PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Maximus Wagner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Titus Pullo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Wagner's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Richard Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Wagner
vs
Pullo

189 cm
18
199 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
22
189 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
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 Sydney, Maximus Wagner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Titus Pullo!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Damien Edna and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pullo wants to clinch up but Wagner keeps it at a distance.
A jab-cross combination lands for Pullo and sends Wagner crashing to the mat! Pullo follows him down to the mat - Wagner regains half guard but he's not out of trouble yet!

Wagner is rocked!

It looks like Maximus Wagner has been cut.
Pullo prevents Wagner from improving his position.
Oh Wagner is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Wagner makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Wagner.
Pullo trying to control the position from guard on top but Wagner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Wagner 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.
Wagner seems to have got his legs back now.
Pullo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Wagner tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Pullo thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Wagner looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Pullo puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Wagner is trying to maintain the position but Pullo is very close to passing his half guard.
Pullo wants to free his trapped foot but Wagner is holding on for dear life with his legs.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Pullo throws a left that rocks Wagner and follows with a right that sends him tumbling to the canvas! Pullo dives into side control, looking to finish! Can Wagner regain composure!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wagner throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Wagner regains half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Wagner manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Wagner looking for a sweep. Not yet Wagner, not yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Pullo drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Pullo jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Pullo wants to pass the guard but Wagner is keeping the position.
Pullo trying to control but Wagner is working from the bottom.
Wagner not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Wagner has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Wagner is on top in guard.
Wagner wants to control from the top but Pullo keeps moving.
Wagner stays in close to Pullo's body and controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pullo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Pullo looks gassed!
Pullo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Wagner is one step ahead there.
Pullo keeping moving, preventing Wagner from controlling successfully.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Wagner sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Pullo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Wagner is one step ahead there.
Wagner controls from within his opponent's guard.
Pullo controls Wagner momentarily but Wagner frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wagner trying to control the position from guard on top but Pullo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Wagner will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Pullo is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A jab lands there for Pullo.
The fight stays on the outside here - Pullo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Pullo tries to clinch but Wagner moves out of range.
Pullo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Wagner uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pullo.

Wagner closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Wagner controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wagner wants to control but Pullo is keeping him busy.
Wagner stops Pullo from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wagner performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Wagner trying to pass the guard but Pullo defending well.
Pullo tries to roll over but Wagner keeps him under control.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Wagner in particular looking to stall.
Wagner seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Pullo for as long as he can get away with.
Wagner seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Pullo does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Maximus Wagner just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Wagner shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
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 Maximus Wagner will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Maximus Wagner's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Pullo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Wagner paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Pullo wants to clinch up but Wagner keeps it at a distance.
Pullo wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Pullo with a lazy takedown attempt

and Wagner counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Pullo!
Wagner looking to control and managing it successfully.
Pullo is squirming around, avoiding Wagner's attempts to control the action.
Wagner is really struggling to control Pullo but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Pullo is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Wagner trying to control but Pullo is having none of it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pullo is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Wagner with good strikes from the mount here!
Pullo tries to hold on but Wagner pushes him away.
Wagner tries to control but Pullo wriggling away.
Wagner punishing his opponent with strikes.
Wagner controlling from mount.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Maximus Wagner just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Pullo tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Wagner counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Pullo keeping moving, preventing Wagner from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wagner tries to free his leg and advance position but Pullo is retaining full guard.

Pullo escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Wagner gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Pullo wants to sweep but no luck.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Pullo lands a right hook to the body.
Pullo darts in trying to clinch

and Wagner counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Pullo's guard now.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Pullo is looking for a triangle but Wagner pushes his legs off easily.
Wagner stays in close to Pullo's body and controls the position.
Wagner preventing the sweep.
Pullo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Pullo keeping moving, preventing Wagner from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wagner looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Wagner trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Wagner trying to control but Pullo is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Pullo shoots in and drives through. Wagner sprawls well.
Pullo shoots and misses

and Wagner counters by clinching up.
Maximus Wagner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Titus Pullo.
Pullo fails to pull guard.
Pullo jumps guard but Wagner stands there with Pullo around his waist. Pullo gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Pullo drops down looking for an ankle pick but Wagner pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Wagner shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Pullo's guard.
Wagner content to stall in guard here.
Wagner works over Pullo with some ground and pound from guard.
Wagner wants to pass the guard but Pullo is keeping the position.
Wagner trying to control but Pullo is working from the bottom.

Pullo is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Wagner controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Wagner working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maximus Wagner dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Maximus Wagner's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! 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.

Wagner bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Pullo is trying to improve his position.
A lull in the action here.
Wagner postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Pullo is trying to get back to half guard.
Wagner wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pullo keeps working.
Pullo tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Wagner wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Wagner content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Wagner trying to control the action but Pullo is working from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Pullo on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wagner slips a jab and a cross from Pullo.
Pullo tries to clinch

and Wagner decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Pullo's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wagner preventing the sweep.
Wagner is stalling in the full guard.
Pullo is looking to stand up but Wagner isn't so interested in that idea.
Wagner content to stall in guard here.
Pullo is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Wagner trying to control from the bottom.
Pullo is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Wagner wants to get back to full guard.

Pullo is working for a submission of some sort.
Wagner is looking to control Pullo's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Wagner avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pullo wants to take a breather but Wagner is having none of it.
The fighters are battling for position here. Wagner manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Wagner had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Pullo is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Wagner Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Pullo's back instead.
Wagner doesn't have the hooks in and Pullo manages to turn into his guard.
Wagner is trying to control the position but Pullo postures up.
Wagner pulls Pullo in close to prevent any damage.
Wagner manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Wagner content just to control the position here.
Wagner trying to control but Pullo is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wagner with the ground and pound from mount.
Wagner looking to finish Pullo with some ground and pound. This is bad for Pullo!
Wagner takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Pullo working to try and regain half guard.
Maximus Wagner overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pullo holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Wagner tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Wagner looking to control and managing it successfully.
Wagner tries to control but Pullo wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Maximus Wagner just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
A bone on bone clash there as Pullo blocks the leg kick.
Pullo lands with an uppercut that bounces Wagner off the cage and back into rage.
Pullo misses with a kick to the body.
Wagner takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Wagner fails to land the takedown.
Pullo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Wagner moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Titus Pullo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pullo throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Wagner.
Pullo lands a really nice looking cross but Wagner seems unphased.
Wagner throws a front kick aimed at Pullo's knee but Pullo avoids it well.
Good standup being displayed there by Pullo as he connects with a hook.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Wagner gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Wagner blocks the strikes from Pullo.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maximus Wagner showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Wagner, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maximus Wagner!