PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Boyko Kersikov (ranked 63 p4p, 244 weight class) and Pavel Kostov (ranked 5 p4p, 34 weight class). Kersikov comes to the cage accompanied by Sefa - God's Plan. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Kersikov
vs
Kostov

184 cm
33
189
19 - 7 - 2

185 cm
33
190
20 - 12 - 4

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Kersikov's Vitamin Clinic (160)
NARCOS

Shadow Realm Apparel
NARCOS

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 7 - 2, fighting out of New York, Boyko Kersikov!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 12 - 4, fighting out of St Petersburg, Pavel Kostov!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kostov with a nice calf kick.
Kersikov throws a hook but Kostov blocks it.
Kostov lands with an uppercut that bounces Kersikov off the cage and back into range.
Kostov uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Kersikov has time to react.
Kostov throws a quick inside leg kick.
Kostov lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
A telegraphed right hand from Kostov misses the target.
Kostov looks for the body kick but Kersikov saw that one coming.
Kersikov was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Pavel Kostov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kersikov blocks a jab.
Kersikov was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Kostov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kersikov manages to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kostov feints and then cracks Kersikov's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Kersikov down.
Kersikov misses with an uppercut
and Kostov counters with a left to the body.
Kostov misses with a leg kick
and Kersikov counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
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!
Kostov misses the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kostov misses the shot to the body.
Kostov comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
A bone on bone clash there as Kersikov blocks the leg kick.
Kersikov moves out of range of the body kick from Kostov.

Kostov forces Kersikov back against the cage and clinches.
Kersikov 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.
Kostov misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kostov tries to work over Kersikov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kersikov misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kostov lands a body punch in the clinch.
Kersikov swings wildly with an uppercut but Kostov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kersikov fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kostov misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kersikov gets through Kostov's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Kostov misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nice body punch from Kersikov.
Kostov lands a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kersikov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kostov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Kostov throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from Kersikov misses the target.
Kostov thumps Kersikov with a low kick.
Kersikov avoids the body shot from Kostov.
Kersikov misses with a straight left.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
An inside leg kick from Kostov misses.
Kostov digs a good body shot into Kersikov's ribs.

Kostov gets a clinch.
Kersikov lands with a light punch inside.
Kersikov prevents a body shot from Kostov.

Kersikov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Kostov darts in and clinches Kersikov up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kostov struggles to land a body shot inside as Kersikov controls his hands.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Kersikov manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Kersikov misses with a punch on the inside.

Kersikov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kostov finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
That kick from Kostov tenderised Kersikov's leg. Kersikov is trying to keep his angry face on.
Kostov throws a leg kick which misses Kersikov's front leg but catches the back leg as Kersikov tries to avoid it.
Kostov throws a shot from downtown. Kersikov moves away and avoids it.
Kersikov seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Kostov misses the body punch
and Kostov takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Kostov thows a leg kick but Kersikov checks it
and Kersikov cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Kostov misses with an uppercut. Kersikov saw that one coming.
Kersikov lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kostov circles away quickly and effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kostov attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
As Kostov backs away, Kersikov returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Kostov clobbers Kersikov with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Kersikov slips a straight right by Kostov.
Kostov misses with a hook
and Kersikov counters with a good low kick that Kostov was not able to check.
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!
Kersikov connects with a body shot.
Kersikov takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Kostov lands a nice hook to Kersikov's body. Kersikov takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Kersikov takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Kostov lands a leg kick that knocks Kersikov off balance momentarily.
The fighters circling - Kostov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
And Kersikov counters with a quick kick to the body but Kostov blocks it.
Kostov looks to score with a jab to the body but Kersikov is just out of range.
Kostov misses with a jab to the body
and Kersikov counters with a straight right hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Pavel Kostov dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Kostov lands an overhand right.
Kersikov blocks a jab.
And Kersikov counters with a quick kick to the body but Kostov blocks it.
Kersikov closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Kersikov drops his hands momentarily and Kostov takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Kersikov takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Kostov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kostov throws a jab but it's blocked by Kersikov.
Nice defenses there by Kersikov.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kostov misses with a hook.
Kersikov is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
A low kick from Kostov misses
and Kersikov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kostov looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Kersikov uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kostov.
Kersikov quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kersikov takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Kostov throws a poor cross that misses
and Kersikov counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Kostov cracks Kersikov with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Kersikov misses the jab.
Kostov throws a low kick, looking for Kersikov's leg but Kersikov calmly moves out of range.
Kersikov swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Nice straight punches there by Kostov. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Kostov.
Kersikov throws a body kick that misses
and Kostov counters with a stiff right hand.
Kostov throws a poor cross that misses
and Kersikov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kostov throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kersikov appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Kostov misses with a straight right.
It looked like Kersikov was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Kostov.
Kersikov lands a really nice looking cross but Kostov seems unphased.
Kersikov misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kersikov walks into a straight right hand from Kostov.
Kostov misses with an uppercut. Kersikov saw that one coming.
It looked like Kersikov was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Kostov.
A telegraphed right hand from Kostov misses the target.
Kersikov defending well as Kostov loads up on a big left hand.
Kersikov chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Kostov can pounce on him.
Kostov smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Kostov misses with an uppercut. Kersikov saw that one coming.
Kersikov is looking for a counter combo.
That kick from Kostov tenderised Kersikov's leg. Kersikov is trying to keep his angry face on.
Kersikov lands with a hook. Kostov tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Kostov turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
A good leg kick by Kostov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kostov swings away with a body shot that misses
and Kersikov counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Kostov turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Good work by Kersikov as he checks the leg kick.
A quick step to the side and Kersikov tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kostov pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Kostov throws a wild body kick that Kersikov sees coming a mile off.
Kostov throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Kersikov counters with a crisp right that sends Kostov to the canvas! Kersikov follows up with punches from the mount and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:32 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Boyko Kersikov!
Boyko Kersikov retains his middleweight title!
A relieved looking Boyko Kersikov thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.