PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Piotr Piotrovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rozhan Mallender (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Piotr Piotrovic could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Rozhan Mallender's chin.

Piotrovic
vs
Mallender

180 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 1

170 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 1, fighting out of London, Piotr Piotrovic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Rozhan Mallender!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, William Gold and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Piotrovic shoots in for a double leg but Mallender sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mallender misses with a takedown attempt

and Piotrovic counters with a leg kick then a big left hand that sends Mallender down! Piotrovic is looking to finish but Mallender is intelligently defending himself.

Mallender is rocked!
Mallender is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Mallender is still in real trouble! Can Piotrovic finish him?
Piotrovic lands a couple of digs.
Mallender trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Mallender seems to have recovered his senses.
Mallender wants to sweep but no luck.
Mallender controls Piotrovic momentarily but Piotrovic frees himself.
Piotrovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Mallender is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mallender holds on and takes a little breather.
Mallender tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Mallender keeping moving, preventing Piotrovic from controlling successfully.
Mallender is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Piotrovic is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Piotrovic throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Rozhan Mallender seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mallender with a lazy takedown attempt

and Piotrovic counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Mallender looks gassed!
Mallender keeping moving, preventing Piotrovic from controlling successfully.
Mallender working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Piotrovic.
Piotrovic wants to control from the top but Mallender keeps moving.

Piotrovic avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Piotrovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Mallender is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mallender avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mallender preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mallender shoots and misses
and Piotrovic makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Mallender really felt that one!
Piotr Piotrovic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rozhan Mallender.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Piotrovic shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Mallender pinned against the cage. Mallender gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Piotrovic bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Piotrovic tries to move into full mount but can't pass Mallender's legs.
You can see the frustration on Mallender's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Piotrovic works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Piotrovic is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Mallender is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mallender is trying to get back to his feet.
Mallender trying to control but Piotrovic flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!

Mallender manages to stand up with Piotrovic still on his back. Eventually Piotrovic drops to his feet and we're back in the standing position.

Piotrovic gets a takedown into half guard.
Mallender moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Piotrovic wants to control from the top but Mallender keeps moving.

Mallender uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Piotrovic with a poor takedown

and Mallender counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Piotrovic's guard now.
Mallender trying to control but Piotrovic is working from the bottom.
Piotrovic is looking to sweep but instead, Mallender has passed into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mallender is keen to just control but Piotrovic is a slippery customer.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mallender sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Piotrovic defending well though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Piotr Piotrovic dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Mallender shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Piotrovic as he avoids it easily.
Piotrovic has his takedown stuffed

and Mallender counters with a single leg into guard. Piotrovic didn't expect that.
Mallender is stalling in the full guard.
Piotrovic keeping full guard, as Mallender tries to pass.

Mallender got a little sloppy there for a moment and Piotrovic has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Mallender has managed to get both his arms back between Piotrovic's legs - danger averted.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mallender trying to control but Piotrovic is working from the bottom.
Piotrovic keeping full guard, as Mallender tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mallender advances to half guard.
Mallender seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Piotrovic does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Piotrovic trying to control here.
Mallender uses his free foot to push down on Piotrovic's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Piotrovic.
Piotrovic working to try and regain half guard.
Mallender lands a nice shot to the head.
Rozhan Mallender has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two 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.
Mallender looking to control but Piotrovic is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Mallender looking to control and managing it successfully.

Mallender jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Piotrovic is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Piotrovic and Mallender has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Piotrovic is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Mallender off and has taken his back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piotrovic lands shots from the back.
Mallender is really stuck here.
Piotrovic is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Piotrovic tries to keep control of the position but Mallender is staying busy.
Piotrovic is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Mallender is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Piotrovic is trying to stick to Mallender's back but Mallender is turning into Piotrovic. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Piotrovic's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Mallender.
Piotrovic looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mallender is one step ahead there.
Mallender stops Piotrovic from standing up.

That's four 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.

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

and Piotrovic counters with a nice double leg into side control. Mallender won't be happy with that.
Mallender manages to get back to half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Mallender manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Mallender trying to keep a closed guard but Piotrovic is proving a slippery customer.
Piotrovic has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Mallender is proving hard to escape from.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rozhan Mallender will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Mallender fails with a takedown attempt.
Piotrovic shoots and misses

and Mallender counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Piotrovic working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mallender doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mallender manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Mallender controls from within his opponent's guard.
Mallender trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mallender forces his way into half guard.

Mallender is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Piotrovic still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Piotrovic has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Piotrovic wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mallender keeps working.
Mallender tries to buck Piotrovic off but Piotrovic is having none of it.
Piotrovic moves into full mount!
Piotrovic throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Piotrovic tries to control but Mallender wriggling away.
Mallender sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

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.

Piotrovic is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Mallender manages to get to full guard.
Mallender controlling the position.
Piotrovic wants to control from the top but Mallender keeps moving.
Piotrovic is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Mallender wants to sweep here but Piotrovic controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mallender keeping moving, preventing Piotrovic from controlling successfully.

Piotrovic drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Mallender manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Piotrovic has Mallender in his guard.
Mallender stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Piotrovic swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mallender passes into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Piotrovic slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Mallender missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Mallender won't allow Piotrovic to get back to his feet.
Mallender working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Piotrovic's head.
Piotrovic controls Mallender momentarily but Mallender frees himself.

Mallender got a little sloppy there for a moment and Piotrovic has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Mallender has managed to get both his arms back between Piotrovic's legs - danger averted.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rozhan Mallender comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mallender 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Rozhan Mallender!