PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Koshcheck (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raylen Givens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Koshcheck might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to To Be Loved-Papa Roach. The crowd seem to be enjoying Givens's choice of entrance music: GangstaGrass - Long Hard Times To Come. Raylen Givens told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Koshcheck
vs
Givens

200 cm
26
177 lbs
15 - 9 - 0

190 cm
24
185 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Charlie Wang's Nutrition and 95 % Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Paulo Koshcheck!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Raylen Givens!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Givens throws the left hand but Koshcheck avoids the punch easily.
Koshcheck shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Givens just misses with a punch to the body.

Givens shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Koshcheck is adopting a defensive guard.
Givens trying to control but Koshcheck is working from the bottom.
Givens showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Raylen Givens has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Koshcheck throws a head kick but Givens moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Givens shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Koshcheck as he avoids it easily.
Givens connects with a body shot that sends Koshcheck's belly button to the back.
Koshcheck misses with a low kick.
Givens ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Koshcheck moves away.

Koshcheck instigates a clinch.
Koshcheck slows down the pace here.
Givens gets underhooks to prevent Koshcheck's takedown attempt.
Koshcheck with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Koshcheck connects with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koshcheck tries to land knees in the clinch but Givens avoids the damage to the body.
Koshcheck using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Givens has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Givens on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Koshcheck leaning his opponent against the cage.
Koshcheck is trying to drag Givens to the mat but Givens just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Givens is trying to push Koshcheck away but Koshcheck has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Koshcheck tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Koshcheck trying to control the position but instead, Givens has worked for underhooks and has pushed Koshcheck into the cage.
Koshcheck with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Koshcheck tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Givens letting Koshcheck take a breather here.
Koshcheck tries to stall but Givens uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Givens is trying to break free.
Koshcheck using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Givens has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Givens breaks the clinch.
Koshcheck fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Givens throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Koshcheck avoids the body shot from Givens.
Koshcheck misses with the combination.
Givens connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Givens is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Koshcheck rather than just go for the knockout.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Koshcheck swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Raylen Givens will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Koshcheck is looking to clinch but Givens is avoiding it.
Some wild striking there from Givens.

Givens drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Koshcheck is looking to reverse the position.
Givens tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Givens in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Koshcheck is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Givens seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Koshcheck does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Givens trying to control the pace.

Givens is trying to work for a kimura but Koshcheck is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koshcheck pushes Givens off looking to stand but Givens dives back in and keeps control.
Givens moves into full mount! Koshcheck won't be happy about that!
Koshcheck tries to control the position but Givens now has his back.

Givens is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Givens is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Koshcheck. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Koshcheck turns into Givens and is now in his guard.
Givens seems keen to control Koshcheck's posture.
Koshcheck passes into half guard.
Koshcheck passes to full mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Givens holds on for dear life.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Koshcheck trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Givens wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Koshcheck.
Givens is working to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Koshcheck throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koshcheck sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Givens is in all sorts of trouble here.
Koshcheck tries to push Givens's head away but Givens is holding on tight.
Koshcheck trying to control but Givens is having none of it.
Givens tries to hold on but Koshcheck pushes him away.
Koshcheck tries to control but Givens wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koshcheck controlling his opponent.
Koshcheck really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
You get the feeling that Givens really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Givens is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Koshcheck controlling the pace for now.
Raylen Givens has got the better of the ground game so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Koshcheck trying to control but Givens is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Raylen Givens will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Koshcheck's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Givens is looking to land body kicks.
Givens scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Givens ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Koshcheck moves away.
Givens swinging wildly here.
Givens thows a body shot but no joy.
Koshcheck fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Givens checks it well.
Koshcheck throws a head kick but Givens moves out of range.
Givens misses with a wild body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koshcheck throws a sloppy head kick and Givens moves out of range easily.
Koshcheck lands with a nice body kick.
Koshcheck is looking to slow Givens down with leg kicks.
Givens looks for a takedown but Koshcheck sprawls well.
Givens misses with a kick to the body.
Givens misses the shot to the body.
Koshcheck swinging wildly here.
Koshcheck shoots in for a double leg but Givens sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Givens scores with a jab to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koshcheck misses with a series of wild punches.
Givens displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Koshcheck.
Koshcheck looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Koshcheck uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Givens.
Koshcheck pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Givens shoots in for a takedown but Koshcheck shows good takedown defense.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Givens checks a leg kick.
Givens tries to bum rush Koshcheck with a series of wild strikes but Koshcheck uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koshcheck takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Koshcheck looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Givens is fending him off so far but Koshcheck persists. Nope, Givens circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paulo Koshcheck. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Givens misses with a body kick.
Givens ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Givens misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Koshcheck.
Paulo Koshcheck has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Koshcheck throws a push kick but Givens slaps the foot to one side.
A leg kick checked by Givens.
Givens comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Koshcheck throws a right and a left that both miss.
Koshcheck doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Givens misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Koshcheck lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Koshcheck.
Givens throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Koshcheck counters with a series of strikes. Givens will be more careful next time no doubt.

Koshcheck gets caught flat footed, as Givens shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Givens takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Givens passes into half guard.
Koshcheck is trying to get back to full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Koshcheck missing with punches from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Paulo Koshcheck.
I think Givens has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Raylen Givens!