PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Max Kirov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mariusz Balon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Balon has chosen Dawaj na ring as his entrance music. Mariusz Balon will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Kirov
vs
Balon

180 cm
21
220 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

193 cm
18
260 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Experienced

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Experienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Max Kirov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mariusz Balon!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Ivan Kurochkin and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Balon feints and as Kirov raises his hands in defense, Balon changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Kirov looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Balon seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Balon connects with a couple of short punches.
Balon throws a big right hand that misses.
Kirov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Balon.
Kirov avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Balon lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Balon controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Balon trying to control but Kirov is working from the bottom.
Balon's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kirov is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Balon must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Balon is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Mariusz Balon has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Balon feints and as Kirov raises his hands in defense, Balon changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Kirov might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Balon seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Balon with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balon stands up over Kirov, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Balon 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.
It looks like Balon might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Balon scoring with some ground and pound.
Balon slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Let's hope that Balon has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balon is in close to Kirov's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Balon really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kirov. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Balon trying to control but Kirov is working from the bottom.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Balon's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Balon lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Balon connects with a couple of short punches.
Kirov keeping full guard, as Balon tries to pass.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Balon landing some decent shots from guard.

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.
Balon looking to pass the guard.
Balon landing with the ground and pound.
Kirov could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Balon controls from within his opponent's guard.
Balon is working Kirov over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Balon content to stall in guard here.
Balon postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Balon fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kirov manages to avoid it.
Kirov misses with a straight left.
Kirov fails with the takedown

and Balon counters with a takedown into side control.
Balon cracks Kirov with a big elbow.
Balon is putting a hurting on Kirov here, landing some big shots from side control.
Balon tries to move to mount but Kirov blocks the move with his legs.
Kirov taking a bit of punishment here - Balon scoring with strikes.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kirov is looking to regain half guard here but Balon keeps moving and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balon lands a decent elbow from side control.
Balon is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Kirov will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Balon works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Balon creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Kirov is trying to work for a sweep but Balon has mounted him!
Kirov is bucking up trying to escape but Balon cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Balon tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Balon lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Balon scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balon raining down hammerfists from mount.
Kirov in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Balon controlling the pace for now.
Kirov working to try and regain half guard.
Balon lands a big elbow.
Balon punishing his opponent with strikes.
Balon working Kirov over with strikes here.
Balon looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balon with shots to the head and body - Kirov looks very uncomfortable down there.
Balon raining down hammerfists from mount.
Balon raining down hammerfists from mount.
Kirov can't escape the position.
Mariusz Balon has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kirov tries to hold on but Balon postures up.
Balon lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balon lands a big shot there that rocks Kirov but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Balon prevents Kirov from getting the reversal.
Balon pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Balon lands a big shot there that rocks Kirov but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Balon postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kirov looks a forlorn figure.
Kirov is wriggling around trying to escape.
Balon has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Kirov's face.
Kirov taking shots to the head.
Kirov is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mariusz Balon showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Kirov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Balon circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kirov misses with a takedown attempt

and Balon counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kirov won't be happy with that.
Balon is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Kirov taking punishment in the form of punches.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kirov is working to avoid the ground and pound but Balon connects with a decent elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balon lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Check out the look on Balon's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Balon works to advance to full mount. Kirov defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Balon controlling from mount.
Balon scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Kirov tries to lock up and control but Balon gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Balon lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Balon dominating with strikes here.
Balon lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Kirov hang on?
Balon has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Kirov's face.
Mariusz Balon is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balon controlling the position easily from mount.
Kirov tries to hold on but Balon pushes him away.
Balon controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Mariusz Balon wasn't active enough on the ground.

Kirov gets caught flat footed, as Balon shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balon controls from within his opponent's guard.
Kirov working a defensive guard here.
Balon trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Max Kirov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Balon sitting in guard, not really doing much.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mariusz Balon comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Balon has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 26:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 25:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 24:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mariusz Balon!