PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bud Macintosh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andre Azh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Azh has chosen Manu Militari - Voix De Fait as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Macintosh
vs
Azh

192 cm
30
212 lbs
12 - 9 - 0

190 cm
29
212 lbs
15 - 11 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

ADCC Champion
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Steel Terror-Trition: Video Proven 160Q
Steel Terror-Trition: Video Proven 160Q

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 12 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bud Macintosh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Andre Azh!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Paulo Santos and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Macintosh misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Macintosh shoots in and drives through. Azh sprawls well.
Azh takes one to the side of the head.
Macintosh comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Azh moves out of range as Macintosh strikes.
Azh's corner calls for a 1-2. Azh obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Macintosh throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Azh throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Macintosh's waist but Macintosh gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Azh off to one side.
Azh circles away from the clinch attempt.
Azh misses with a double jab.
Macintosh lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Macintosh.

Macintosh closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Azh quickly recovers to half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Azh gets full guard.
Macintosh is looking to work some ground and pound but Azh has wrist control.
Macintosh wants to control from the top but Azh keeps moving.
Azh trying to keep a closed guard but Macintosh is proving a slippery customer.
Macintosh has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azh lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Macintosh!
Macintosh tries to hold on but Azh postures up.
Macintosh is in all sorts of trouble here.
Azh wants to control the pace but Macintosh is squirming around nicely.
BOOM! Azh connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Azh controlling the pace for now.
Azh looking to control but Macintosh is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azh is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Macintosh really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Macintosh manages to regain half guard. Good work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Macintosh tries to get to full guard but Azh has control of the leg.
Macintosh regains full guard. Nicely done.
Azh wants to control from the top but Macintosh keeps moving.
Azh stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Macintosh swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Azh stopping the sweep attempt from Macintosh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Macintosh striking off his back but it's not causing Azh any problems.
Macintosh keeping moving, preventing Azh from controlling successfully.
Azh pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Macintosh is keeping the position for now.

Macintosh escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Azh gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Azh trying to control the position from guard on top but Macintosh is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Macintosh is looking for a triangle here but Azh uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Azh remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Azh looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Azh tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Macintosh is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Azh off and has taken his back!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Azh tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Azh is squirming around, avoiding Macintosh's attempts to control the action.
Macintosh looking to ground and pound but Azh is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Andre Azh will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Azh throws a jab but it's blocked by Macintosh.
Macintosh tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Azh swivels and escapes.
Azh fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Macintosh.
Macintosh misses with an uppercut.
Macintosh dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Bud Macintosh is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Macintosh throws a hook to the side of Azh's head but Azh sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Macintosh closes the distance and clinches up with Azh, looking for a takedown. Macintosh pushes Azh against the cage but Azh circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Macintosh looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Azh is fending him off so far but Macintosh persists. Nope, Azh circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bud Macintosh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Azh smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

It looks like Bud Macintosh has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Macintosh jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Azh cracks Macintosh with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Macintosh dodges the punch combination from Azh.
Azh sizes up Macintosh with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Azh scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Macintosh misses with the combination.
Azh uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azh throws a hook but Macintosh avoids it easily.
Macintosh uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Azh.
Macintosh shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Azh pinned against the cage. Azh gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Azh dives in and scores a takedown into Macintosh's guard.
Macintosh can't keep his opponent in guard - Azh advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Macintosh is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Azh pulls his head out easily.
Azh wants to take a breather but Macintosh is having none of it.
Azh takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Azh passes to full mount!
Azh in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Macintosh is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Azh with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Azh takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Andre Azh has got the better of the ground game so far.
Macintosh tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Macintosh in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Azh trying to control but Macintosh is having none of it.

Azh stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azh throws a leg kick but Macintosh moved away.
Macintosh checks the leg kick nicely there.
Macintosh throws a predictable looking body shot
and Azh counters with a left to the body.
Azh lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Azh lands with a cross.
Azh lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Azh lands with a hook. Macintosh tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Macintosh moves into range and connects with a jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Macintosh fails with the takedown.
Azh looks to land a combination but Macintosh avoids it well.
Sloppy strikes from Macintosh. Those never looked like landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Azh throws out a loose jab but Macintosh uses good head movement to avoid it.
Azh moves away from the strike by Macintosh.
Macintosh slips under a jab from Azh.
Azh uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Macintosh.
Azh scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Azh shoots in for a takedown but Macintosh shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Macintosh bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Azh lands a nice shot to the body.
A shot to the body from Azh misses
and Macintosh counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Azh misses with a series of wild punches.

Azh looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Azh trying to control the position from guard on top but Macintosh is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Azh is pushing down on Macintosh's leg trying to pass to half guard. Macintosh is fighting to maintain full guard but Azh has managed to sneak the leg through.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Azh showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Bud Macintosh's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Macintosh tries for a takedown but Azh circles away easily
and Azh connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Azh decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Azh wants to work for an arm triangle but Macintosh is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Macintosh is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Azh pulls his head out easily.
Azh wants to pass to mount but Macintosh is defending the position.
Azh wants to take a breather but Macintosh is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Macintosh is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Azh wants to take a breather but Macintosh is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Andre Azh.
Azh slaps away a takedown attempt from Macintosh, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Azh lands an overhand right.
Azh dives in and grabs Macintosh's left leg, looking for a takedown. Macintosh pushes down on Azh's head and hops out.
Macintosh shoots for a double leg takedown but Azh sprawls well. He's pushed Macintosh's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bud Macintosh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Macintosh ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Macintosh misses with a straight right.
Macintosh bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Azh misses with an uppercut. Macintosh saw that one coming.

Azh throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Macintosh was covering up waiting for the punch and Azh finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Azh advances to half guard.
Bud Macintosh has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Macintosh trying to control but Azh postures up.

Azh seems to be looking for submissions.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Azh tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Macintosh.
Macintosh regains full guard. Nicely done.
Azh trying to control the position from guard on top but Macintosh is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Macintosh tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Azh looking to pass the guard.
Azh pushes down on Macintosh's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Macintosh wants to control but Azh is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Azh is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Macintosh doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Azh.
Azh is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Macintosh is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Azh looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Azh sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Azh's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Azh is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Macintosh is just riding it out for now. Azh eventually gives up the hold.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Azh has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andre Azh comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Azh 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andre Azh!
Andre Azh seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.