PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Weed Kush (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dean Malenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Malenko is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Tap Or SNap by E-town Concrete. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kush
vs
Malenko

225 cm
27
265 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

190 cm
25
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Determined

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Weed Kush!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dean Malenko!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yuuki Gou and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kush shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Malenko tries for a takedown but Kush circles away easily

and Kush counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Malenko trying to control the position.

Malenko working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kush doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kush manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Kush got a little sloppy there for a moment and Malenko has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kush has managed to get both his arms back between Malenko's legs - danger averted.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Malenko throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Kush escapes and throws Malenko's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Malenko is looking to regain half guard here but Kush keeps moving and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malenko is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Malenko tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Malenko is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Malenko is working to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kush really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Kush jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Malenko manages to avoid the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Malenko looking for a sweep but Kush has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Malenko is in all sorts of trouble here.
Malenko looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Malenko trying to control the action but Kush just sinks the hooks in.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malenko breaks Kush's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Kush keeping moving, preventing Malenko from controlling successfully.
Malenko tries to free his leg and advance position but Kush is retaining full guard.
Kush can't keep his opponent in guard - Malenko advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Malenko is working for a kimura but Kush is defending it quite comfortably.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Malenko is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Malenko wants to work for an arm triangle but Kush is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Malenko is looking for a kimura here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dean Malenko dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nice sprawl there from Kush as Malenko shoots in.

Kush shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Malenko is trying to defend but Kush finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Malenko looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Dean Malenko has got the better of the ground game so far.
Malenko gets back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Malenko working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Kush has passed into half guard!

Malenko looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Kush is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Malenko looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Malenko slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Malenko working a defensive guard but Kush passes into half guard.

Malenko has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Kush escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Kush!
Malenko manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malenko is trying to control but can't.
Malenko is looking for a sweep. Kush is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Malenko looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Malenko looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Malenko is pressing down on Kush's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Malenko isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Kush stacks Malenko on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Kush!
Kush will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Kush looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Malenko can't do much from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Dean Malenko will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Malenko shoots in looking for a takedown. Kush tries to sprawl out of it but Malenko keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kush manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Malenko looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kush is fending him off so far but Malenko persists. Nope, Kush circles away and we're back to standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Malenko is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kush sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Weed Kush has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dean Malenko.
Malenko shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Kush counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kush has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Malenko to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Kush is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Malenko pulls down on the head and he's put Kush to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:28 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Dean Malenko!
After winning the bout, Dean Malenko thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.