PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Apkungku Makhachev (ranked 7462 p4p, 25356 weight class) and Jesse Turner (ranked 237 p4p, 256 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Makhachev
vs
Turner

152 cm
25
132
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
135
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 The Island, Apkungku Makhachev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jesse Turner!
The judges for this bout are Winston Alpacca, Bart Greer and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Makhachev swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Turner.
Makhachev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Turner swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Turner throws a right and a left that Makhachev avoids nicely.
Jab by Makhachev.
Turner's coach down at Prosper Training was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Turner's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Makhachev tries to clinch there but Turner circles away.
Turner misses with a wild combination.

Makhachev forces Turner back against the cage and clinches.
Makhachev tries to work over Turner's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Turner wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Turner has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Makhachev swings wildly with an uppercut but Turner uses good head movement to avoid it.
Makhachev has Turner pressed against the cage, preventing Turner from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Makhachev has Turner pressed against the cage, preventing Turner from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Turner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sloppy strikes from Turner. Those never looked like landing.
Makhachev keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Apkungku Makhachev is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Makhachev avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Makhachev is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Makhachev tries to clinch there but Turner circles away.
Makhachev wants to clinch.
Makhachev moves to clinch but Turner breaks away
and Turner counters with a two punch combo.
Apkungku Makhachev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Turner looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Makhachev ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Turner moves away.
Turner circles away from the clinch attempt.
Turner throws a big shot that misses.
Turner jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Makhachev has Turner up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Turner is trying to break the clinch but Makhachev is controlling him.
Makhachev leaning against his opponent.
Turner is trying to push Makhachev away but Makhachev has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Turner is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Makhachev keeps control of Turner as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Makhachev lands a hook to the side of the head.
Turner wants to break free but Makhachev has control.
Turner working hard to break the clinch.
Makhachev keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Turner's efforts to push away.
Turner tries to break the clinch but Makhachev is controlling the position.
Turner tries to break free but Makhachev pushes him back against the cage.
Makhachev is pushing Turner up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makhachev throws a punch but it's blocked by Turner.
Makhachev has Turner pressed against the cage, preventing Turner from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Makhachev lands a hook that snaps the head of Turner backwards.
Makhachev lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Makhachev leaning against his opponent.
Turner looking for a takedown.
Makhachev prevents Turner from breaking the clinch.
Turner blocks an uppercut.
Makhachev could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Makhachev lands a right hand.
Makhachev swings wildly with an uppercut but Turner uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Makhachev pressing his opponent against the cage.
Turner drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Makhachev gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Turner tries to break the clinch but Makhachev is controlling the position.
Makhachev lands a nice shot to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Makhachev just leaning against Turner, taking a breather.

Turner manages to break the clinch.
Turner avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Makhachev tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Turner was well out of range. Poor timing from Makhachev.
A nice side step and Turner releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Apkungku Makhachev will probably get the nod.
That's time! Makhachev's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Some wild striking there from Turner.
Makhachev lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Turner circles away quickly and effectively.
Turner throws a right hand that Makhachev ducks under and follows up with a left that Makhachev also avoids with ease.
Makhachev wants to clinch
and Turner counters with a stiff right hand.
Turner avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nice uppercut there from Turner.

It looks like Apkungku Makhachev has been cut.
Makhachev lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Turner on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Makhachev clinches up against the cage.

Turner breaks the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Turner misses the shot to the body.
Turner throws a right and a left that both miss.
A cross from Turner lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makhachev fails with an attempt to clinch.
Makhachev moves in looking to clinch but Turner pushes him off.

Makhachev rushes Turner and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Turner is trying to break the clinch but Makhachev is controlling him.
Turner tries to break free but Makhachev pushes him back against the cage.
Makhachev misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Turner wants to break the clinch but can't.
Turner tries to circle away but Makhachev has him pinned against the cage.
Turner is trying to push Makhachev away but Makhachev has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Turner has had enough of the clinch but Makhachev keeps him there for the moment.
Makhachev lands a hook that snaps the head of Turner backwards.
Turner is looking to break free of the clinch but Makhachev has double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Makhachev softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Makhachev stalling in the clinch but Turner improves position.
Turner is looking to break free of the clinch but Makhachev has double underhooks.
Makhachev can't find room to land a body shot as Turner controls the action.
Turner working hard to break the clinch.
Makhachev misses with some punches.
Makhachev stalls.
Makhachev is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Makhachev doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Makhachev scores with a nice hook to the head.
Apkungku Makhachev has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makhachev taking a breather.

