PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Evgeni Novikov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kitsune Tsuki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kitsune Tsuki has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Novikov
vs
Tsuki

190 cm
24
282 lbs
16 - 11 - 0

175 cm
22
160 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

Good takedowns
Decent elbows
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Evgeni Novikov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kitsune Tsuki!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Illya Tyunina and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tsuki blocks a head kick by Novikov.
Tsuki tries to clinch up but Novikov circles away and keeps his distance.

Novikov closes the distance and clinches.
Novikov throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Tsuki blocks it with crossed arms.
A shot in the inside from Novikov.
Tsuki managing to block the knees to the body from Novikov.
Tsuki is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Tsuki drops down looking for an ankle pick but Novikov pulls his leg out and moves away.
Tsuki throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Novikov will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Novikov keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Novikov misses with a jab, cross combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Novikov tries a head kick but it misses.
Tsuki closes the distance but Novikov moves to the side
and Novikov cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Novikov misses with a wild combination.
Novikov circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Novikov misses with a two punch combination.
Tsuki avoids the body shot from Novikov.
Tsuki moves in looking to clinch but Novikov pushes him off.
Tsuki tries to clinch but Novikov moves away

and Novikov counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Tsuki keeping moving, preventing Novikov from controlling successfully.

Tsuki had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Novikov defends it easily.
Novikov wants to pass the guard but Tsuki is keeping the position.
Tsuki wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Novikov slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tsuki tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Tsuki looking for a guillotine here but Novikov defends easily.

Tsuki working for a triangle but Novikov defends it easily.

Tsuki working for submissions but it's allowed Novikov to get to half guard.
Tsuki looks gassed!
Novikov trying to pass the guard but Tsuki defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Novikov is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Tsuki doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Novikov.
Novikov is keen to just control but Tsuki is a slippery customer.
Novikov looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Novikov is keen to just control but Tsuki is a slippery customer.

That's four 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.
Novikov prevents Tsuki from improving his position.
Tsuki is trying to maintain the position but Novikov is very close to passing his half guard.
Novikov will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Novikov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Tsuki is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Novikov pulls his head out easily.
Tsuki is looking to control Novikov's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Tsuki avoid being mounted?

Tsuki has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Novikov escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Novikov!
Tsuki is trying to control Novikov's posture but Novikov avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Evgeni Novikov dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Novikov connects with a solid leg kick.
Novikov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Novikov will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Tsuki shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Novikov defends it nicely.
Tsuki looks to clinch

and Novikov counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Novikov.
Novikov landing knees to the body.
Tsuki wants a takedown.
Novikov lands with a right to the head.
Novikov unloads a knee to the mid-section. Tsuki lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Nice body punch from Novikov - that landed with a thud.
Novikov lands a nice uppercut.
A short right from Novikov on the inside.
A left hand lands to the body for Novikov.
Tsuki is breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Novikov gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Kitsune Tsuki has been cut.
Novikov leaning his opponent against the cage.
Novikov lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Tsuki.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Novikov lands an elbow that stopped Tsuki in his tracks for a moment.
A short body shot lands from Novikov as the two fighters clinch.
Novikov landing knees to the body.
Novikov controlling the action here for a moment.
Novikov crunches a lovely knee into Tsuki's ribcage.
Novikov scores with a nice hook to the head.
A short uppercut from Novikov.

Novikov has picked Tsuki up - he's going for a ride! Novikov dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Tsuki tries to get to full guard but Novikov has control of the leg.

Novikov is working for a submission of some sort.
Novikov trying to pass the guard but Tsuki defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tsuki is looking to escape.

Tsuki looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Novikov is trying to control the action in half guard but Tsuki is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Tsuki is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Novikov is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Tsuki has managed to free his arm - good work.
Novikov looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Tsuki with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Tsuki trying to control here.

Novikov looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Novikov trying to control from half guard but Tsuki is working away.

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.
Tsuki makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Tsuki.
Tsuki wants to sweep but no luck.

Tsuki isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Novikov stacks Tsuki on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Novikov!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Novikov is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Tsuki is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Evgeni Novikov dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Kitsune Tsuki's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Tsuki is trying hard to land a takedown here. Novikov sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Novikov's corner calls for a 1-2. Novikov obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
No joy there for Novikov, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Tsuki tries to close the distance and clinch but Novikov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tsuki tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tsuki tries to score a power double leg takedown but Novikov sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Tsuki somewhat.
Tsuki misses with a takedown
and Novikov connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Evgeni Novikov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kitsune Tsuki.
Tsuki misses with a takedown attempt

and Novikov counters with a shoot takedown. Tsuki fights it but they end up in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Novikov advances to half guard.
Novikov is trying to control the action in half guard but Tsuki is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Evgeni Novikov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Novikov is thwarting Tsuki's attempts to control the position.
Novikov frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Novikov content just to control the position here.
Novikov in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Tsuki tries to hold on but Novikov pushes him away.
Novikov controlling the position easily from mount.
Tsuki working to try and regain half guard.
Evgeni Novikov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two 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.
Novikov controlling the position easily from mount.
Tsuki is in all sorts of trouble here.
Novikov with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.

Novikov is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Tsuki has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Novikov avoids the attempt from Tsuki to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tsuki can't escape the position.

Novikov looking to secure an arm triangle but Tsuki defends it well.
Tsuki is trying to escape the mount.
Tsuki sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Tsuki trying to control from the bottom.
Tsuki wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Tsuki is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Novikov pulls his head out easily.

Novikov is working for a submission of some sort.
Novikov tries to pass the half guard into mount. Tsuki knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Novikov prevents Tsuki from improving his position.
Kitsune Tsuki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tsuki moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Evgeni Novikov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Novikov has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:26
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:26
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Evgeni Novikov!