PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Holden Hallister (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mathew Maynard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maynard has chosen do it as his entrance music. Holden Hallister has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Hallister
vs
Maynard

200 cm
23
195 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

182 cm
28
190 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Holden Hallister!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Mathew Maynard!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Dmitry Maklakov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slapping body kick lands there for Hallister.
Hallister uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Maynard.
Hallister lands with a thumping leg kick.
Hallister moves out of range of the strikes.
Hallister fails to land with a series of punches.
Hallister misses with a body kick.
Hallister moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Maynard is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Hallister.
Maynard has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Maynard there as he acknowledges the shot.
Donk. Hallister catches Maynard right on the button with a cross.
Hallister swings for the body but Maynard moves out of range.
Hallister shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Maynard takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hallister showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Maynard.
Hallister lands a nice looking kick to the body. Maynard takes a step back to recover.
Maynard misses with an uppercut. Hallister saw that one coming.
Hallister really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Hallister ducks under a wild hook from Maynard.
Hallister slips a jab and a cross from Maynard.
Maynard takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Hallister misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Maynard counters with a series of strikes. Hallister will be more careful next time no doubt.
Maynard takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Hallister throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Maynard counters with a shoot takedown. Hallister fights it but they end up in guard.
Hallister is pulling down on Maynard's head. It's preventing any offense from Maynard, at least for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maynard missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Maynard has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hallister is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Maynard throwing strikes from guard but Hallister blocks nicely.
Maynard works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Maynard working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Hallister's thigh. Hallister counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Hallister preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Maynard stays in close to Hallister's body and controls the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Maynard has gone for a leg lock! Hallister slips out almost immediately though and dives into Maynard's guard.
Hallister wanted to stand there but Maynard had control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maynard keeping moving, preventing Hallister from controlling successfully.
Hallister has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Maynard is proving hard to escape from.

Maynard is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hallister defends well.

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.
Hallister pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Maynard is keeping the position for now.
Hallister wants to stand but Maynard is controlling his posture from full guard.
Maynard wants to sweep here but Hallister controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Holden Hallister will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Hallister walks into a left hand.
Hallister lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Maynard with a hook.
Maynard throws a poor cross that misses
and Hallister counters with an outside leg kick.
Maynard waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hallister.
Hallister throws a head kick that half lands.
Hallister looks to score with a jab to the body but Maynard is just out of range.
Maynard avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hallister cracks the inside of Maynard's front leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hallister throws a combination that misses
and Maynard cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Some bone on bone action there as Maynard checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Maynard swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Hallister moves into the clinch successfully.
Maynard tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Maynard pushes Hallister back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Maynard is trying to break free.
Hallister tries to land a knee to the head but Maynard blocks with his arms.
Maynard makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Hallister breaks from the clinch.
Hallister misses with a head kick.
Hallister fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Maynard manages to avoid it.
Good leg kick by Hallister there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Maynard is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hallister sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Hallister throws a low kick but it's checked well by Maynard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hallister throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Maynard counters with a takedown into side control.
Hallister is trying to improve his position.
Maynard working the ground and pound.
Hallister is looking for a sweep.
Maynard fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Hallister is not content to let Maynard control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hallister tries to buck Maynard off but Maynard is having none of it.
Maynard wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hallister keeps working.
Hallister takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maynard throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hallister takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Hallister wants to control but Maynard postures up.
Maynard lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Maynard trying to control the position but Hallister is working away.
Hallister taking a bit of punishment here - Maynard scoring with strikes.
Maynard in side control lands a decent elbow.
Maynard working the head and body with strikes.
Maynard with the ground and pound but Hallister regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Maynard thows a huge punch but Hallister dodges it nicely.
Hallister is looking to improve his position.
Maynard tries to pass to full mount but Hallister defends it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hallister blocking the ground and pound attempt from Maynard.
Maynard landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Hallister is looking to improve his position.
Maynard working Hallister over with strikes.
Maynard is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Maynard postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Hallister looks a forlorn figure.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Maynard is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Hallister has managed to escape the submission attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maynard avoids the attempt from Hallister to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mathew Maynard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Hallister buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Hallister cracks the inside of Maynard's front leg.
Maynard misses with an uppercut
letting Hallister counter with a right hand.
Hallister lands a nice shot that snaps Maynard's head back.
Maynard misses with an uppercut. Hallister saw that one coming.
Maynard misses with an uppercut.
Hallister is looking to score with low kicks.
Hallister throws a predictable looking body shot
enabling Maynard to counter with a crisp jab.
Maynard might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Maynard throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Hallister counters with a nice body kick.
Maynard smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hallister misses with a kick to the body
and Maynard counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Hallister lands with a nice body kick.
Hallister swings away with a body shot that misses
and Maynard counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hallister connects with a jab.
Hallister jabs at Maynard's body.
Maynard moves out of range of the body kick from Hallister.
Hallister goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Maynard takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Hallister scores with a head kick.
Hallister delivers a nice body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maynard tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hallister was well out of range. Poor timing from Maynard.
Hallister throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hallister is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hallister scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Hallister is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Hallister throws a low kick but Maynard avoids it.
Hallister throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Maynard misses with a left hand
and Hallister counters with a good low kick that Maynard was not able to check.
Holden Hallister is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A slapping body kick lands there for Hallister.
Hallister throws a solid leg kick but Maynard takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Hallister.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maynard ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Maynard tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Hallister throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Hallister throws an off balance right hand

and Maynard counters with a shoot takedown. Hallister fights it but they end up in guard.
Hallister will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Maynard wants to control from the top but Hallister keeps moving.
Hallister wants to sweep but no luck.

Maynard got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hallister has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Maynard has managed to get both his arms back between Hallister's legs - danger averted.
Hallister avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hallister wants to sweep here but Maynard controlling him for the moment.
Hallister is trying to keep Maynard in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hallister looking to hit a scissor sweep but Maynard is one step ahead there.
Maynard postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hallister is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Maynard throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hallister is trying to keep Maynard in close.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Maynard cracks Hallister with a solid left hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maynard looking to pass the guard.
Hallister trying to control the position.
Maynard wants to pass the guard but Hallister is keeping the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Holden Hallister.
I think Hallister has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Holden Hallister!