.
Takeda throws a counter combo.
Takeda throws a body shot but no joy.
Kushnirov throws a leg kick
and Takeda counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Kushnirov has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Kushnirov there as he acknowledges the shot.
Kushnirov misses with a few strikes there.

Takeda has Kushnirov up against the cage in a clinch.
Takeda keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kushnirov's efforts to push away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Takeda pulls Kushnirov into guard.
Takeda lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Kushnirov wants to stand and escape but Takeda is having none of it.
Takeda is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Takeda missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Takeda landing some decent shots from guard.

Takeda postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Kushnirov is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Takeda, into his guard.

Kushnirov has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Takeda looking to control.
Our spies down at at Takeda Clan Gym inform us that Takeda has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Takeda has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kushnirov wants to get up but he can't break Takeda's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Kushnirov trying to control the position from guard on top but Takeda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kushnirov won't allow Takeda to sweep him here.

Takeda is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Kushnirov got a little sloppy there for a moment and Takeda has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kushnirov has managed to get both his arms back between Takeda's legs - danger averted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Takeda is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kushnirov defends well.
Kushnirov wants to stand and escape but instead Takeda has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Kushnirov keeping moving, preventing Takeda from controlling successfully.
Kushnirov thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Takeda connects with a couple of short punches.
Kushnirov not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takeda stopping the sweep attempt from Kushnirov.

Kushnirov wants to stand but Takeda is controlling his posture from full guard.
Kushnirov is looking to work some ground and pound but Takeda has wrist control.

Kushnirov stands up from guard. Let's bang!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kushnirov lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Kushnirov displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Takeda throws out the jab.
Kushnirov misses with a straight left.
Kushnirov connects with a leg kick.
Kushnirov jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Takeda throws a shot from downtown. Kushnirov moves away and avoids it.
Takeda looks to land a left hand but Kushnirov moved out of range nicely.
Kushnirov throws a solid leg kick but Takeda takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Kushnirov.
Takeda looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Kushnirov rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
enabling Takeda to counter with a crisp jab.
Kushnirov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Takeda on the wrong end of a nice hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kushnirov throws a lazy uppercut
and Takeda counters with a straight right hand.
Kushnirov thuds his shin into the meat of Takeda's side.
Ilya Kushnirov is winning the standup battle so far.

Takeda has managed to clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kushnirov looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Kushnirov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kushnirov tries a head kick but it misses.
Takeda has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
An inside leg kick lands from Kushnirov.
Takeda tries to clinch up but Kushnirov circles away and keeps his distance.
Takeda misses with a right hand
and Kushnirov counters with a stiff right hand.
Takeda misses the shot to the body.
Takeda slips a jab from Kushnirov.
Kushnirov throws a quick inside leg kick.
Kushnirov misses with a straight left.
A head kick misses from Kushnirov.
We've been told by Kushnirov's head coaches at St Petersburg MMA Gym that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Kushnirov throws a body shot but no joy.
Kushnirov lets loose with a powerful body kick. Takeda will feel that in the morning.
Kushnirov misses with a looping right.
Takeda looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Takeda tries to clinch up but Kushnirov circles away and keeps his distance.
Takeda tries to close the distance and clinch but Kushnirov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Takeda chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Kushnirov can pounce on him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takeda scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Kushnirov throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kushnirov works the jab nicely.
Kushnirov misses with a low kick.
Takeda swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Kushnirov steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Takeda.
Takeda's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Kushnirov connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Takeda scrambles back to his feet.
Kushnirov throws a leg kick but Takeda sees it coming and moves out of range.
Kushnirov lands a nice leg kick that just misses Takeda's sensitive parts.
Kushnirov throws the left hand but Takeda avoids the punch easily.
Kushnirov scores with a jab to the jaw.
Takeda throws a hook but Kushnirov avoids it easily.
Takeda tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kushnirov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Takeda might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Takeda fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kushnirov getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Kushnirov scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kushnirov misses with a looping right.
Takeda now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Kushnirov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kushnirov throws a right and a left that Takeda avoids nicely.
Takeda looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Kushnirov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Takeda can do to turn this around?

