PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Titan Reyes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vladimir Kuchacokov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vladimir Kuchacokov has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Reyes
vs
Kuchacokov

178 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
21
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Titan Reyes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vladimir Kuchacokov!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Vladimir Khabensky and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kuchacokov has closed the distance and engaged Reyes in a clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kuchacokov.
Reyes is trying to break the clinch but Kuchacokov is controlling him.

Kuchacokov turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Kuchacokov manages to end up in side control.
The strikes coming from Kuchacokov are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

Kuchacokov decides to stand back up. Kuchacokov steps back and let's Reyes get back to his feet.

Kuchacokov closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Reyes to the mat! Reyes manages to get full guard.
Kuchacokov tries to free his leg and advance position but Reyes is retaining full guard.
Reyes is breathing heavily.
Kuchacokov trying to control but Reyes is working from the bottom.
Kuchacokov in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kuchacokov wants to control from the top but Reyes keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kuchacokov postures up.
Reyes can't keep his opponent in guard - Kuchacokov advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuchacokov tries to pass to full mount but Reyes defends it.
Reyes is looking to control Kuchacokov's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Reyes avoid being mounted?

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Kuchacokov gets the takedown into side control.
Kuchacokov throws a strike aimed at the side of Reyes's head but Reyes avoids it well.
Kuchacokov taking a breather here.

Kuchacokov tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Kuchacokov has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Kuchacokov tries to score with some ground and pound. Reyes controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Kuchacokov really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Reyes. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuchacokov working the ground and pound.
Kuchacokov controls the position.

Kuchacokov decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Kuchacokov will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Kuchacokov shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Reyes's guard.
Kuchacokov preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuchacokov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Kuchacokov must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Kuchacokov trying to control but Reyes is working from the bottom.

Kuchacokov gets to his feet - Reyes follows without any prompting.

Kuchacokov darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Kuchacokov seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Reyes is looking to control Kuchacokov's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Reyes avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Reyes looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Reyes is trying to stand back up but Kuchacokov is controlling him
Kuchacokov seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Reyes does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Kuchacokov wants to free his trapped foot but Reyes is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Kuchacokov is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Kuchacokov trying to control the action but Reyes is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vladimir Kuchacokov dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Reyes chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Kuchacokov can pounce on him.

Kuchacokov shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Reyes napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Reyes is not content to let Kuchacokov control the position.
Reyes is looking for a sweep.
Kuchacokov landing a few strikes.
Kuchacokov misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kuchacokov working the body and head with strikes.
Kuchacokov trying to control the action but Reyes is working from the bottom.

Kuchacokov looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuchacokov throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Reyes is not content to let Kuchacokov control the position.
Kuchacokov controls the position.

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.
You can see the frustration on Reyes's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Reyes is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Kuchacokov is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Kuchacokov closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Kuchacokov is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Reyes will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

Kuchacokov is trying to get an arm triangle but Reyes is defending well.
Kuchacokov lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kuchacokov is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Reyes is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Vladimir Kuchacokov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kuchacokov misses with the ground and pound.
Kuchacokov throws a strike aimed at the side of Reyes's head but Reyes avoids it well.
Kuchacokov scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Reyes to see if he's OK.

Kuchacokov is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Reyes has escaped the position, nice work there.

Kuchacokov working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Reyes darts in trying to clinch

and Kuchacokov counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Reyes avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kuchacokov stands up over Reyes, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Kuchacokov is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Reyes manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Kuchacokov is trying to reverse the position but instead Reyes has taken his back - oops!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vladimir Kuchacokov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Kuchacokov moves into range and clinches up with Reyes.

Kuchacokov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Kuchacokov looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Kuchacokov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Reyes keeping full guard, as Kuchacokov tries to pass.
Kuchacokov throws a big right hand that misses.

Reyes escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kuchacokov gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Kuchacokov controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reyes trying to keep a closed guard but Kuchacokov is proving a slippery customer.

Kuchacokov stands up from Reyes's guard - Kuchacokov perhaps looking for a knockout.
Kuchacokov pushes Reyes away with a front kick.

Kuchacokov drives through with a takedown into guard.
Kuchacokov sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Kuchacokov has gone for a leg lock! Reyes slips out almost immediately though and dives into Kuchacokov's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuchacokov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Reyes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kuchacokov is keeping the position for now.
Kuchacokov is trying to control the position but Reyes postures up.

Reyes decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Kuchacokov, up you get!
Kuchacokov shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Reyes gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Kuchacokov counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kuchacokov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kuchacokov is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Reyes can't fight it off and eventually Kuchacokov manages to take the fight to the floor. Reyes looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Reyes is on top in guard.

Reyes is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Kuchacokov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Reyes is one step ahead there.
Reyes wants to stand and escape but instead Kuchacokov has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reyes wants to stand but Kuchacokov is controlling the position.
Vladimir Kuchacokov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kuchacokov keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Reyes's head.
Kuchacokov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kuchacokov stays in close to Reyes's body and controls the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vladimir Kuchacokov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Kuchacokov 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 26:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 26:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vladimir Kuchacokov!