PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andrei Arlovski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and haluk kucuk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Arlovski
vs
kucuk

193 cm
21
245 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
20
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andrei Arlovski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, haluk kucuk!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Ivan Kurochkin and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arlovski shoots in and drives through. kucuk sprawls well.
Arlovski shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts kucuk as he jumps to the side.
Arlovski shoots in looking for a takedown. kucuk tries to sprawl out of it but Arlovski keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. kucuk manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Andrei Arlovski. That's going to take a lot out of him.
kucuk stuffs the takedown attempt from Arlovski. Arlovski gets slowly back to his feet.

kucuk shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. kucuk showed some decent athleticism there.

kucuk stands up and beckons Arlovski to join him on the feet.
Arlovski doesn't succeed with the takedown

and kucuk counters with a shoot takedown. Arlovski fights it but they end up in guard.
Arlovski is breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
kucuk would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
kucuk pushing down on Arlovski's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arlovski wants to get back to full guard.
kucuk really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Arlovski. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
kucuk not landing any meaningful shots this time.

kucuk is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Arlovski is just riding it out for now. kucuk eventually gives up the hold.
kucuk wants to free his trapped foot but Arlovski is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
kucuk seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Arlovski does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

kucuk looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Arlovski is trying to get back to full guard.
kucuk not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
kucuk with the ground and pound but Arlovski uses the opportunity to regain guard.
kucuk trying to stand up but can't free himself from Arlovski's guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Arlovski manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
kucuk is wriggling around trying to escape.

Arlovski working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Arlovski sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
kucuk is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
kucuk takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
kucuk bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
kucuk trying to control but Arlovski is working from the bottom.
kucuk wants to pass the guard but Arlovski is keeping the position.
Arlovski lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for kucuk!
Arlovski fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski working the ground and pound effectively.
Arlovski misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

kucuk bucks Arlovski off and manages to get back to his feet!

Arlovski gets caught flat footed, as kucuk shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Arlovski looking for a sweep. Not yet Arlovski, not yet.
Arlovski 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.
Arlovski doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
kucuk trying to control the position from guard on top but Arlovski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Arlovski is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
kucuk wants to pass the guard but Arlovski is keeping the position.

kucuk gets to his feet - Arlovski follows without any prompting.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

haluk kucuk dominated that round.
That's time! Arlovski's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

kucuk shoots in for a takedown but Arlovski shows good takedown defense.
Arlovski avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Arlovski with a poor takedown

and kucuk counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by kucuk.

kucuk avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
kucuk passes into half guard.
Ground and pound from kucuk.
Arlovski is staying active underneath kucuk, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Arlovski is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of kucuk's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take kucuk's back!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
kucuk breaks Arlovski's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Arlovski throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
kucuk is looking to work some ground and pound but Arlovski has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Arlovski looking for submissions from the bottom but instead kucuk passes into half guard.
kucuk looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
kucuk wants to stand but Arlovski has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Arlovski tries to roll over but kucuk keeps him under control.
kucuk tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Arlovski.
Arlovski manages to get to full guard.
kucuk postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
kucuk wants to pass the guard but Arlovski is keeping the position.

kucuk gets to his feet - Arlovski follows without any prompting.
Arlovski shoots and misses

and kucuk counters by moving into the clinch.
Arlovski changes levels and goes for a takedown here. kucuk fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Andrei Arlovski. That's going to take a lot out of him.

kucuk gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Arlovski tries to land knees in the clinch but kucuk avoids the damage to the body.
Arlovski drops down looking for an ankle pick but kucuk pulls his leg out and moves away.

kucuk gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Arlovski prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski looking for a takedown.
kucuk drops down looking for an ankle pick but Arlovski pulls his leg out and moves away.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

kucuk looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
kucuk preventing the sweep.
kucuk trying to control but Arlovski is working from the bottom.
Arlovski 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Arlovski is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
kucuk gets back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski trying to control but kucuk is working from the bottom.

Arlovski drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but kucuk manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Arlovski has kucuk in his guard.
kucuk postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Arlovski controls kucuk momentarily but kucuk frees himself.
Arlovski has a closed guard, preventing kucuk from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

haluk kucuk showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Arlovski shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with kucuk but kucuk pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Arlovski throws a head kick that misses

and kucuk holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

kucuk breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

kucuk rushes Arlovski and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Arlovski is working for takedown but kucuk is calmly controlling the position for now.
Arlovski tries to pull guard but kucuk holds him up against the cage and eventually Arlovski drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Andrei Arlovski. That's going to take a lot out of him.

kucuk breaks from the clinch.

kucuk shoots in and bounces Arlovski off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

kucuk stands up and waves to Arlovski to follow him.

kucuk takes the fight into the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arlovski wants a takedown but no success here.
Arlovski is trying to work for a single leg takedown but kucuk pulls him back up using the underhooks.

kucuk gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
kucuk trying to pass the guard but Arlovski defending well.
Arlovski is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of kucuk's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take kucuk's back!
Arlovski landing with strikes.
kucuk has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Arlovski lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Arlovski lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
kucuk tries to escape the position.
kucuk covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Arlovski.

Arlovski is working for the choke. He's slipped one arm under the chin. kucuk has to defend the other arm for all he's worth... but Arlovski has managed to get that arm free too and he's tightening the choke! kucuk taps out and looks absolutely disgusted with himself. Arlovski doesn't care though - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:38 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Andrei Arlovski!