PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tony Luciano (ranked 1376 p4p, 1094 weight class) and Andriy Yarmalenko (ranked 167 p4p, 139 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Luciano
vs
Yarmalenko

196 cm
31
260
14 - 6 - 0

197 cm
23
258
9 - 5 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Northern Zombie
Shadow Realm Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tony Luciano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Andriy Yarmalenko!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, George Francis and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yarmalenko slips a straight right by Luciano.
Luciano throws a hook but Yarmalenko avoids it easily.
Yarmalenko now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Luciano throws a hook but Yarmalenko avoids it easily.
Yarmalenko's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Yarmalenko duly obliges.

It looks like Tony Luciano has been cut.
Luciano fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

It looks like Andriy Yarmalenko has been cut.
Luciano throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Yarmalenko sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A slow jab from Luciano misses its intended target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yarmalenko throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Yarmalenko throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Luciano lands a nice shot that snaps Yarmalenko's head back.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A jab from Luciano misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice leg kick from Yarmalenko, right into the meat of the thigh.
Luciano throws out a powerful jab.
Luciano throws a big shot that misses.
Yarmalenko looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A telegraphed right hand from Luciano misses the target.
Yarmalenko swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Luciano misses with an uppercut. Yarmalenko saw that one coming.
Yarmalenko steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
A jab from Luciano misses.
Yarmalenko looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Yarmalenko has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Luciano throws the left hand but Yarmalenko avoids the punch easily.
Yarmalenko uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Luciano.
Luciano avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Luciano was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luciano keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Yarmalenko throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
An attempted straight right counter from Luciano misses the target.

Luciano takes the fight into the clinch.
Luciano lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That has opened up Andriy Yarmalenko's cut even more.
Yarmalenko blocks a body shot from Luciano.

Yarmalenko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Luciano misses with a lunging right hand
and Yarmalenko counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yarmalenko scores with a jab to the body.
Luciano is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Luciano misses with an uppercut
and Yarmalenko counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Yarmalenko ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Yarmalenko lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luciano misses with an uppercut.
Tony Luciano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A jab lands there for Yarmalenko.
Luciano keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Yarmalenko.
Luciano throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Yarmalenko counters with a stiff right hand.
Yarmalenko connects with a solid leg kick.
Luciano seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
A big right from Luciano misses.
Yarmalenko avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Luciano throws a jab but it's blocked by Yarmalenko.
Luciano lands with a jab that stuns his opponent. Yarmalenko is looking to close the distance but Luciano sees it coming and throws a beautiful knee! Yarmalenko crumbles to the mat and that's all she wrote! Let's hope Yarmalenko is OK because that was naaaaaasty!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:57 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Knee). Tony Luciano!
An out of breath Tony Luciano thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.