PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Maxim Banajev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carlos Ruiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Banajev's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Arcana - Autumnal. Ruiz has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Banajev
vs
Ruiz

180 cm
24
218 lbs
8 - 5 - 2

181 cm
30
205 lbs
11 - 8 - 1

Good wrestling
Decent elbows
Very strong

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 2, fighting out of St Petersburg, Maxim Banajev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Carlos Ruiz!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Banajev shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Banajev throws a combination. Ruiz tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Ruiz gets caught napping as Banajev dives in and scores a takedown. Ruiz manages to retain guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Banajev throws a big right hand that misses.
Banajev working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Banajev forces his way into half guard.
Banajev lands with a punch from half guard.
Banajev thows a huge punch but Ruiz dodges it nicely.
Banajev is thwarting Ruiz's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banajev passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Ruiz!
Banajev prevents Ruiz from getting the reversal.
Banajev tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Banajev lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banajev wants to control the pace but Ruiz is squirming around nicely.
Banajev throws some wild stikes that Ruiz manages to avoid easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Banajev lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Banajev controlling the pace for now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Banajev throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banajev breaks from Ruiz's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Banajev can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ruiz is looking to escape.
Ruiz can't escape the position.
Ruiz looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banajev lands with some strikes.
Ruiz is working to get back to half guard.
Banajev fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Ruiz wants to control but Banajev is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ruiz is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maxim Banajev 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.

Banajev looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Banajev looks for a takedown but Ruiz sprawls well.
Ruiz avoids the head kick by Banajev.
Left hook, right uppercut from Ruiz.
Ruiz ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ruiz takes a swing at Banajev's ribcage but misses.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Ruiz enables Banajev to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Ruiz manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Ruiz keeping full guard, as Banajev tries to pass.
Ruiz is breathing heavily.
Banajev looking to sit in guard and control but Ruiz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiz won't allow Banajev to get back to his feet.
Ruiz working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Banajev's head.
Ruiz is working Banajev over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Ruiz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Banajev wants to get back to his feet but Ruiz is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ruiz cracks Banajev with a solid left hand.
Banajev wants to stand up but Ruiz is controlling him.
Ruiz postures up and lands a big shot to Banajev's brow.
Ruiz throws a big right hand that misses.
Ruiz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ruiz landing with the ground and pound.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Ruiz prevents Banajev from getting back to his feet.
Ruiz working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Banajev's head.
Banajev wants to stand but Ruiz is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banajev utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Banajev avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Banajev wants to stand but Ruiz is controlling the position.
Ruiz works over Banajev with some ground and pound from guard.
Ruiz slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Ruiz working the head and body with strikes.
Banajev tries to escape but Ruiz is in control.

Banajev sneaks out the side door and pushes Ruiz away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Ruiz connects with a nice looking jab.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Ruiz.
Ruiz keeps the fight on the outside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ruiz gets tackled into the cage by Banajev. Banajev maintains the clinch.
Ruiz swings wildly with an uppercut but Banajev uses good head movement to avoid it.
Banajev is trying to drag Ruiz to the mat but Ruiz just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Maxim Banajev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Banajev tries to break free but Ruiz pushes him back against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Banajev working hard to break the clinch.
Banajev wants to break the clinch but can't.
Banajev wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ruiz lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Banajev blocking some punches.

Banajev pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A punch lands to the side of Ruiz 's head but he takes it in his stride.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Carlos Ruiz will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Banajev drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Banajev looking to sit in guard and control but Ruiz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Maxim Banajev overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ruiz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ruiz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Banajev manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Ruiz fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Banajev fails to land the takedown.

Banajev drives through with a takedown into Ruiz's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Ruiz seems keen to control Banajev's posture.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiz trying to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Carlos Ruiz.
Ruiz defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Banajev.
Ruiz leaves Banajev with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Maxim Banajev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Banajev bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Banajev has managed to clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ruiz.

Ruiz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Banajev looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banajev throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ruiz. Banajev does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ruiz throws a right and a left that both miss.
Banajev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ruiz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ruiz misses with a shot to the body
and Banajev counters with a stiff right hand.
Banajev closes the distance and clinches up with Ruiz, looking for a takedown. Banajev pushes Ruiz against the cage but Ruiz circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ruiz scores with a crisp jab that stopped Banajev in his tracks.
Ruiz thuds a left hand into Banajev's body.
Banajev shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ruiz sprawls well. Ruiz wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Banajev gets slowly back to his feet.
Ruiz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Banajev will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ruiz throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ruiz throws a jab but it's blocked by Banajev.
Ruiz displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Banajev.
Ruiz looks to land a left hand but Banajev moved out of range nicely.
Banajev walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Ruiz checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Ruiz takes a jab right on the kisser.
Nice sprawl there from Ruiz as Banajev shoots in.
Banajev ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Banajev scores with a takedown into Ruiz's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Carlos Ruiz.

Banajev gets a takedown into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maxim Banajev showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Banajev 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maxim Banajev!