PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Raul Kinionez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kostya Tzu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kostya Tzu has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Raul Kinionez's chin.

Kinionez
vs
Tzu

180 cm
27
205 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

195 cm
18
245 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Raul Kinionez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kostya Tzu!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Konstantin Menshow and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kinionez is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Tzu's half guard.
Kinionez keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

We're going to have a standup here because Raul Kinionez wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Tzu is defended easily by Kinionez.
Raul Kinionez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tzu shoots for a takedown but Kinionez saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Tzu pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kinionez throws a one two combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kinionez pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Tzu back to the cage. Kinionez follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Kinionez throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Tzu drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Tzu in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Kinionez pushes Tzu off and gets back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Kinionez shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kinionez not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Tzu looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kinionez slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

We're going to have a standup here because Raul Kinionez wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Kinionez shoots in and gets a takedown into Tzu's guard.
Tzu can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Kinionez controls the pace.
Kinionez wants to pass the guard but Tzu is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kinionez controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Raul Kinionez has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Kinionez tries to clinch but Tzu moves out of range.
Tzu tries for a takedown but Kinionez sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Raul Kinionez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kostya Tzu.
Tzu looks gassed!

Kinionez shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Tzu napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Tzu wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
The ground and pound from Kinionez seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Kinionez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Tzu on the ground.
Tzu trying to remain calm as Kinionez controls from the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tzu is trying to improve his position.
Kinionez staying calm.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

The ref stands the fighters back up. Raul Kinionez wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Kinionez lands a nice hook to Tzu's body. Tzu takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Kinionez feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kinionez gets a takedown into half guard.

Tzu actively working from the bottom here.
Kinionez controlling the action here.

Tzu looking for submissions off his back.
Kinionez stalling.
Kinionez's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kinionez tries to stand but can't do so whilst Tzu controls his leg.

Kinionez seems to be working for a kimura but Tzu defends the submission attempt.

Kinionez is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Tzu is just riding it out for now. Kinionez eventually gives up the hold.
Tzu trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kinionez content to control rather than advance.
Kinionez seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Tzu for as long as he can get away with.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Tzu is defending against the submission attempts here by Kinionez.
Kinionez content to control rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Raul Kinionez just wasn't active enough.

Kinionez shoots in and gets a takedown into Tzu's guard.
Kinionez tries to free his leg and advance position but Tzu is retaining full guard.

Tzu has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kinionez can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kinionez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Kinionez got a little sloppy there for a moment and Tzu has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kinionez has managed to get both his arms back between Tzu's legs - danger averted.
Kinionez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tzu swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kinionez slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tzu trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Tzu throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Kinionez not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Tzu throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Tzu is breathing heavily.
Kinionez showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Raul Kinionez wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Tzu walks into a stiff left hand from Kinionez.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raul Kinionez dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Kinionez closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Tzu quickly recovers to half guard.
Well, if Kinionez 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.

Tzu is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Kinionez pulls his head out easily.

Kinionez is looking for a kimura here.
Kinionez keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Tzu is working on a guillotine. He's managed to get to full guard and he's really squeezing tight! Kinionez is tapping! Great win for Tzu!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:04 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Kostya Tzu!