PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Avery McCurnin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rudolf Hinkle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rudolf Hinkle has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Avery McCurnin's chin.

McCurnin
vs
Hinkle

161 cm
18
142 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

156 cm
20
134 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Avery McCurnin!
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, Rudolf Hinkle!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Viktor Lagutenko and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hinkle is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sloppy strikes from Hinkle. Those never looked like landing.
The fight stays on the outside here - McCurnin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hinkle misses with a double jab
and McCurnin counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Hinkle misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hinkle lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Hinkle.
Hinkle looks to throw the jab but McCurnin is out of range.
Hinkle doesn't manage to clinch there - McCurnin circles away.
A combination from Hinkle does no damage.
Hinkle swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hinkle throws a combination but it was largely blocked by McCurnin.
Hinkle closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Hinkle is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hinkle misses with a series of wild punches.
McCurnin tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hinkle on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
McCurnin tries to close the distance and clinch but Hinkle swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from McCurnin, right into the meat.
Hinkle tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but McCurnin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hinkle is looking to clinch but McCurnin is avoiding it.
McCurnin doesn't manage to clinch there - Hinkle circles away.
McCurnin fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hinkle misses with a double jab
and McCurnin counters with a nice leg kick.
McCurnin goes for a double leg but Hinkle avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Hinkle continues to drive forward.
A frustrated look appears on Hinkle's face as he tries to break the clinch.

McCurnin manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Hinkle controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

McCurnin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hinkle gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Hinkle really doesn't want to stay on the ground with McCurnin. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
McCurnin wants to sweep here but Hinkle controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hinkle content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Hinkle looking to pass the guard.
McCurnin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hinkle must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hinkle is working McCurnin over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hinkle chips away with some ground and pound.
Hinkle in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hinkle working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of McCurnin's head.
Hinkle working some strikes from top position.
Hinkle landing with the ground and pound.
Hinkle is in close to McCurnin's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCurnin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
McCurnin wants to stand and escape but Hinkle is having none of it.
McCurnin has momentary wrist control but Hinkle slips an elbow through the middle.
McCurnin working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Hinkle with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Hinkle distracts McCurnin with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Hinkle throws a big elbow that misses.
Hinkle works over McCurnin with some ground and pound from guard.
McCurnin throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Hinkle slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

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.
McCurnin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hinkle is one step ahead there.
Hinkle postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hinkle missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

McCurnin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hinkle gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Hinkle landing with the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hinkle controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rudolf Hinkle dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hinkle thows a body shot but no joy.
McCurnin has a takedown stuffed.
McCurnin shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hinkle defends it nicely.
Hinkle throws a combination but it was largely blocked by McCurnin.
A combination from Hinkle does no damage.
Hinkle misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from McCurnin.
Hinkle throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hinkle throws a low kick but it's checked well by McCurnin.
Nice uppercut there from Hinkle.
McCurnin throws a series of punches but Hinkle moves out of range.
Sloppy strikes from Hinkle. Those never looked like landing.
McCurnin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hinkle instigates a clinch.
Hinkle stops a takedown attempt from McCurnin.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Avery McCurnin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hinkle keeps control of McCurnin as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
McCurnin blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Hinkle wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hinkle is looking to break free of the clinch but McCurnin has double underhooks.
McCurnin keeps control of Hinkle as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
McCurnin prevents Hinkle from breaking the clinch.

McCurnin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
McCurnin slips a jab and a cross from Hinkle.
McCurnin scores with a shot to the body.
Rudolf Hinkle seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sloppy strikes from McCurnin. Those never looked like landing.
McCurnin wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hinkle looks for the body kick but McCurnin saw that one coming.
Hinkle throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
McCurnin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hinkle avoids the head kick by McCurnin.
Rudolf Hinkle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Hinkle darts in and clinches McCurnin up against the cage.
We've been informed that Hinkle has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Hinkle has had enough of the clinch but McCurnin keeps him there for the moment.
McCurnin keeps control of Hinkle as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Hinkle is trying to break free.

McCurnin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
McCurnin is looking to clinch but Hinkle is avoiding it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
McCurnin fails in his attempt to clinch.

Hinkle closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
McCurnin is trying to stand up here but Hinkle is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

McCurnin actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
McCurnin wants to get back to his feet.
Hinkle keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Nice strikes from Hinkle there.
Hinkle stalling.

Hinkle is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, McCurnin has managed to free his arm - good work.
McCurnin slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

McCurnin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hinkle gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

McCurnin is looking for a triangle but Hinkle pushes his legs off easily.
Hinkle sitting in guard here, content to control.
Hinkle is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Hinkle scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
McCurnin can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hinkle controls the pace.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
McCurnin looking to control.
Rudolf Hinkle has got the better of the ground game so far.

McCurnin looking for a guillotine here but Hinkle defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rudolf Hinkle showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Hinkle fails to land with a series of punches.
Hinkle with a hook.
McCurnin swats away the attempt to clinch by Hinkle.
Hinkle displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from McCurnin.
Hinkle pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Hinkle drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
McCurnin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hinkle landing with the ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hinkle distracts McCurnin with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's one minute gone in the round.

McCurnin is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hinkle defends well.
Hinkle slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
McCurnin is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Hinkle looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Rudolf Hinkle.
Hinkle throws a right hand that McCurnin ducks under and follows up with a left that McCurnin also avoids with ease.
McCurnin tries to clinch up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hinkle looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
McCurnin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hinkle misses with a jab, cross combination.
Hinkle looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Hinkle closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. McCurnin did well to prevent Hinkle getting side control.

Hinkle 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.
McCurnin has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Hinkle is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCurnin is pressing down on Hinkle's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
McCurnin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hinkle slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hinkle won't allow McCurnin to get back to his feet.
Hinkle seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hinkle stands up from McCurnin's guard - Hinkle perhaps looking for a knockout.
Avery McCurnin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hinkle throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and McCurnin counters with a series of strikes. Hinkle will be more careful next time no doubt.
Hinkle darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
McCurnin wants to clinch up but Hinkle keeps it at a distance.
Hinkle throws a left and a right that both miss
and McCurnin counters with a thumping low kick.
Hinkle avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rudolf Hinkle is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
McCurnin keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hinkle throws a big shot that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Hinkle moves into the clinch successfully.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hinkle working hard to break the clinch.
McCurnin has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Hinkle avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rudolf Hinkle comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hinkle has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rudolf Hinkle!