Turner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Makhachev is looking to clinch but Turner is avoiding it.
Makhachev fails in his attempt to clinch.
Turner is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Makhachev with a body shot.
Makhachev looks to clinch
and Turner makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Makhachev is looking to clinch but Turner is avoiding it.
Makhachev is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Jesse Turner seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Turner scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Makhachev tries to clinch but Turner is having none of it.
Makhachev tries to clinch but Turner moves out of range.
Makhachev displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Turner throws out the jab.
Makhachev throws a big counter combination but Turner scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Makhachev tries to clinch up but Turner circles away and keeps his distance.
A combination from Turner does no damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Turner throws a body shot but no joy.
Turner fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Makhachev manages to avoid it.
A little feinted left hand from Makhachev on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

Makhachev clinches with his opponent.
Turner has had enough of the clinch but Makhachev keeps him there for the moment.
Turner is trying to break the clinch but Makhachev is controlling him.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Makhachev.

Turner breaks from the clinch.
Turner misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Makhachev.
Some wild striking there from Turner.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Makhachev lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Makhachev.
Turner swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesse Turner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Apkungku Makhachev's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Turner scores with a jab to the body.

Makhachev forces Turner back against the cage and clinches.
Makhachev misses with a hook from the clinch.
Makhachev tries a body shot but Turner blocks it.
Turner is trying to break the clinch but Makhachev has him pressed against the cage.
Makhachev is working Turner over against the cage.
Makhachev working aggressively here.
Makhachev stalling against the cage.
Makhachev misses with a hook from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Turner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Turner throws a right and a left that both miss.
Makhachev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Turner is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Turner displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Makhachev throws out the jab.
Turner with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Makhachev fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Turner, pushing him back against the cage.
Turner looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Makhachev misses with some punches.
Makhachev misses with a body punch.
Turner tries to circle away but Makhachev has him pinned against the cage.
Makhachev lands a left hand that snaps the head of Turner backwards.
Turner working hard to break the clinch.
Makhachev misses with a punch on the inside.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Turner is trying to break the clinch but Makhachev has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Turner working hard to break the clinch.
Turner has had enough of the clinch but Makhachev keeps him there for the moment.
Turner blocks a body shot from Makhachev.

Turner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Makhachev tries to clinch up
letting Turner counter with a right hand.
Apkungku Makhachev is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Turner misses with a two punch combination.
Makhachev dodges the punch combination from Turner.
Makhachev moves out of range of the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makhachev closes the distance but Turner moves to the side
and Turner counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Makhachev connects with a good right hand that stumbles Turner. Turner circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Turner misses with a few strikes there.
Turner swats away the attempt to clinch by Makhachev.
Makhachev fails with an attempt to clinch.

Makhachev has Turner up against the cage in a clinch.
Makhachev keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Turner's efforts to push away.
Turner tries to circle away but Makhachev has him pinned against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Turner can't break the clinch.
Turner is trying to force a seperation but Makhachev has the dominant position.

Turner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Makhachev throws a series of punches but Turner moves out of range.
Makhachev is looking to clinch but Turner is avoiding it.
No joy there for Turner, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Turner throws a one two combo.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Makhachev fails with an attempt to clinch.
Turner connects with a single shot there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Makhachev fails in his attempt to clinch.
Makhachev misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Turner throws out a counter right but Makhachev avoids it with no problem.
Turner cracks Makhachev with a good jab.
Turner throws a combination that misses
and Makhachev counters with a series of strikes. Turner will be more careful next time no doubt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jesse Turner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Turner 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 Winston Alpacca scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 27:30
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jesse Turner!