PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Zangief (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikolai Kulczak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ivan Zangief has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Zangief
vs
Kulczak

213 cm
19
287 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
250 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Dutch Nutrition Inc. -Money Transfer

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Zangief!
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, Nikolai Kulczak!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Ivan Kurochkin and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zangief swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kulczak has his takedown stuffed
letting Zangief counter with a right hand.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Zangief sizes up Kulczak with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

It looks like Nikolai Kulczak has been cut.
A right-left combo lands from Zangief.
Kulczak moves to clinch but Zangief breaks away
and Zangief counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kulczak stuns Zangief with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zangief scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Zangief misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kulczak closes the distance but Zangief moves to the side
enabling Zangief to counter with a crisp jab.
Zangief shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Kulczak eats them both and turns towards Zangief to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Kulczak moves to clinch but Zangief breaks away
and Zangief counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kulczak tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Zangief counters with a left and a right that stings Kulczak.
Kulczak throws a combination that misses
and Zangief counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kulczak tries to clinch
and Zangief counters with a series of strikes. Kulczak will be more careful next time no doubt.
Kulczak checks the leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kulczak looks to clinch
and Zangief counters with a one-two to the body.
Nikolai Kulczak seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kulczak tries to clinch
and Zangief counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Kulczak thinking.
Kulczak tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Zangief counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Kulczak looks gassed!
Kulczak takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kulczak walks into a jab.

That has opened up Nikolai Kulczak's cut even more.
Kulczak takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Zangief is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kulczak takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

Kulczak tries to sprawl but Zangief drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Zangief is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zangief working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Zangief controlling the action here.
Zangief working the head and body with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Zangief dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nikolai Kulczak's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Zangief lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

The cut above Nikolai Kulczak's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Kulczak throws a left and a right that both miss
and Zangief counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Kulczak thinking.
Zangief lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Nikolai Kulczak is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kulczak throws a poor cross that misses
and Zangief counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Zangief moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Kulczak is breathing heavily.

Zangief shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Zangief showed some decent athleticism there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Well, if Zangief is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kulczak pushes Zangief off looking to stand but Zangief dives back in and keeps control.
Zangief has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Zangief will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Zangief controlling his opponent.

Zangief swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Kulczak is now in Zangief's guard. A big mistake from Zangief there, giving up the dominant position!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zangief is adopting a defensive guard.

Zangief pushes Kulczak off and scrambles back to his feet.
Kulczak shoots and misses
and Zangief counters with a stiff right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kulczak closes the distance but Zangief moves to the side
and Zangief counters with a straight right hand.
Zangief cracks Kulczak with an open hand slap.

Nikolai Kulczak's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Zangief throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Kulczak tries to clinch up
and Zangief counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Zangief is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kulczak throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Zangief counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Kulczak walks into a stiff left hand from Zangief.
Kulczak wants to clinch
and Zangief counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ivan Zangief is winning the standup battle so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kulczak walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Zangief dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Nikolai Kulczak's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Zangief tried to score with a low kick but Kulczak checks it.
Kulczak tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Zangief counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kulczak needs to keep his hands up - Zangief had a free shot at his head there.
Kulczak tries to clinch but Zangief moves away
and Zangief counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zangief shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Zangief performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The fighters are battling for position here. Kulczak manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kulczak can do anything to dispel that myth.
Zangief is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Zangief passes into half guard.
Zangief perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zangief looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Ivan Zangief is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Nikolai Kulczak's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Ivan Zangief!