PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Radical Bruiser (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cyril Kivel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bruiser's entrance music is Billionaire. A fine choice. Radical Bruiser had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 187.4lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. 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.

Bruiser
vs
Kivel

180 cm
20
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
22
188 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Good elbows
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Radical Bruiser!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cyril Kivel!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Eddie Farnsworth and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kivel gets the takedown into side control.

Kivel is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Bruiser has escaped the position, nice work there.
Kivel just content to control the position.
Kivel lands an elbow.
Kivel wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bruiser keeps working.

Kivel tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Kivel has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Kivel stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Kivel.
Bruiser shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Kivel defends it nicely.

Bruiser has closed the distance and engaged Kivel in a clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Bruiser's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Bruiser misses with a knee strike.

Kivel manages to break the clinch.

Kivel rushes Bruiser and presses him up against the cage.
Kivel using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Bruiser has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Kivel manages to break the clinch.
Kivel stuffs the takedown.
Bruiser shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Kivel defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Radical Bruiser. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Bruiser looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Bruiser is breathing heavily.
Kivel is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kivel passes to side control.

Kivel has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Bruiser.
Bruiser throws a right and a left that both miss.

Bruiser moves into the clinch.

Bruiser's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kivel displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bruiser.

Kivel shoots in and bounces Bruiser off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kivel pushes down on Bruiser's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Kivel is figuring out what he wants to do next.
I looks like Kivel might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Bruiser is refusing to be controlled, as Kivel sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Kivel is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Bruiser is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Bruiser wants to control but Kivel is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Bruiser is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cyril Kivel dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Bruiser showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kivel.
Radical Bruiser is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kivel tries to work over Bruiser's front leg with a kick but Bruiser checks it.
Bruiser misses with a takedown attempt

and Kivel counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Bruiser looking for a sweep. Not yet Bruiser, not yet.
Kivel sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Bruiser's guard.
Kivel wants to pass the guard but Bruiser is defending well.

Kivel stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Bruiser to get to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kivel misses with a two punch combination.
Bruiser throws a combination that misses

and Kivel counters by moving into the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kivel scores a nice knee to the body.
Kivel tries a knee to the head but Bruiser blocks it.
Kivel tries to break the clinch but Bruiser is controlling the position.

Bruiser manages to break the clinch.

Kivel clinches up with Bruiser and pushes him back against the cage.
Kivel wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Kivel taking a breather.
Bruiser tries to land a knee to the head but Kivel blocks with his arms.
Kivel misses with a knee to the head.
Bruiser wants to break free but Kivel has control.
Bruiser goes for a takedown in the clinch but Kivel prevents it.

Kivel breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bruiser fails to land with a series of punches.
Kivel is looking to slow Bruiser down with leg kicks.
Bruiser fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Radical Bruiser. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kivel drives through and clinches with Bruiser against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bruiser is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Kivel pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Kivel's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bruiser looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kivel is fending him off so far but Bruiser persists. Nope, Kivel circles away and we're back to standing.
Kivel tries to bum rush Bruiser with a series of wild strikes but Bruiser uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Kivel shoots in for a takedown but Bruiser shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Bruiser throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kivel tries to close the distance and clinch but Bruiser swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Bruiser pushes Kivel up against the cage in a clinch.
Kivel lands a knee to the head.

Kivel breaks from the clinch.

Bruiser takes the fight into the clinch.

Kivel pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kivel throws a right hand that Bruiser ducks under and follows up with a left that Bruiser also avoids with ease.

Bruiser shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Kivel manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Kivel pulls Bruiser in close to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bruiser won't allow Kivel to get back to his feet.
Bruiser won't allow Kivel to sweep him here.
Bruiser trying to control the position from guard on top but Kivel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bruiser won't allow Kivel to sweep him here.

That's four 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.
Kivel keeping moving, preventing Bruiser from controlling successfully.
Cyril Kivel has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kivel trying to keep a closed guard but Bruiser is proving a slippery customer.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Bruiser fails with the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cyril Kivel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Bruiser's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Kivel moves into the clinch successfully.
Kivel managing to block the knees to the body from Bruiser.

Kivel breaks the clinch.
Kivel tries to clinch up but Bruiser circles away and keeps his distance.
Bruiser shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kivel as he jumps to the side.

Kivel scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Kivel landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Kivel taking a breather here.
Bruiser takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Kivel decides to stand up, so the ref orders Bruiser to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bruiser tries a head kick but it misses.
Kivel tries to clinch but Bruiser is having none of it.
Nice jab there from Kivel.
Kivel defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Bruiser.
Kivel wants to clinch.
Bruiser with a lazy takedown attempt

and Kivel counters with a shoot takedown. Bruiser fights it but they end up in guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Radical Bruiser. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kivel controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Kivel passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Kivel misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

Kivel decides to stand back up. Kivel steps back and let's Bruiser get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bruiser tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Kivel counters with a three punch combo that has Bruiser backing up. Bruiser nods at Kivel to acknowledge the strikes.
Kivel fails to land with a series of punches.
Bruiser swats away the attempt to clinch by Kivel.

Bruiser throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Kivel was covering up waiting for the punch and Bruiser finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Bruiser trying to control the position from guard on top but Kivel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kivel controlling Bruiser's posture.

Kivel looking for a guillotine here but Bruiser defends easily.
Kivel keeping moving, preventing Bruiser from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bruiser pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kivel is keeping the position for now.

Kivel uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Kivel fails with an attempt to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cyril Kivel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Kivel 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 27:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cyril Kivel!