PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Juho Loco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vasily Mahkno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Loco kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genuis that is Mafyo - Mi W Dele / Naschim Pacanan. Vasily Mahkno is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Loco
vs
Mahkno

185 cm
21
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

174 cm
19
155 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Juho Loco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vasily Mahkno !
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Konstantin Menshow and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Loco closes the distance and clinches.
Loco avoiding damage.
Loco tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Loco looking to stall.

Loco breaks the clinch.
Mahkno fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Loco dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Mahkno . That did some damage!
Mahkno avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Loco is looking to clinch but Mahkno is avoiding it.
Mahkno has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Loco.
Loco fails with an attempt to clinch.
Loco tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mahkno swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mahkno on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Loco. Loco obviously looking to wear him down.

Loco moves into range and clinches up with Mahkno .

Mahkno breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Loco tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mahkno swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Juho Loco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mahkno avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Loco throws a quick inside leg kick.

Loco clinches with his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mahkno drops down looking for an ankle pick but Loco pulls his leg out and moves away.
Loco punishes Mahkno 's body with a nice straight punch.
Loco connects with a high kick.
Nice takedown defense from Loco. No joy for Mahkno on that attempt.
Juho Loco has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vasily Mahkno .
Loco tries to clinch up.
Loco fails with an attempt to clinch.
Loco looks to land a combination but Mahkno avoids it well.
Loco is looking to clinch.
Loco wants to clinch up but Mahkno keeps it at a distance.
Mahkno shoots for a takedown but Loco saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Mahkno showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Loco.
Loco tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mahkno swats away the attempt to clinch by Loco.
Nice sprawl there from Loco as Mahkno shoots in.
Mahkno looks gassed!

Loco has Mahkno up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Loco breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Loco throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.

Mahkno tries to keep at a distance but Loco has taken the fight into the clinch.
Loco unloads a knee to the mid-section. Mahkno lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Loco has Mahkno pressed against the cage.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Loco for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Mahkno wants to break the clinch but can't.
Loco stalling the fight.

Mahkno jumps guard.
Loco trying to stand up but can't free himself from Mahkno 's guard.
Loco trying to control but Mahkno is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Loco wanted to stand there but Mahkno had control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Loco will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Mahkno looking to control.
Loco wants to stand and escape but instead Mahkno has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Mahkno trying to control the position from guard on top but Loco is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Mahkno swats away the attempt to clinch by Loco.
Loco slips a jab and a cross from Mahkno .
Mahkno shoots in and drives through. Loco sprawls well.
Mahkno takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Mahkno circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mahkno throws a body kick the misses

and Loco moves into the clinch.
Loco lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Loco breaks the clinch.
Mahkno circles away from the clinch attempt.

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.
Mahkno shoots in looking for a takedown. Loco tries to sprawl out of it but Mahkno keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Loco manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Loco tries to clinch there but Mahkno circles away.
Mahkno shoots in but Loco avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Loco moves into the clinch.
Mahkno wants to break the clinch but can't.
Mahkno drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Loco gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Loco misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mahkno .
Loco stops a takedown attempt from Mahkno .
Loco keeps control of Mahkno as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Mahkno blocking some punches.
Loco prevents Mahkno from breaking the clinch.
Mahkno avoiding damage as Loco throws knees to the body.
Mahkno wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Mahkno tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

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

Loco has Mahkno up against the cage in a clinch.
Loco lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juho Loco dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Loco is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Loco plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Loco tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Loco tries to clinch up but Mahkno circles away and keeps his distance.
Loco throws a head kick that misses.
Loco blocks a low kick nicely.
Loco stuffs the takedown attempt from Mahkno . Mahkno gets slowly back to his feet.
Loco moves in looking to clinch but Mahkno pushes him off.
Mahkno misses with a double jab.
Loco misses with a combination
and Mahkno counters with a stiff right hand.
Mahkno circles away from the clinch attempt

and Mahkno counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Mahkno is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Loco doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Mahkno .
Mahkno wants to take a breather but Loco is having none of it.
Loco knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mahkno on the ground.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mahkno is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Mahkno wants to take a breather but Loco is having none of it.
Loco is looking to improve his position.
Loco tries to kick Mahkno off but Mahkno keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Mahkno sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Loco defending well though.

