PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ben Licht (ranked 2982 p4p, 2451 weight class) and Rustam Kadurov (ranked 374 p4p, 318 weight class). Licht comes to the cage accompanied by The Exies - What You Deserve. Ben Licht is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Licht
vs
Kadurov

180 cm
20
177
4 - 2 - 0

180 cm
20
184
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Barry Bonds Performance Enhancers -160Q

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Ben Licht!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rustam Kadurov!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Ian Loll and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kadurov misses with a straight right.
A telegraphed right hand from Kadurov misses the target.
Kadurov throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Kadurov takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Kadurov steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Licht.
And Kadurov tries to counter it with a takedown but Licht pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Rustam Kadurov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Licht scores with a punch to the head.

Kadurov closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Licht quickly recovers to half guard.

Kadurov is looking for a kimura but Licht is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kadurov to get the leverage.
Licht trying to control from the bottom.
Licht is looking to improve his position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Kadurov in particular looking to stall.
Licht 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kadurov throwing shots but Licht is blocking nicely.
Kadurov prevents Licht from improving his position.
Licht wants to control but Kadurov is keeping busy.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Still in half guard, Kadurov seems content to control.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Kadurov uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Licht.
Licht drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Ben Licht is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kadurov scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Kadurov ducks under a wild hook from Licht.
Kadurov lands a head shot.
Kadurov moves out of range as Licht strikes.
Licht pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Licht throws a leg kick that misses.
A jab lands there for Kadurov.
Licht misses with a double jab.
Kadurov connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Licht.
Licht ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Licht misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kadurov ducks under a wild hook from Licht.
Kadurov throws a hook but Licht blocks it.
Kadurov steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Licht.
Licht misses with a combination

and Kadurov counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Licht being controlled here, momentarily.

Licht looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Kadurov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Kadurov controlling from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kadurov landing some decent shots from guard.
Licht is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Licht wants to take a breather but Kadurov is having none of it.
Licht with the ground and pound but Kadurov uses the opportunity to regain guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Licht misses with a body kick.
Kadurov throws a hook but Licht avoids it easily.
Licht throws a leg kick but Kadurov checks it.
The fighters circling - Licht throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Decent striking displayed by Kadurov there.
Licht misses with a double jab.
Licht doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Licht misses with a low kick.
Kadurov feints the counter takedown.
Licht misses with a body kick.
Kadurov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nice uppercut lands for Kadurov. That snapped Licht's head back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Licht takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Ben Licht is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A big right from Kadurov misses.
An attempted straight right counter from Licht misses the target.
Kadurov moves out of range as Licht strikes.
Nice body punch from Kadurov.
Rustam Kadurov seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kadurov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Licht manages to avoid it.
Licht throws a lazy right hand but Kadurov sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Kadurov misses with a wild combination.
Kadurov slips a straight right by Licht.
Kadurov misses with a looping right.
Kadurov connects with a body shot that sends Licht's belly button to the back.

Kadurov closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Kadurov lands in his opponent's guard.
Kadurov postures up.
Kadurov slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kadurov stopping the sweep attempt from Licht.
Kadurov lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Kadurov with a nice head shot there.
Kadurov 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.
Kadurov's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Licht throws a leg kick but Kadurov sees it coming and moves out of range.
Licht is looking to chop away at Kadurov's legs.

Kadurov drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
A lull in the action here as Kadurov stalls from top position.
Licht tries to buck Kadurov off but Kadurov is having none of it.
Licht struggling a bit here.
Kadurov is putting a hurting on Licht here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kadurov landing strikes.
Licht can't do much from the bottom here.
Licht is trying to get back to half guard.
Kadurov scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Licht to see if he's OK.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Licht looking for a sweep but Kadurov has passed into full mount! Oh no!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Kadurov cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Kadurov controlling his opponent.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rustam Kadurov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Licht tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Kadurov is able to avoid easily.
Nice body punch from Kadurov.
Kadurov lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Licht lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kadurov circles away quickly and effectively.
Licht moves away from the strike by Kadurov.
Kadurov thuds a left hand into Licht's body.
Nice uppercut lands for Kadurov. That snapped Licht's head back.
A telegraphed right hand from Licht misses the target.
Some wild striking there from Licht.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A swing and a miss from Kadurov.
Licht throwing a counter right hand but Kadurov manages to avoid it.
Licht throws a right hand that Kadurov ducks under and follows up with a left that Kadurov also avoids with ease.
Licht throws a quick inside leg kick.
Licht throws a hook but Kadurov blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kadurov takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Kadurov connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Licht momentarily.
Licht throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kadurov.
Licht misses with an uppercut. Kadurov saw that one coming.
Licht swings widly with a right hand

and Kadurov counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Licht!
Kadurov moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Licht tries to buck Kadurov off but Kadurov is having none of it.
Kadurov controlling the position from side mount.
Licht looks to move to half guard but instead Kadurov has passed into mount! Damn!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kadurov tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Kadurov working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kadurov connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Licht really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Licht wants to hold on but Kadurov pushes him away.
Kadurov looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kadurov takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kadurov cracks Licht with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Rustam Kadurov is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Kadurov controlling the position easily from mount.
Ben Licht has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Licht tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kadurov content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Licht tries to lock up and control but Kadurov gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Kadurov looking to control and managing it successfully.
Licht is trying desperately to improve position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Licht is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Licht really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rustam Kadurov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Kadurov has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rustam Kadurov!
A less than humble Rustam Kadurov misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.