PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Czesio Niemen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joaquim Maria (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maria has chosen Kronos - Bloodtower as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Joaquim Maria has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Niemen
vs
Maria

196 cm
23
270 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

193 cm
23
257 lbs
16 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Springfield HW Nutrition
Springfield HW Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Czesio Niemen!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Joaquim Maria!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Fedor Mirinova and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maria moves out of range of the strikes.
Maria tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Maria throws a leg kick
and Maria takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Niemen throws out a loose jab but Maria uses good head movement to avoid it.
A telegraphed right hand from Niemen misses the target.
Niemen looks to land a left hand but Maria moved out of range nicely.
Maria throws a front kick that sends Niemen stumbling back into the cage.
Niemen checks a leg kick.
Niemen misses with a hook. Maria ducked under it nicely.
Niemen misses with an uppercut
and Maria counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Maria takes a jab right on the kisser.
Nice defenses there by Maria.
Maria pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Niemen tries to bum rush Maria with a series of wild strikes but Maria uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Niemen misses with a two punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niemen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Niemen misses with a hook to the body
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Niemen is breathing heavily.
Niemen misses with a body punch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Niemen takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Maria throws a nice outside leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Maria scores with a nice body kick.
Maria lands a head kick!
Maria throws a nice inside leg kick.
Maria with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Niemen takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Maria goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A solid body kick from Maria.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maria throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Niemen's head.
Maria attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Maria thuds his shin into the meat of Niemen's side.
Maria tries a head kick but it misses.
Maria looks to throw the jab but Niemen is out of range.
Maria misses with a low kick.
Niemen ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Both fighters circling a little - Maria finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Maria scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Niemen stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Maria.
Niemen is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Maria scoring well with a low kick there.
Maria looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niemen blocks a head kick by Maria.
Niemen on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Maria - that will leave a mark!
Both fighters circling a little - Maria finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
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!
Maria connects with a jab.
Maria lands a leg kick that knocks Niemen off balance momentarily.
Maria lands a front kick.
Maria throws a half hearted mid kick.
Maria moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Niemen on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Maria connects with a nice looking jab.
Maria thumps Niemen with a low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Maria, right into the meat.
Niemen takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Niemen is rocked!
Maria connects with a solid leg kick.
Maria lands a nice looking body kick.
Czesio Niemen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Niemen moves out of range as Maria throws a body kick.
Maria scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Maria throws a leg kick but Niemen checks it.
Maria scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Maria.
A clash of legs there as Niemen blocks the low kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Maria throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Niemen.
Maria misses with a low kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joaquim Maria dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Maria thumps Niemen with a low kick.
Maria lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
A nice inside leg kick there by Maria. That's going to slow Niemen down.
Maria does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Niemen ducks under a wild hook from Maria.
Maria wants to land a leg kick but Niemen is out of range.
Maria motions for Niemen to come forward. Maria throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Maria fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Niemen misses with a hook. Maria ducked under it nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Niemen thows a left - swing and a miss!
Maria keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Maria slips under a jab from Niemen.
Niemen looks to land a right hand but Maria moved out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niemen avoids the head kick by Maria.
Maria lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Maria lands a nice looking body shot.

Maria lands a big head kick that sends Niemen tumbling to the mat! Maria takes a step backwards and waves Niemen back to his feet - he wants the finish!
Oh Niemen is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maria moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Niemen drops his hands momentarily and Maria needs no second invitation. He sets himself and throws a perfect high kick, that clips Niemen just on the top of the head. Niemen drops like a sack of potatoes to the canvas, out cold! Oooooooh yeah! Stick a fork in Niemen - he's done!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:31 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Joaquim Maria! Joaquim Maria retains his heavyweight title!
After the fight, Joaquim Maria was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.