PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marko Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Kukushkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie comes to the cage accompanied by Stewie Griffen - Rocket Man. Kukushkin has chosen Shufutinsky - White roses as his entrance music. Alex Kukushkin has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gracie
vs
Kukushkin

192 cm
30
222 lbs
21 - 12 - 0

191 cm
32
224 lbs
16 - 18 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Fenrir Fightgear - Steel Penn

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 12 - 0, fighting out of London, Marko Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Alex Kukushkin!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kukushkin slips a jab and a cross from Gracie.
Gracie blocks a jab.

Gracie darts in and clinches Kukushkin up against the cage.

Kukushkin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gracie connects with a right hand. Kukushkin shakes it off.
A telegraphed right hand from Kukushkin misses the target.
Gracie misses with a straight right.
Kukushkin misses with a combination
and Gracie counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gracie smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Gracie scores with a jab to the body.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kukushkin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A punch lands to the side of Kukushkin 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Gracie scores with a jab to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kukushkin throws an off balance right hand
and Gracie counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Gracie throws a shot from downtown. Kukushkin moves away and avoids it.
Kukushkin tries to move into range but Gracie moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kukushkin takes a jab right on the kisser.
Kukushkin throws an off balance right hand

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kukushkin won't be happy with that.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Gracie lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Gracie tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gracie has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Kukushkin is pushing Gracie's head away, looking to escape. Gracie manages to hold on to the position though.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kukushkin can do anything to dispel that myth.
Kukushkin prevents Gracie from moving into mount.
Kukushkin is trying to buck Gracie off.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gracie working the ground and pound but Kukushkin is defending the strikes.
Kukushkin really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gracie. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Kukushkin is not content to let Gracie control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie controls the position from side control.
Kukushkin wants to get back to his feet but Gracie drags him back down.

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Kukushkin, who protects the arm well.
Gracie working the head and body with strikes.

Gracie tries for a kimura but Kukushkin is defending well.
Kukushkin stops Gracie from passing to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kukushkin managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Gracie.
Kukushkin stops Gracie from passing to mount.
Sloppy strikes there by Gracie.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie scores with punches from side control.
Kukushkin managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Gracie.
The strikes coming from Gracie are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kukushkin is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Gracie tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gracie has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Gracie throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kukushkin is pushing Gracie's head away, looking to escape. Gracie manages to hold on to the position though.

Gracie tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gracie has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Gracie goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Kukushkin rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Gracie's guard! Nice work there by Kukushkin!

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
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!
Gracie is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Kukushkin blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gracie.
Gracie throwing shots but Kukushkin is blocking nicely.
Gracie stalling.
Gracie is keen to just control but Kukushkin is a slippery customer.
Kukushkin is looking to escape.
Gracie has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Gracie working Kukushkin over with strikes.

Gracie 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.
Gracie scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Gracie lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Gracie drops an elbow to the side of Kukushkin's head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gracie lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Gracie tries to pass to full mount but Kukushkin defends it.
Gracie not doing much here.
Gracie looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Gracie prevents Kukushkin from standing back up.
Gracie throws a strike but Kukushkin avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Kukushkin is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Gracie throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kukushkin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Gracie drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gracie jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Gracie trying to control but Kukushkin is working from the bottom.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Kukushkin is retaining full guard.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Kukushkin wants to get back to his feet but Gracie is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Gracie throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gracie works over Kukushkin with some ground and pound from guard.
Kukushkin keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie is working Kukushkin over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Kukushkin is rocked!
Gracie looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Kukushkin is still in real trouble! Can Gracie finish him?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gracie loads up on a big left hand. Kukushkin felt that one! He's just covering up now, not defending himself intelligently - Gracie looks towards the ref and unloads with 3 more big shots and the ref has no choice but to stop the fight! Kukushkin can't hide his disappointment, as Gracie celebrates the victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:57 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Marko Gracie!
An out of breath Marko Gracie thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.