PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kulata Bitok (ranked 24349 p4p, 5007 weight class) and KJ Hoodwell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kulata Bitok has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Bitok
vs
Hoodwell

182 cm
22
160
17 - 35 - 4

177 cm
24
162
8 - 13 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Furnace Performance 🔥
Silverguard Outfitters 🛡

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 35 - 4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kulata Bitok!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 13 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, KJ Hoodwell!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Tiny Johnson and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hoodwell clinches with his opponent.

Hoodwell manages to break the clinch.
Hoodwell rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bitok moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hoodwell leaves Bitok with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Hoodwell misses with a combination
and Bitok counters with a solid body kick.

Hoodwell rushes Bitok and presses him up against the cage.

Hoodwell's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hoodwell fails with a takedown attempt.
Hoodwell looks winded!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice sprawl there from Hoodwell as Bitok shoots in.
Bitok avoids a punch combination nicely.
And Bitok counters with a quick kick to the body but Hoodwell blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoodwell swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hoodwell looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Bitok throws a quick counter kick to the body but Hoodwell avoids it.
Bitok pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Hoodwell pushes Bitok up against the cage in a clinch.
Bitok is trying to drag Hoodwell to the mat but Hoodwell just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kulata Bitok. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hoodwell prevents the takedown attempt.
Bitok is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Hoodwell is defending well.

Hoodwell manages to break the clinch.
Hoodwell looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hoodwell fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bitok, pushing him back against the cage.

Hoodwell lands a takedown into guard.
Bitok controls Hoodwell momentarily but Hoodwell frees himself.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hoodwell accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Hoodwell working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hoodwell is looking to work some ground and pound but Bitok has wrist control.
Hoodwell controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoodwell postures up.
Hoodwell sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bitok shoots in looking for a takedown but Hoodwell manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bitok's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
KJ Hoodwell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Hoodwell closes the distance and clinches.

Hoodwell's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bitok shoots in but no luck this time.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Hoodwell!
Bitok tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Hoodwell pushes Bitok up against the cage in a clinch.
Hoodwell wants a takedown but no success here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hoodwell manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bitok sitting in guard, not really doing much.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hoodwell is on top in guard.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bitok preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

KJ Hoodwell dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Bitok slips a jab and a cross from Hoodwell.
Hoodwell misses with a series of wild punches.
Bitok blocks a head kick by Hoodwell.
Bitok attempts a counter takedown but Hoodwell avoids it well and moves away.
A head kick misses from Hoodwell.
KJ Hoodwell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hoodwell looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
It appears Bitok was looking to counter with a kick there.

Bitok gets tackled into the cage by Hoodwell. Hoodwell maintains the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hoodwell has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Bitok after a bit of a struggle.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Hoodwell.
Hoodwell is breathing heavily.
Hoodwell lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Bitok backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hoodwell breaks the clinch.

Hoodwell gets a clinch.
Bitok is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Hoodwell gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Bitok is looking to take this one to the mat.

Hoodwell breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hoodwell fails with a takedown attempt.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hoodwell's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hoodwell throws a nice looking combination but Bitok bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Hoodwell scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Bitok shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Hoodwell's guard.
Hoodwell is looking to stand back up but Bitok counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Hoodwell.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Bitok stops Hoodwell from getting back to his feet.
Hoodwell throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Hoodwell is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoodwell is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hoodwell has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Bitok trying to control from half guard but Hoodwell is working away.
Hoodwell has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Bitok is working away from the top position though.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Bitok wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hoodwell keeps working.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Nice takedown defense from Bitok. No joy for Hoodwell on that attempt.
Bitok jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Kulata Bitok has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of KJ Hoodwell.

Bitok tries to keep at a distance but Hoodwell has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hoodwell with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Hoodwell jumps guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bitok content to stall in guard here.
Bitok wants to control from the top but Hoodwell keeps moving.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

KJ Hoodwell showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Bitok shoots in looking for a takedown but Hoodwell manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bitok's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Hoodwell moves into the clinch.

Hoodwell breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A bone on bone clash there as Bitok blocks the leg kick.
Bitok thinks about countering with a body kick.

Hoodwell has taken the fight to the clinch.
Hoodwell lands a nice uppercut.

Hoodwell pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Bitok is looking to take this one to the mat.
Hoodwell takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hoodwell drags the fight down to the ground.
Bitok slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hoodwell working a defensive guard here.
Hoodwell wants to stand and escape but Bitok is having none of it.
Bitok content to stall in guard here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hoodwell can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Hoodwell wants to sweep here but Bitok controlling him for the moment.
Hoodwell looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Bitok wants to control from the top but Hoodwell keeps moving.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hoodwell moves into range and clinches up with Bitok.
Bitok is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Hoodwell is defending well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kulata Bitok. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hoodwell is looking for a takedown.
A short left from Hoodwell.

Bitok gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

Hoodwell pushes Bitok off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Bitok tries to keep at a distance but Hoodwell has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hoodwell jumps into guard, dragging Bitok to the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hoodwell wants to get back to his feet but Bitok is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Kulata Bitok has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bitok stays in close to Hoodwell's body and controls the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
KJ Hoodwell comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hoodwell 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... KJ Hoodwell!