PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Michael Koch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Max Maynard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maynard has chosen Roy Jones - Can't Be Stopped as his entrance music. Michael Koch has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Koch
vs
Maynard

187 cm
23
197 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

186 cm
23
202 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Michael Koch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Max Maynard!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Arvi Lind and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Koch misses with a looping left.
Maynard needs to keep his hands up - Koch had a free shot at his head there.

Maynard clinches with his opponent.
Maynard gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Koch.
Koch working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Maynard throws an elbow but it misses.
Koch gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Maynard has hold of one of Koch's legs. Koch is fighting the takedown attempt but Maynard gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Koch looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Maynard has picked Koch up and slammed him! Koch can't keep hold of the triangle and Maynard manages to pass to side control!
Maynard trying to control the action but Koch is working from the bottom.
Maynard misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Koch gets back to half guard.
Maynard wants to free his trapped foot but Koch is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Koch tries to get to full guard but Maynard has control of the leg.

Maynard is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Koch is just riding it out for now. Maynard eventually gives up the hold.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koch tries to get to full guard but Maynard has control of the leg.

Maynard is looking for a kimura here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Maynard tries to move into range but Koch moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Maynard swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Koch uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Maynard has time to react.
Maynard tries to clinch up.
Jab by Maynard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koch tries for a takedown but Maynard sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Maynard is looking to clinch but Koch is avoiding it.
Koch looks to score with a jab to the body but Maynard is just out of range.
Some wild striking there from Koch.
Maynard tries to clinch up but Koch circles away and keeps his distance.
Koch fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Maynard tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Michael Koch seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Koch throws the left hand but Maynard avoids the punch easily.
Koch looks to score with a jab to the body but Maynard is just out of range.
Koch lands a jab.
Maynard tries to clinch but Koch moves out of range.
Koch misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Maynard.
Maynard moves out of range of the strikes.
Koch moves forwards but Maynard connects with a nice, crisp jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maynard lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Koch throws a series of punches but Maynard avoids them all with ease.
Maynard throws a series of punches but Koch moves out of range.
Koch showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Maynard.
Koch takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

Maynard drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Maynard wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Koch, who protects the arm well.
Maynard looks gassed!

Maynard tries for a kimura but Koch is defending well.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Maynard trying to control the position but Koch is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Maynard is trying to get an arm triangle but Koch is defending well.
Koch manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Koch thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Maynard wants to control but Koch is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Koch is trying to control. Maynard wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Koch throwing shots but Maynard is blocking nicely.
Koch is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Maynard wants to control but Koch is keeping busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Koch working Maynard over with strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maynard blocking the ground and pound attempt from Koch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Max Maynard will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Koch lands a nice hook to Maynard's body. Maynard takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Koch throws a right hand that Maynard ducks under and follows up with a left that Maynard also avoids with ease.
Maynard closes this distance looking for a takedown but Koch circles away.

Koch shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Koch wants to control from the top but Maynard keeps moving.
Koch slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Koch throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Maynard is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Maynard is breathing heavily.
Maynard keeping moving, preventing Koch from controlling successfully.
Koch trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koch missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Maynard takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Maynard is defended easily by Koch.
Koch throws a right and a left that both miss.
Maynard misses with a leg kick.

Maynard clinches.
Maynard tries to score a body lock takedown but Koch shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Michael Koch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Max Maynard.

Maynard is fighting off a takedown attempt but Koch is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Maynard to the mat. Maynard regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Maynard manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Koch manages to get himself to full guard.
Koch has control of Maynard's left arm, preventing Maynard from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koch keeping full guard, as Maynard tries to pass.
Maynard won't allow Koch to sweep him here.
Koch is trying to keep Maynard in close.
Maynard postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Maynard trying to control the position from guard on top but Koch is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Koch trying to control the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A shot to de liver by Koch. Beautiful body shot.
A left lands for Maynard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maynard takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Koch misses with a double jab

so Maynard counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Koch had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Maynard defends it easily.
Maynard with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Koch looking for a guillotine here but Maynard defends easily.
Maynard forces his way into half guard.
Maynard tries to pass to full mount but Koch defends it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koch wants to improve his position but Maynard is controlling well.
Koch regains full guard. Nicely done.
Max Maynard has got the better of the ground game so far.
Maynard stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Koch swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Maynard is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Koch has his hands on Maynard's head, controlling the position.
Koch working a defensive guard here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maynard tries to free his leg and advance position but Koch is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Koch dominated that second round.
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. And we move into the final round!

Maynard ducks under a wild hook from Koch.
Maynard keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Maynard takes one to the side of the head.
Maynard throws a head kick but Koch moves out of range.
Michael Koch is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maynard throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Koch sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Maynard misses with a head kick.
Koch scores with the left hand. Maynard knows he should have avoided that one.
Maynard slips a jab and a cross from Koch.
Maynard throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Koch sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Maynard blocks a jab.
Koch thows a body shot but no joy.

Maynard gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Koch to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Koch lands a couple of digs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koch throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Maynard works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Maynard looking for a sweep. Not yet Maynard, not yet.
Koch throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Koch trying to control but Maynard is working from the bottom.
Koch lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Maynard is trying to control the position but Koch postures up.
Maynard is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Maynard trying to control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Koch throws a hook but Maynard blocks it.
Koch throws a lazy right hand but Maynard sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Koch throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Maynard shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Koch keeping moving, preventing Maynard from controlling successfully.
Koch manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Koch landing strikes from the mount and Maynard is in trouble!
Koch sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Maynard is wriggling around trying to escape.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Maynard in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Koch looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

Koch is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Maynard can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Koch scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Maynard?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koch fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Koch lands a heavy elbow.
Maynard tries to hold on but Koch postures up.
Maynard slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Maynard is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Koch scores with a couple of nice shots.
Koch lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Ground and pound from Koch.
Maynard won't allow Koch to pass to mount.
Koch thows a huge punch but Maynard dodges it nicely.
Maynard regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Maynard is looking to sinch up a triangle. Koch throws the leg off to one side though and gets in tight to Maynard's body to avoid the submission. Maynard has instead reached around Koch's neck and now has a guillotine! Oh, this is biiiig trouble! Maynard arches his back and squeezes and forces the tap from his hapless opponent.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:19 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Max Maynard!