PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Kratuschenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Ivanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ivan Kratuschenko has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kratuschenko
vs
Ivanov

200 cm
22
210 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

194 cm
22
217 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Improved boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Very confident

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Kratuschenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alex Ivanov!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Viktor Lagutenko and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ivanov closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Kratuschenko tries to clinch up but Ivanov circles away and keeps his distance.
Kratuschenko keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Ivanov instigates a clinch.
Ivanov is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Kratuschenko lands a body punch in the clinch.
Ivanov tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kratuschenko just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ivanov stalls.
Ivanov looking to throw knees to the head but Kratuschenko is blocking nicely.
Ivanov misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ivanov trying to land knees to the body.
Ivanov holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Ivanov tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ivanov wants to stall.
A bit of stalling here from Kratuschenko.

Kratuschenko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ivanov looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Kratuschenko wants to clinch up but Ivanov keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kratuschenko throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Kratuschenko throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Ivanov counters by clinching up.
Ivanov lands a body punch.
Kratuschenko is breathing heavily.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Ivanov.
Ivanov tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Kratuschenko smiles and moves away.
Kratuschenko tries to clinch up.
Ivanov avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ivanov doesn't manage to clinch there - Kratuschenko circles away.
Kratuschenko throws a combination. Ivanov tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Kratuschenko lands with a nice body punch.
Kratuschenko throws a combination that misses

and Ivanov counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Ivanov.

Ivanov stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Ivanov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kratuschenko is fending him off so far but Ivanov persists. Nope, Kratuschenko circles away and we're back to standing.
Ivan Kratuschenko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Ivanov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kratuschenko wants to clinch

and Ivanov counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ivanov.
Kratuschenko slows down the pace here.

Kratuschenko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kratuschenko takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Horrible takedown by Ivanov or perhaps it was just good defense by Kratuschenko which made him look bad.
No joy there for Kratuschenko, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kratuschenko tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Ivanov counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Kratuschenko misses with a series of wild punches.
Ivanov tries to clinch there but Kratuschenko circles away.
Kratuschenko throws a combination that misses
and Ivanov counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kratuschenko jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kratuschenko misses with a two punch combination.
Kratuschenko lands a glancing blow to the side of Ivanov's head.
Kratuschenko swinging wilding here.

Ivanov closes the distance and clinches.
Ivanov tries to stall but Kratuschenko uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Kratuschenko is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Ivanov tries to land knees in the clinch but Kratuschenko avoids the damage to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Ivanov just misses with a elbow thrown towards Kratuschenko's brow.
Ivanov looking to stall.

Kratuschenko escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kratuschenko works over Ivanov's head and body with a nice combination.
Kratuschenko swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ivanov shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kratuschenko wants to clinch but Ivanov slips to the side
and Kratuschenko takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kratuschenko misses with a double jab
and Ivanov counters with a one-two to the body.
Ivanov slips a jab and a cross from Kratuschenko.
Kratuschenko wants to land a leg kick but Ivanov is out of range.
Kratuschenko moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Kratuschenko is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kratuschenko misses with a double jab
and Ivanov counters with a left and a right that stings Kratuschenko.
Kratuschenko throws a lazy uppercut
and Ivanov counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Kratuschenko lands a jab-cross combination.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ivanov fails with the takedown.
Ivanov looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Ivanov dodges the punch combination from Kratuschenko.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Alex Ivanov will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Ivanov tries to clinch but Kratuschenko is having none of it.
Kratuschenko throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ivanov circles away from the clinch attempt
and Ivanov counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Some wild striking there from Kratuschenko.
Ivan Kratuschenko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ivanov tries to clinch there but Kratuschenko circles away.
Kratuschenko misses with a hook
and Ivanov cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Kratuschenko looks to land a combination but Ivanov avoids it well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kratuschenko fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kratuschenko moves forwards but Ivanov connects with a nice, crisp jab.

Kratuschenko gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Kratuschenko working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ivanov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivanov is looking to work some ground and pound but Kratuschenko has wrist control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ivanov looking to sit in guard and control but Kratuschenko gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Kratuschenko is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Ivanov wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Kratuschenko is now in half guard.
Ivanov is looking to control Kratuschenko's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ivanov avoid being mounted?
Ivanov is refusing to be controlled, as Kratuschenko sits in half guard.
Kratuschenko blocks the strikes from Ivanov.

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.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
It looks like Kratuschenko is going to stand back up.
Kratuschenko prevents Ivanov from improving his position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kratuschenko wants to clinch
and Ivanov counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Kratuschenko misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A punch combination from Ivanov misses.
Kratuschenko wants to clinch
and Ivanov counters with a nice low kick that buckles Kratuschenko's knee momentarily.
Kratuschenko rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ivanov moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A combination from Kratuschenko does no damage.
Kratuschenko swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Ivanov counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Ivanov.
Kratuschenko throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Ivanov keeps the fight on the outside.
Ivanov fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ivan Kratuschenko is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kratuschenko stalks Ivanov and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Ivanov's face. Ivanov staggers backwards, shaken.
Kratuschenko looks to clinch
and Ivanov counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Kratuschenko is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Ivanov slips a jab and a cross from Kratuschenko.
A choreographed right hand from Kratuschenko misses the target.
Good leg kick by Ivanov there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Kratuschenko throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Kratuschenko stuffs the takedown.
Kratuschenko jabs Ivanov right on the nose. Ivanov blinks but takes it well.
Ivan Kratuschenko is winning the standup battle so far.
Kratuschenko lands a really nice looking cross but Ivanov seems unphased.

Ivanov is rocked!
Kratuschenko looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Ivanov is still on wobbly legs! Can Kratuschenko finish him?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kratuschenko closes the distance and lands a vicious right hand that drops Ivanov! Kratuschenko dives in looking to finish! Ivanov is still trying to defend himself but he's taking too many shots and the referee has no choice but to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:08 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ivan Kratuschenko!