PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Baio Cain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Boris Macarov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cain
vs
Macarov

165 cm
20
147 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

160 cm
21
145 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Baio Cain!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Boris Macarov!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Igor Prikhodko and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cain bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Cain lands an elbow.
Cain scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Macarov to see if he's OK.
Macarov takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Macarov is looking to reverse the position.
Macarov is working to avoid the ground and pound but Cain connects with a decent elbow.
Macarov avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Cain.
Cain scoring with punches from side control.
Macarov looks gassed!
Macarov avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Cain.
Macarov taking punishment in the form of punches.
Macarov takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Cain is working Macarov over with some ground and pound from side control.
Cain wants to control for a moment but Macarov uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Cain tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cain trying to control but Macarov postures up.
Cain is pressing down on Macarov's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Cain wants to sweep here but Macarov controlling him for the moment.
Macarov wants to control from the top but Cain keeps moving.
Cain throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Cain has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Macarov can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Cain scores with a short punch from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Macarov shoots in for a takedown but Cain shows good takedown defense.
Cain gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Macarov counters with a takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cain can't do much from the bottom here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cain throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Cain gets back to half guard.
Cain tries to get to full guard but Macarov has control of the leg.
Cain throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Cain is looking to control Macarov's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Cain avoid being mounted?
Cain wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cain is defended easily by Macarov.

Macarov scores with a takedown into Cain's guard.
Macarov not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Macarov wants to stand but Cain is controlling his posture from full guard.
Cain keeping moving, preventing Macarov from controlling successfully.
Macarov with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cain wants to sweep here but Macarov controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Macarov is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Cain knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Macarov on the ground.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Cain holds on and takes a little breather.
Cain is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Macarov tries to get to full guard but Cain has control of the leg.
Macarov lands one or two decent shots to the body here. Although from his own half guard, he's not going to be causing too much damage.
Cain is trying to control. Macarov wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Macarov moves into full guard.
Cain is looking to work some ground and pound but Macarov has wrist control.
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 Baio Cain will probably get the nod.
That's time! Cain's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Cain has his takedown stuffed

and Macarov holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Cain has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Macarov is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Cain can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Baio Cain. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cain has Macarov pressed against the cage, preventing Macarov from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

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

Macarov closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Cain to the mat! Cain manages to get full guard.
Macarov is working Cain over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Cain keeping moving, preventing Macarov from controlling successfully.
Cain will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Cain is striking but Macarov is not phased and passes to half guard.
Macarov lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Cain is trying to get back to full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cain flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Macarov there.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cain shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Macarov counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Cain has his foot on Macarov's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Macarov works his way back into a safe position though.
Macarov won't allow Cain to sweep him here.
Macarov won't allow Cain to get back to his feet.
Cain wants to hit a switch here but Macarov passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Cain there!
Cain flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Macarov cracks Cain with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Macarov lands a nice shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cain is in all sorts of trouble here.
Feeble punches landing from Cain - he's mounted - they can't hurt.
Cain wants to control but Macarov is having none of it.
Cain flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Macarov blocks Cain's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Macarov lands a nice shot to the head.
Cain is wriggling around trying to escape.
Macarov looking to control but Cain is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Macarov working Cain over with strikes here.
Cain keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Macarov blocks Cain's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Macarov connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Macarov looking for a guillotine from mount but Cain is having none of it.
Cain is wriggling around trying to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Macarov avoids the attempt from Cain to control.
Boris Macarov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cain takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Cain swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Cain is looking to get to half guard.
Cain swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Macarov with a couple of short strikes.
Cain throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Macarov in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Macarov lands a heavy elbow.
Macarov trying to control but Cain is having none of it.
Cain tries to hold on but Macarov pushes him away.
Macarov in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Cain is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Macarov blocks Cain's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Cain taking shots to the head.
Cain throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Boris Macarov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Macarov scores with a takedown into Cain's guard.
Macarov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Macarov won't allow Cain to get back to his feet.

Macarov got a little sloppy there for a moment and Cain has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Macarov has managed to get both his arms back between Cain's legs - danger averted.
Macarov is fighting to break Cain's control of his arms but Cain is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Cain trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Macarov connects with a couple of short punches.
Macarov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Cain is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Cain throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cain fails with the takedown

and Macarov counters with a shoot takedown. Cain fights it but they end up in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Macarov lands a couple of elbows.
Cain will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Cain looking to control.

Macarov stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Cain misses with a takedown attempt
and Macarov counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Cain misses with a double jab
and Macarov counters with a nice uppercut.

Macarov changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Cain looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Cain misses with a strike from the bottom.
Cain is looking for a sweep.

Macarov working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Macarov is putting a hurting on Cain here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cain throws a couple of elbows from the bottom.
Cain is looking to reverse the position.
Cain takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Cain is trying to work for a sweep but Macarov has mounted him!
Cain is wriggling around trying to escape.
Cain is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Cain swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Cain swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Cain is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cain flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Macarov wants to control the pace but Cain is squirming around nicely.
Cain is working to get back to half guard.
Cain throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Cain tries to hold on but Macarov postures up.
Cain throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Cain swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Cain tries to lock up and control but Macarov gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cain swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Cain wants to hold on but Macarov pushes him away.
Cain can't escape the position.
Cain tries to hold on but Macarov pushes him away.
Cain really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Cain wants to hold on but Macarov pushes him away.
Macarov is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Cain can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Cain is in all sorts of trouble here.
Macarov dominating with strikes here.
Macarov is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Cain is in all sorts of trouble here.
Cain swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Boris Macarov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Macarov 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Boris Macarov!