Takeda instigates a clinch.
Takeda tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Kushnirov using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Takeda has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Takeda misses with a short punch on the inside.
Takeda lands a left hand.
Takeda's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Takeda tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Kushnirov smiles and moves away.
Kushnirov throws a lazy body kick
enabling Takeda to counter with a crisp jab.
Ilya Kushnirov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Takeda throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kushnirov misses with a low kick as Takeda jumps back.
Takeda is looking for the big counter here.
Takeda on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Kushnirov swats away the attempt to clinch by Takeda.
Takeda takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kushnirov misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kushnirov takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Takeda throws a body punch but Kushnirov moves out of range.
A quick step to the side and Kushnirov tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kushnirov scores with a leg kick.
Kushnirov misses with a looping right.
Kushnirov throws a jab when Takeda was well out of range.
Kushnirov throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Takeda sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Takeda doesn't manage to clinch there - Kushnirov circles away.
Takeda bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kushnirov misses with a leg kick.
Kushnirov throws a wild body kick that Takeda sees coming a mile off.
Takeda chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Kushnirov can pounce on him.
Kushnirov gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Kushnirov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Takeda.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ilya Kushnirov dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Kushnirov just misses with a punch to the body.
Takeda throws a hook but Kushnirov blocks it.
Kushnirov fires out a quick counter leg kick but Takeda just manages to avoid it.
Takeda walks forward, straight into a front kick from Kushnirov.
A chopping leg kick lands by Kushnirov.
Kushnirov misses with an uppercut. Takeda saw that one coming.
Takeda doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Kushnirov throws a right and a left that both miss.
Kushnirov throws the left hand but Takeda avoids the punch easily.
Kushnirov connects with a crisp jab.
Kushnirov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kushnirov throws a chopping leg kick but Takeda manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kushnirov scores with a sloppy right hand. Takeda should have avoided that one.
Kushnirov looks to land a right hand but Takeda moved out of range.
Kushnirov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A big right from Takeda misses.
Takeda misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kushnirov.
Ilya Kushnirov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kushnirov misses with a body kick.
The fighters circling - Kushnirov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Kushnirov just misses with a punch to the body.
Takeda moves out of range of the strikes.
A nice side step and Takeda releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
The fighters circling - Kushnirov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Kushnirov blocks a jab.
A low kick from Kushnirov misses
and Takeda counters with a stiff right hand.
Kushnirov scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Takeda misses with a looping right.
Kushnirov takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Kushnirov connects with the punch.
Takeda keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Kushnirov throws a quick inside leg kick.
Takeda takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Kushnirov lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Kushnirov.
The fighters circling - Takeda throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Kushnirov defending well as Takeda loads up on a big left hand.
Takeda takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Kushnirov throws a head kick that misses.
Kushnirov throws a leg kick which misses Takeda's front leg but catches the back leg as Takeda tries to avoid it.
A swing and a miss from Takeda.
Kushnirov is looking to slow Takeda down with leg kicks.
Takeda takes a swing at Kushnirov's ribcage but misses.
Takeda ducks right into an uppercut from Kushnirov.

Takeda closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Takeda manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Kushnirov trying to control the position from guard on top but Takeda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kushnirov won't allow Takeda to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kushnirov passes Takeda's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Kushnirov trying to control from Takeda's half guard. Takeda has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Kushnirov looking to sit in guard and control but Takeda gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Takeda with a nice head shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takeda is in close to Kushnirov's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Takeda is looking to work some ground and pound but Kushnirov has wrist control.

Kushnirov has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Takeda has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Takeda stalling in the clinch but Kushnirov improves position.
Takeda tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Kushnirov's elbow.
Kushnirov is trying to break free.

Kushnirov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Takeda throws a lazy uppercut
and Kushnirov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Takeda stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Kushnirov.
Kushnirov throws out a loose jab but Takeda uses good head movement to avoid it.
Takeda defending well as Kushnirov loads up on a big left hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kushnirov throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Sloppy strikes from Kushnirov. Those never looked like landing.
A nice leg kick lands there from Kushnirov.
Kushnirov fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ilya Kushnirov showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Kushnirov has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ilya Kushnirov!
After the fight, Ilya Kushnirov 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.