PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Lima (ranked 2834 p4p, 1399 weight class) and Iov Kuzmin (ranked 339 p4p, 186 weight class). Kuzmin has chosen La Caution - Thé à la Menthe as his entrance music. Iov Kuzmin has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Lima
vs
Kuzmin

187 cm
35
220
13 - 7 - 0

188 cm
24
225
9 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ricardo Lima!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Iov Kuzmin!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Winston Howard and Ben Watson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lima shoots in and bounces Kuzmin off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Kuzmin looking for a sweep. Not yet Kuzmin, not yet.
Lima wants to control from the top but Kuzmin keeps moving.
Lima lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Lima trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuzmin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lima preventing the sweep.
Lima slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lima makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Lima loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuzmin pulls Lima in close to his closed guard and prevents Lima from doing any damage or advancing position.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Lima is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Kuzmin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kuzmin working a defensive guard here.
Lima trying to control but Kuzmin is working from the bottom.
Kuzmin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lima wants to control from the top but Kuzmin keeps moving.
Lima throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kuzmin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Lima trying to control but Kuzmin is working from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Kuzmin darts in looking for a takedown but Lima gets double underhooks and turns Kuzmin into the ropes.

Lima gets a double leg takedown into Kuzmin's guard.
Lima stopping the sweep attempt from Kuzmin.
Lima working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lima trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuzmin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Kuzmin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lima is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuzmin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kuzmin lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Kuzmin postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Kuzmin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lima works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Lima is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kuzmin defends well.

Lima working for a triangle but Kuzmin defends it easily.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Kuzmin's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Lima is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Kuzmin postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kuzmin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Kuzmin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Kuzmin connects with a couple of short punches.
Kuzmin is working Lima over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

It looks like Ricardo Lima has been cut.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Lima working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kuzmin doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kuzmin manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Kuzmin is in close to Lima's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Kuzmin lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Kuzmin content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Kuzmin chips away with some ground and pound.

Lima is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Lima has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kuzmin can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Lima is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kuzmin keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Lima's head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Lima dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ricardo Lima's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Kuzmin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Ricardo Lima's cut is getting worse.
Lima tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Kuzmin defends well and Lima ends up having to push Kuzmin into the ropes where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Kuzmin is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Lima pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Lima drags the fight down to the ground.
Kuzmin with a nice head shot there.

Lima working for a triangle but Kuzmin defends it easily.
Kuzmin lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Kuzmin landing some decent shots from guard.

Ricardo Lima's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

Lima is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a triangle but Kuzmin frees his head nicely. Oh but Lima has switched to an armbar! Kuzmin is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Ricardo Lima!
A victorious Ricardo Lima thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.