Mahkno is looking for a kimura but Loco is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Mahkno to get the leverage.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A right-left combo lands from Loco.
Loco darts in trying to clinch

and Mahkno counters with a takedown into side control.
Mahkno lands a few punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mahkno lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Loco down.
Mahkno lands a nice forearm strike.
Loco is trying to control Mahkno 's posture but Mahkno avoids it.

Loco bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Loco closes the distance looking to clinch

and Mahkno counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mahkno slips nicely into half guard.
Mahkno is trying to control the action in half guard but Loco is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Loco is looking to escape.
Mahkno working over Loco with some ground and pound. Loco looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Loco looks like he's trying to stand up.
Loco avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Mahkno .
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Loco taking some punishment here, with Mahkno in his half guard.
Mahkno landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Mahkno stops Loco from getting back to his feet.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Mahkno lands a nice short elbow.
Loco is trying to maintain the position but Mahkno is very close to passing his half guard.
Mahkno slips a nice elbow through Loco's hands, connecting with Loco's forehead.
Mahkno prevents Loco from standing back up.
Mahkno controlling the pace.
Loco is looking to get back to full guard here but Mahkno has managed to pass to side control instead.
Mahkno lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Loco wants to get back to his feet.
Loco avoids a series of strikes thrown by Mahkno .

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mahkno with good strikes from the mount here!
Loco tries to hold on but Mahkno pushes him away.
Mahkno has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mahkno looking to control but Loco is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Mahkno throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Loco slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Vasily Mahkno has got the better of the ground game so far.
Loco wants to control but Mahkno is keeping busy.
Mahkno is keen to just control but Loco is a slippery customer.
Loco is trying to stand.
Loco is not content to let Mahkno control the position.
Loco is trying to stand up here but Mahkno is controlling him well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mahkno thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Loco's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vasily Mahkno showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Loco closes the distance looking to clinch
and Mahkno counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Loco fails in his attempt to clinch.
Loco clinches but Mahkno breaks the clinch

and Mahkno counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Loco keeping full guard, as Mahkno tries to pass.
Loco throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Mahkno wants to pass the guard but Loco is keeping the position.
Mahkno landing some decent shots from guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mahkno landing with the ground and pound.
Loco is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Mahkno pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Loco is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mahkno works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Mahkno working over Loco with some ground and pound. Loco looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Mahkno lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Mahkno trying to control the action but Loco is working from the bottom.
Loco wants to stand back up but Mahkno manages to pass into side control.
Loco is working to avoid the ground and pound but Mahkno connects with a decent elbow.
Loco wants to get back to his feet but Mahkno drags him back down.

Mahkno wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Loco, who protects the arm well.
Loco is pushing Mahkno 's head away, looking to escape. Mahkno manages to hold on to the position though.

Mahkno wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Loco, who protects the arm well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Loco wants to get back to his feet.
Mahkno throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Loco is trying to buck Mahkno off.
Loco manages to get back to half guard.
Mahkno not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Loco wants to control but Mahkno is keeping busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mahkno circles away from the clinch attempt

and Mahkno counters with a nice double leg into side control. Loco won't be happy with that.
Loco tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Loco bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mahkno on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Mahkno shoots in but no luck this time.
Loco darts in trying to clinch

and Mahkno counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Loco's guard now.
Mahkno works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Mahkno wants to pass to mount but Loco is defending the position.
Loco is trying to get back to full guard.
Loco is trying to stand back up but Mahkno is controlling him

Mahkno is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Nice strikes from Mahkno there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mahkno scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Mahkno lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Mahkno wants to control but Loco is keeping him busy.
Mahkno lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Mahkno wants to work for an arm triangle but Loco is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Loco is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Mahkno scores with a couple of nice shots.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mahkno is trying to control the action in half guard but Loco is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Mahkno has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Mahkno with shots to the head and body - Loco looks very uncomfortable down there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vasily Mahkno comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mahkno 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vasily Mahkno !