PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mack Speed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mihail Mansurov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Speed might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Disturbed / Down With The Sickness. Mansurov is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Kreator - Impossible Brutality. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Speed
vs
Mansurov

200 cm
22
195 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

178 cm
22
193 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Perkele!
Perkele!

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 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mack Speed!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mihail Mansurov!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mansurov stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Speed.
Speed throws a head kick that misses.
Mansurov misses with a left hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Mansurov looks to score with a jab to the body but Speed is just out of range.
Mihail Mansurov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Speed takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Speed misses with a low kick.

Mansurov fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Speed sprawls well initially but Mansurov persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Mansurov throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Speed is trying to maintain the position but Mansurov is very close to passing his half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mansurov throwing shots but Speed is blocking nicely.
Mansurov thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Speed's head.
Mansurov throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
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!
Speed works his way to full guard. Good work.
Speed avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mansurov wants to pass the guard but Speed is keeping the position.
Speed keeping moving, preventing Mansurov from controlling successfully.
Speed looking for a sweep. Not yet Speed, not yet.
Mansurov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mansurov lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Mansurov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Speed controls Mansurov momentarily but Mansurov frees himself.
Mansurov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mansurov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Speed is keeping the position for now.
Mansurov postures up in Speed's guard and throws a big left but Speed blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Speed controls Mansurov momentarily but Mansurov frees himself.
Speed utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mansurov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Mansurov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mansurov slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Mansurov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Speed is keeping the position for now.
Mansurov throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Speed works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Speed keeping moving, preventing Mansurov from controlling successfully.
Mansurov in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mansurov throwing strikes from guard but Speed blocks nicely.
Mansurov controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Mansurov lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Mansurov postures up in Speed's guard and throws a big left but Speed blocks it.
Mansurov throws a big right hand that misses.
Speed on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Speed tries to get out of the position.
Mansurov scoring with some ground and pound.
Mansurov throws a big right hand that misses.
Speed keeping moving, preventing Mansurov from controlling successfully.
Mansurov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mansurov with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mansurov is looking to work some ground and pound but Speed has wrist control.
Mansurov sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Speed's guard.
Mansurov winds up and cracks Speed with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Mansurov not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mansurov is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Mansurov is trying to control. Speed wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Mansurov not doing much here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Speed tries to get to full guard but Mansurov has control of the leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mihail Mansurov dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Mansurov looks to land a left hand but Speed moved out of range nicely.
Speed throws a head kick that misses.
Mansurov lands with an overhand left.
Mansurov dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Mansurov clobbers Speed with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Mansurov looks for a takedown but Speed sprawls well.
Mansurov fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Speed checks it well.
Mansurov is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Speed.

Mansurov closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Mansurov lands in his opponent's guard.
Speed is pulling down on Mansurov's head to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Speed trying to control the position.
Speed avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mansurov trying to control but Speed is working from the bottom.
Mansurov wants to pass the guard but Speed is keeping the position.

Mansurov drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Speed manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Mansurov has Speed in his guard.
Speed won't allow Mansurov to sweep him here.
Speed will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Speed wants to stand but Mansurov has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Mansurov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Speed is one step ahead there.

Mansurov looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Mansurov is wriggling around but Speed manages to pass to half guard.
Speed moves nicely into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mansurov tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Speed wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Mansurov wants to control but Speed postures up.
Mansurov tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Speed tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Mansurov tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Speed wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Mihail Mansurov has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mansurov manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Mansurov wants to improve his position but Speed is controlling well.
Mansurov is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Speed wants to free his trapped foot but Mansurov is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Mansurov is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Speed's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Speed's back!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mansurov somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Mansurov lands strikes to the head.
Mansurov missing with strikes from the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mihail Mansurov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Speed keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mansurov.

Mansurov shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Speed trying to control from the bottom.
Speed slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Speed seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Mansurov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mansurov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Speed looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mansurov content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mansurov is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Mansurov lands a couple of digs.
Speed avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mansurov trying to control but Speed is working from the bottom.
Mansurov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mansurov accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Speed really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Mansurov trying to control but Speed is working from the bottom.
Mansurov working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Speed is trying to keep Mansurov in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mansurov wants to control from the top but Speed keeps moving.
Mansurov is looking to work some ground and pound but Speed has wrist control.
Mansurov is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Speed working a defensive guard here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Decent striking displayed by Speed there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Speed on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Mansurov connects with an inside leg kick.
Mansurov catches Speed with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mansurov throws a leg kick but Speed checks it.
Mack Speed is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Speed avoids the body shot from Mansurov.
Mansurov fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mansurov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Speed tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Mansurov clinches.
Mansurov misses with a hook from the clinch.

Speed breaks the clinch.
Mansurov misses with a right hand
and Speed counters with a nice leg kick.
Mansurov listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Speed avoids the body shot from Mansurov.
Speed throws a body punch but Mansurov moves out of range.
Mansurov throws a lazy uppercut
and Speed makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mansurov ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Mansurov misses with an uppercut.
Mansurov thows a body shot but no joy.

Mansurov closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Speed quickly recovers to half guard.
Mack Speed has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Speed avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Mansurov.
Mansurov missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Mansurov is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Mansurov tries to control but Speed wriggling away.
Mihail Mansurov is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Speed wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Mansurov.
Mansurov is landing with some decent strikes but Speed is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mihail Mansurov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Mansurov 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mihail Mansurov!
Our winner, Mihail Mansurov, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.