PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Zahbit Lovanov (ranked 232 p4p, 379 weight class) and Adan Puno (ranked 30 p4p, 45 weight class). Adan Puno has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Lovanov
vs
Puno

199 cm
34
265
33 - 17 - 1

193 cm
35
250
25 - 14 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
KO power

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Kersikov's Vitamin Clinic (160)

Conviction
NARCOS

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 33 - 17 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Zahbit Lovanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Adan Puno!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, William Gold and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Puno throws a lazy right hand but Lovanov sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
The fighters circling - Lovanov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
It seemed like Puno was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Lovanov pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Lovanov bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Lovanov jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Puno flicks out a counter leg kick but Lovanov steps away.
Lovanov waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Puno.
Lovanov has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Roosters Coop in the buildup to the fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Puno slips a straight right by Lovanov.
Lovanov misses with a body shot.
Lovanov lands a nice shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lovanov checks the leg kick nicely there.
Lovanov feinted with a counter takedown.
Puno throws a poor cross that misses
and Lovanov counters with a nice uppercut.
Lovanov lands with an overhand left.
Good leg kick by Puno.
Lovanov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Puno throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Lovanov to counter with a crisp jab.

Lovanov shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Puno manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Lovanov is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Puno avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Lovanov landing some decent shots from guard.
Lovanov stands up over Puno, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Lovanov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lovanov throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Puno works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Puno has his hands on Lovanov's head, controlling the position.
Lovanov wants to control from the top but Puno keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puno pulls Lovanov in close to his closed guard and prevents Lovanov from doing any damage or advancing position.
Puno keeping full guard, as Lovanov tries to pass.
Lovanov content to stall in guard here.
Lovanov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Puno swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Puno takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

It looks like Adan Puno has been cut.
Puno is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

It looks like Zahbit Lovanov has been cut.
Puno throws a body punch but Lovanov moves out of range.
Puno pivots, looking for a leg kick but Lovanov is out of range and Puno settles back down.
Puno throws out a leg kick but Lovanov moves out of range and Puno only half commits.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The crowd cheers as Lovanov lands an impressive looking overhand right. Puno doesn't seem phased though.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zahbit Lovanov dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Lovanov fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Puno looks to clinch
and Lovanov counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Puno avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Puno misses with a wild body shot.
Puno throws the left hand but Lovanov avoids the punch easily.
Lovanov feinted with a counter takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lovanov misses with a right hand
and Puno makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Lovanov misses with a jab to the body
and Puno counters with a straight right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lovanov is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Puno.

Puno cracks Lovanov with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! Lovanov looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Puno finish him?

Lovanov is rocked!
Lovanov takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Puno stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Puno wants it to stay on the feet.
Lovanov checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Lovanov wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Lovanov bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Lovanov drops down looking for a counter takedown but Puno sprawls and moves away.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Puno throws a leg kick but Lovanov moved away.
Lovanov half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lovanov. Puno does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lovanov checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Adan Puno seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Good work by Lovanov as he checks the leg kick.
A swing and a miss from Lovanov.
Lovanov misses the shot to the body.
Puno shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Lovanov pivots, looking for a leg kick but Puno is out of range and Lovanov settles back down.
A slow jab from Puno misses its intended target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puno throws a leg kick

and Lovanov counters with a single leg into guard. Puno didn't expect that.
Lovanov throws an elbow that misses. Puno uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Lovanov's guard. Nice move by Puno!

Lovanov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lovanov working a defensive guard here.
Lovanov wants to control the position but Puno says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Lovanov is looking to control Puno's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Lovanov avoid being mounted?
Puno performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lovanov tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Lovanov trying to control but Puno postures up.
Lovanov is trying to get back to full guard.
Lovanov is pressing down on Puno's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Lovanov tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Lovanov keeping full guard, as Puno tries to pass.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Adan Puno showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Puno misses with a straight right.
Puno keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Lovanov.
Lovanov slips under a jab.
Puno keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Puno throws a leg kick

and Lovanov counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Puno is refusing to be controlled, as Lovanov sits in half guard.
Lovanov is really struggling to control Puno but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lovanov sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Puno defending well though.
Lovanov thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Puno's head.
Lovanov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Puno regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Lovanov.
Lovanov trying to control but Puno is working from the bottom.
Lovanov content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Lovanov trying to control the position from guard on top but Puno is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Puno is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two 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.
Lovanov trying to control but Puno is working from the bottom.
Puno working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lovanov.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Lovanov misses with a low kick.
Lovanov looks to score with a jab to the body but Puno is just out of range.
A slow jab from Puno misses its intended target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lovanov lands with a straight right. Puno didn't see that one coming.
Puno will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Lovanov swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Puno counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Puno avoids the body shot from Lovanov.
A slow jab from Lovanov misses its intended target.
Puno throws a big shot that misses.

Lovanov closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lovanov missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Still in half guard, Lovanov seems content to control.
Puno keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Lovanov looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Puno with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Puno blocking the ground and pound attempt from Lovanov.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Puno slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Lovanov engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zahbit Lovanov showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Lovanov 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zahbit Lovanov!
Zahbit Lovanov decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.