PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Michael Bisping (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Den Marchuk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Bisping
vs
Marchuk

187 cm
23
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Michael Bisping!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Den Marchuk!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Paul Tew and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bisping shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Marchuk's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Marchuk looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bisping is one step ahead there.
Marchuk looking to control.
Bisping throws and elbow that misses. Marchuk uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Bisping's guard. Nice move by Marchuk!
Bisping is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Marchuk shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Bisping counters with a shoot takedown. Marchuk fights it but they end up in guard.
Bisping cracks Marchuk with a solid left hand.
Bisping works over Marchuk with some ground and pound from guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bisping stands up over Marchuk, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Bisping forces his way into half guard.
Marchuk tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Marchuk has hold of Bisping's hands but Bisping slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bisping missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Bisping is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Marchuk sees it coming and defends easily.
Marchuk is refusing to be controlled, as Bisping sits in half guard.
Marchuk is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Bisping missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Marchuk trying to control here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Marchuk tries to close the distance and clinch but Bisping swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Marchuk shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Marchuk was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Bisping is desperately trying to improve his position but Marchuk has a good base and remains in mount.
Bisping blocking the ground and pound.
Marchuk thowing shots but they're missing.
Bisping tries to hold on but Marchuk pushes him away.
Bisping is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Marchuk cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Bisping wants to control but Marchuk is having none of it.
Poor strikes thrown by Marchuk there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bisping wants to control but Marchuk is having none of it.
Bisping is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Marchuk is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
BOOM! Marchuk connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Bisping tries to lock up and control but Marchuk gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Bisping is working to get back to half guard.
Bisping tries to hold on but Marchuk postures up.
Bisping throwing hammer fists to the chest of Marchuk. What's that going to do exactly?

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.
The referee warns Bisping that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Bisping wants to control but Marchuk is having none of it.
Bisping is working to get back to half guard.
Bisping tries to hold on but Marchuk postures up.

Marchuk working for a submission but Bisping is keeping him at bay.
Marchuk looks gassed!
Marchuk trying to control but Bisping is having none of it.
Bisping bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Bisping dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Marchuk tries to clinch up.
Bisping lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Marchuk circles away quickly and effectively.

Bisping shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Michael Bisping.
Marchuk doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Bisping counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Marchuk has his takedown stuffed

and Bisping counters with a takedown into side control.
Bisping tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Marchuk is breathing heavily.
Bisping working the ground and pound from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marchuk tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Bisping working the head and body with strikes.
Marchuk taking a bit of punishment here - Bisping scoring with strikes.
Bisping lands a few punches from side control.
Bisping cracks Marchuk with a big right hand but Marchuk just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Bisping controlling the position from side mount.
Bisping lands some shots froms side control.
Bisping advances nicely into full mount.
Bisping postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Marchuk looks a forlorn figure.
Bisping looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Bisping wants to control the pace but Marchuk is squirming around nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bisping putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Michael Bisping overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Marchuk is desperately trying to improve his position but Bisping has a good base and remains in mount.
A nice elbow there by Bisping.
Marchuk really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Bisping is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Marchuk to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Marchuk shrugs it off.
Bisping controlling from the full mount.
Bisping with good strikes from the mount here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bisping tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Bisping landing shots from mount.
BOOM! Bisping connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Marchuk tries to lock up and control but Bisping gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Bisping looking to control but Marchuk is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Bisping scoring with strikes but Marchuk is staying in there.
Bisping lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Bisping raining down shots from the mount!
Bisping postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Marchuk looks a forlorn figure.

Bisping has hold of Marchuk's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Marchuk manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bisping lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Marchuk is in all sorts of trouble here.
Bisping can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Marchuk is looking to escape.
Bisping landing strikes from the mount.
Bisping postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Marchuk looks a forlorn figure.
Marchuk taking shots to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bisping scoring with strikes but Marchuk is staying in there.
Bisping scoring with strikes but Marchuk is staying in there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Bisping dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Bisping moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Bisping darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Bisping drops an elbow to the side of Marchuk's head.
Bisping trying to control from half guard but Marchuk is working away.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bisping lands a nice short elbow.
Bisping seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Marchuk trying to hold on to Bisping's head to control him but Bisping postures up.
Bisping is just content to waste time from the top position. Marchuk takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Bisping scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Marchuk takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bisping scoring with punches to the head and body.
Bisping throws a strike but Marchuk rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Bisping pulls Marchuk in close to prevent any damage.
Bisping's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Marchuk is looking to stand up but Bisping won't let him.
Marchuk preventing the sweep.
Bisping is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Marchuk would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Bisping looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bisping is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Michael Bisping.
Bisping throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Marchuk on the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bisping connects with a high kick.
Bisping avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bisping tries to clinch up.
Bisping will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Bisping throws a combination. Marchuk tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Marchuk is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Marchuk shoots and misses
and Bisping counters with a left and a right that stings Marchuk.

Marchuk gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Bisping to score an easy takedown into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bisping lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Bisping trying to control the position from guard on top but Marchuk is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bisping lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Marchuk can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Bisping controls the pace.
Bisping content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Bisping tries to free his leg and advance position but Marchuk is retaining full guard.
Bisping scoring with punches to the head and body.
Bisping working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Marchuk is trying to control the position but Bisping postures up.
Den Marchuk has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bisping connects with a couple of short punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Bisping showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Bisping has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:26
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:26
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Bisping!