PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jonas Sakalas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roma Kucherov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Sakalas
vs
Kucherov

169 cm
23
180 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

150 cm
26
175 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Big heart

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Very confident

TGC WEAR

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jonas Sakalas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Roma Kucherov!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Albert Achterberg and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sakalas shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Sakalas was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Kucherov really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Kucherov holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Sakalas tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Kucherov is wriggling around trying to escape.
Sakalas breaks from Kucherov's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Sakalas throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Sakalas raining down hammerfists from mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Sakalas moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Kucherov has worked his arm free - good work by Kucherov!
Sakalas will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Sakalas wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Kucherov, who protects the arm well.
The ground and pound from Sakalas seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakalas tries to score with some ground and pound. Kucherov controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Sakalas throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Kucherov is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Kucherov can't do much from the bottom here.
Kucherov dodges the ground and pound from Sakalas.
Sakalas is trying to ground and pound but Kucherov uses the momentary lack of control by Sakalas to regain half guard.
Kucherov avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sakalas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kucherov holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Sakalas throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sakalas missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sakalas sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kucherov defending well though.
Sakalas not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Kucherov is looking for a sweep. Sakalas is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sakalas thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kucherov's head.
Kucherov avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sakalas.
Sakalas is breathing heavily.

Sakalas is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kucherov is looking for a sweep. Sakalas is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kucherov regains full guard. Nicely done.
Kucherov is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Sakalas looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Kucherov controlling the action here.
Kucherov tries to pass to full mount but Sakalas defends it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kucherov takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Sakalas won't allow Kucherov to pass to mount.

Kucherov moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Sakalas.
Kucherov has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Sakalas!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kucherov with a couple of short strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sakalas sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Well, if Kucherov 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Excellent takedown into side control there by Sakalas.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kucherov can do anything to dispel that myth.
Kucherov regains half guard, as Sakalas was trying to land strikes.
Kucherov manages to get to full guard.
Kucherov is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Kucherov is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sakalas drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Kucherov dives on top into guard.

Sakalas looking for a guillotine here but Kucherov defends easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sakalas keeping full guard, as Kucherov tries to pass.

Sakalas is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Jonas Sakalas overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kucherov is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Sakalas could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Kucherov scoring with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kucherov wants to control from the top but Sakalas keeps moving.
Kucherov works over Sakalas with some ground and pound from guard.
Kucherov trying to control the position from guard on top but Sakalas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sakalas keeping full guard, as Kucherov tries to pass.
Kucherov makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Sakalas had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Kucherov defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kucherov trying to control but Sakalas is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kucherov stands up over Sakalas, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Sakalas has an active guard here but Kucherov has managed to pass into half guard.
Kucherov looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Sakalas actively working from the bottom here.
Kucherov landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Kucherov controlling the action here.
Kucherov trying to control the action but Sakalas is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kucherov not doing much here.
Kucherov works his way into side control.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sakalas is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Kucherov off and has taken his back!
Kucherov covering up well under a series of strikes from Sakalas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roma Kucherov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Sakalas drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Sakalas throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kucherov preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kucherov preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kucherov is pulling down on Sakalas's head. It's preventing any offense from Sakalas, at least for the moment.
Kucherov wants to sweep here but Sakalas controlling him for the moment.
Sakalas throwing strikes but missing.
Kucherov is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakalas throws a big right hand that misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sakalas throws a big elbow that misses.
Sakalas loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kucherov pulls Sakalas in close to prevent any damage.
Kucherov's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Sakalas postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Kucherov is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Sakalas, into his guard.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kucherov looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Kucherov passes into half guard.
Sakalas has hold of Kucherov's hands but Kucherov slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Kucherov lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Kucherov is keen to just control but Sakalas is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakalas taking some punishment here, with Kucherov in his half guard.
Kucherov content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Sakalas is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Kucherov's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Kucherov's back!
Kucherov trying to survive by controlling the hands.
Kucherov manages to reverse the position and now he's in Sakalas's guard. Nice work there by Kucherov.

Sakalas looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Kucherov working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Sakalas's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kucherov passes into half guard.

Sakalas has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Kucherov escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Kucherov!
Kucherov works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kucherov working the ground and pound from side control.
Kucherov passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Sakalas!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kucherov landing punches.
Kucherov pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Kucherov lands a big elbow.
Kucherov with the ground and pound from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roma Kucherov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kucherov 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 28:29
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roma Kucherov!