PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mikolai Kovalchik (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and DJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Kovalchik might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Indestructible by Disturbed. 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.

Kovalchik
vs
Penn

188 cm
21
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
18
203 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Attack Clothing

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mikolai Kovalchik!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, DJ Penn!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Alan Glass and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Penn misses with a low kick.
Penn throws a right and a left that Kovalchik avoids nicely.
Kovalchik shoots in but Penn avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Kovalchik misses with a takedown attempt - Penn sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Penn misses with a head kick.
Kovalchik looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikolai Kovalchik. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kovalchik shoots in but Penn avoids the takedown attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Penn pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Penn stalks Kovalchik and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Kovalchik's face. Kovalchik staggers backwards, shaken.
Kovalchik shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Penn pinned against the cage. Penn gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn fails to land with a series of punches.
Penn throws a series of strikes that have Kovalchik backpedaling.
Penn tried to score with a low kick but Kovalchik checks it.
Penn misses with a few strikes there.
A head kick misses from Penn.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kovalchik looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Penn goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Penn throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kovalchik takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Penn circles away from the clinch attempt.
A decent looking cross lands there for Penn.
Kovalchik misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Kovalchik is defended easily by Penn.
Some bone on bone action there as Kovalchik checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

Kovalchik looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Penn!
Kovalchik unloads with some shots from mount but Penn bucks and avoids them well.
Penn is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn looks gassed!
Kovalchik punishing his opponent with strikes.
Kovalchik throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kovalchik looking to finish with strikes here!
Penn really wants to buck Kovalchik off and get back to his feet.
Kovalchik punching from mount but Penn doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Penn is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Kovalchik with a couple of short strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kovalchik lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Penn is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Kovalchik misses with a head shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kovalchik misses with a head shot.

Penn has left one of his arms exposed and Kovalchik doesn't need a second invitation. He's isolated it and locked on a tight armbar. Penn screams and taps out, obviously in a lot of pain. Hopefully there isn't permanent damage to that arm.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:30 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Mikolai Kovalchik!