PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Maciej Michalski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brian Welch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michalski comes to the cage accompanied by Born to Run. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Michalski
vs
Welch

171 cm
23
165 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

184 cm
21
159 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Maciej Michalski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Brian Welch!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Igor Prikhodko and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Welch looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Welch is taking a breather. Michalski says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Welch wants to get back to his feet.
Welch is pressing down on Michalski's thigh, looking to free his foot. Michalski is holding on for now.
Welch wants to take a breather but Michalski is having none of it.
Michalski is looking to escape.

Michalski manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Michalski tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Michalski misses with a head kick.

Michalski drops Welch with a nice combination! Michalski dives into Welch's guard, looking to finish!

It looks like Brian Welch has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michalski postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Welch looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Michalski throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Michalski trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Welch manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Michalski is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Michalski knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Welch on the ground.
Michalski is trying to stand but he's not in a good position to be doing that! Welch has taken his back!

Welch patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Welch looks gassed!
Michalski is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good control from Welch.
Michalski is trying to stand back up.
Welch punishes Michalski with strikes from the back mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michalski looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Michalski prevents Welch from getting a body triangle.
Michalski has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

Welch has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Michalski might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Michalski is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Welch punches the canvas rather than the man.
Michalski is trying to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Welch 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.

Welch working for the choke.
Michalski controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maciej Michalski dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Brian Welch's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Welch ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Michalski looks for the body kick but Welch saw that one coming.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Michalski.
Maciej Michalski is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Welch tries to clinch up.

Welch has Michalski up against the cage in a clinch.
Welch keeps control of Michalski as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Nice body punch from Michalski.
Welch looking to slow down the pace here.
Michalski working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Michalski scores with a shoulder strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Michalski throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Welchs head.
Michalski dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Michalski escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Welch.
Welch is breathing heavily.
Michalski misses with a straight right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Welch misses.
Welch is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Michalski throws a head kick but Welch moves out of range.
Welch fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Michalski is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Welch.
Michalski slaps away a takedown attempt from Welch, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Maciej Michalski has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brian Welch.
Michalski pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Welch is looking to clinch but Michalski is avoiding it.
Michalski pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Welch fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Michalski throws a head kick but Welch moves out of range.
Michalski ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Welch moves away.
Maciej Michalski is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Michalski swings for the body but Welch moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Welch swinging wilding here.
A bone on bone clash there as Michalski blocks the leg kick.
Welch moves forwards but Michalski connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Michalski is looking to land body kicks.
Michalski scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Michalski rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Welch moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Welch slips a jab and a cross from Michalski.

Welch shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Michalski manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Welch won't allow Michalski to get back to his feet.
Michalski is wriggling around but Welch manages to pass to half guard.
Welch wants to lay and pray for a moment but Michalski keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michalski is trying to stand up here but Welch is controlling him well.
Still in half guard, Welch seems content to control.
Michalski tries to kick Welch off but Welch keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Michalski tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Welch manages to move to mount!
Welch controlling from the full mount.
Welch won't let Michalski get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Welch looking to control but Michalski is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Welch looking to control and managing it successfully.

Michalski bucks Welch off and manages to get back to his feet!
Michalski throws a right and a left that both miss.
Welch does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Michalski misses with a double jab.
Michalski falls off balance throwing a combination

and Welch counters with a takedown into side control.
Michalski wants to get back to his feet but Welch drags him back down.
Welch trying to control the position but Michalski is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Brian Welch will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Brian Welch's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Welch is looking to clinch.
Michalski tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Welch was well out of range. Poor timing from Michalski.
Maciej Michalski seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Michalski stuffs the takedown.
Welch scores with a one two! Michalski had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Welch moves out of range of the strikes.
Michalski scores with a jab to the body.
Welch showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Michalski.
Welch moves out of range as Michalski throws a body kick.
Michalski fails to land with a series of punches.
Michalski throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Welch looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Welch looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Michalski!
Welch with a couple of short strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Welch won't let Michalski get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Michalski is trying to stand but he's just given Welch his back.
Welch controls the position.
Welch tries to keep control of the position but Michalski is staying busy.
Michalski is trying to get back to his feet but Welch has full control of the position and if anything, Michalski has just worked his way into a worse spot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Michalski trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
What can Michalski do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Welch lands strikes to the head.
Michalski controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Welch slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Michalski is keeping busy.
Michalski trying to get back to his feet but Welch is in full control for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Welch just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Michalski has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brian Welch comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Welch 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brian Welch!