PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight kickboxing rules bout between Yevgen Maartins (ranked 7301 p4p, 594 weight class) and Michael Scott (ranked 7925 p4p, 617 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Maartins
vs
Scott

180 cm
28
192 lbs
12 - 10 - 0

180 cm
23
185 lbs
13 - 4 - 0

World class MT
Cardio machine

World class MT
Granite chin

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 12 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yevgen Maartins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Michael Scott!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Scott throws a looping overhand right but Maartins ducks down to avoid it.
Scott lands with a nice body punch.
Maartins tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Scott manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Maartins is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Scott.
Scott on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

Maartins gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Maartins lands a shoulder strike.
Scott misses with a hook to the ribs.

Scott breaks from the clinch.
Scott avoids the body shot from Maartins.
Maartins tries to clinch
and Scott counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Maartins throws a low kick but it's checked well by Scott.
Maartins misses with a leg kick
and Scott counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Maartins throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Scott ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Maartins moves away.
Maartins keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
The fight stays on the outside here - Maartins looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Maartins with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maartins keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Scott throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Scott thows a left - swing and a miss!
Maartins tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Scott counters with an inside leg kick.
Scott misses with a jab, cross combination.
Scott digs a good hook to Maartins's body.
Maartins swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Maartins throws a solid leg kick but Scott takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Maartins.
Maartins lands a right hook to the body.
Maartins throws a head kick but Scott moves out of range.
It seemed like Scott was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Scott jabs Maartins to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Scott ducks under a wild hook from Maartins.
Scott takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Scott misses with an uppercut.
Maartins is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Scott is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Maartins rather than just go for the knockout.
A slapping leg kick lands for Maartins.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Scott looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Scott ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Maartins moves away.
Some bone on bone action there as Scott checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
It seemed like Scott was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Scott thumps Maartins with a low kick.
Scott looks to score with a jab to the body but Maartins is just out of range.
Maartins connects with a solid leg kick.
Maartins swings away with a body shot that misses
enabling Scott to counter with a crisp jab.
Scott moves out of range as Maartins strikes.
Scott fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Maartins manages to avoid it.
Maartins throws a body shot but no joy.
Scott missing with a left hand there. Maartins was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Maartins throws a leg kick but Scott sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Scott was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Scott lands with a nice body punch.
Maartins tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Maartins buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Scott thuds a left hand into Maartins's body.
Maartins is looking to clinch but Scott is avoiding it.
Maartins throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Scott dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Maartins tries to clinch but Scott is having none of it.
Maartins keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A little feinted left hand from Maartins on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Maartins pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Scott misses with a wild body shot.
Scott has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Maartins.
Maartins turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Maartins pushes Scott up against the ropes in a clinch.
Maartins tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Still in the clinch, Scott scores with a nice short uppercut.
A nice right hand lands inside from Scott.
Maartins misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Scott.
Scott lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Maartins trying to land knees to the body.
Maartins misses with a body punch.
Scott lands with a short shot to the head.
Maartins lands an uppercut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A right handed body shot lands from Maartins.
Scott prevents a body shot from Maartins.
Scott lands a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maartins tries a knee to the head but Scott blocks it.
Maartins pushes off an throws an elbow but Scott leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
A nice left hand lands by Scott.
A right hook to the body lands for Scott.
Scott prevents a body shot from Maartins.
Scott lands a hook to the side of the head.
Michael Scott seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Scott misses with a hook to the ribs.
Scott softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.

Scott breaks the clinch.
Scott dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Maartins throws a leg kick that is checked
and Scott counters with a series of strikes. Maartins will be more careful next time no doubt.
Maartins ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Scott moves away.
Scott connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Maartins lands a really nice looking cross but Scott seems unphased.
Maartins slips a jab from Scott.
Maartins scores with the left hand. Scott knows he should have avoided that one.
Scott is looking to chop away at Maartins's legs.
Scott misses the shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maartins throws a body punch but Scott moves out of range.
Scott has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Maartins throws a low kick but Scott avoids it.
Michael Scott seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Scott uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Maartins.
Scott fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Maartins manages to avoid it.
Scott chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Scott misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Maartins.
Scott walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Scott lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Maartins has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Maartins and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Maartins throws a counter high kick but Scott was just alert enough to avoid it.
Scott tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Maartins is able to avoid easily.
Maartins looks to score with a jab to the body but Scott is just out of range.
Maartins misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Scott.
Maartins checks a leg kick nicely.
Yevgen Maartins seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Maartins misses with a wild combination.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maartins dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Maartins moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Scott showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Maartins's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A short right from Maartins.
I was talking to Maartins's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Maartins fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Scott lands a hook that snaps the head of Maartins backwards.
Maartins lands an uppercut.
Scott avoiding damage as Maartins throws knees to the body.
Scott prevents a body shot from Maartins.
Maartins tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Maartins scores with a shot to the side of Scott's head.
Yevgen Maartins has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A body shot lands from Scott.
Maartins goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Maartins tries to land a knee to the head but Scott blocks with his arms.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice body punch from Scott.

Scott's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A telegraphed right hand from Scott misses the target.
Scott on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Maartins. Maartins obviously looking to wear him down.
Maartins takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maartins dodges the punch combination from Scott.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Scott scores with a decent looking hook.
A slapping leg kick lands for Maartins.
Maartins misses with a body shot.
Maartins scores with a jab to the jaw.
Scott misses the shot to the body.
Scott circles away from the clinch attempt.
Maartins tries to clinch but Scott is having none of it.
Scott flicks out a counter leg kick but Maartins steps away.
Maartins takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Maartins cracks the inside of Scott's front leg.
Good leg kick by Maartins there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Maartins tries to clinch there but Scott circles away.
Scott takes one on the button.
Maartins doesn't manage to clinch there - Scott circles away.
Maartins avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Scott's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Maartins throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maartins swings for the body but Scott moves out of range.
Scott is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Maartins with a body shot.
Scott missing with a left hand there. Maartins was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Scott lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Scott throws a wild body kick that Maartins sees coming a mile off.
Maartins lands a head kick!
That kick from Maartins tenderised Scott's leg. Scott is trying to keep his angry face on.
Scott uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Maartins.
Scott tries a quick counter leg kick but Maartins is wise to it.
Scott stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Maartins.
Maartins throws a leg kick that is checked
and Scott counters with a good, hard body kick but Maartins shrugs it off.
Maartins on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Maartins keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
A head kick by Maartins misses
and Scott counters with a straight right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maartins misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Scott.
Scott connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Maartins throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Scott takes a body punch but keeps moving.

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 Yevgen Maartins.
I think Scott 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Scott!
Michael Scott decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.