PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Yunus Abshir (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alessandro Maximilian (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Abshir kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is On Fire. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Abshir
vs
Maximilian

186 cm
19
199 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

183 cm
19
183 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite 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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Yunus Abshir!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alessandro Maximilian!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Tarja Halkonen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maximilian tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Abshir fails with the takedown.
Maximilian lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
That kick from Maximilian tenderised Abshir's leg. Abshir is trying to keep his angry face on.
Maximilian doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Maximilian throws a low kick, looking for Abshir's leg but Abshir calmly moves out of range.

Abshir shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Abshir showed some decent athleticism there.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Maximilian wants to get back to full guard but Abshir has passed into side control.
Maximilian takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abshir just content to control the position.
Maximilian dodges the ground and pound from Abshir.
Maximilian tries to improve position but can't.
Abshir controls the position from side control.
Abshir misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Abshir scores with punches from side control.
Abshir throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abshir postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Abshir is looking to take a break and control but Maximilian is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Abshir working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Maximilian struggling a bit here.
Maximilian dodges the ground and pound from Abshir.
Abshir throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Abshir 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.
Abshir happy to just control the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maximilian takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

Abshir tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
A lull in the action here as Abshir stalls from top position.
Abshir throws a strike aimed at the side of Maximilian's head but Maximilian avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Maximilian's face as Abshir controls the position.
Maximilian is looking for a sweep.
Abshir in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Abshir working away.
Abshir scoring with punches from side control.
Abshir misses with the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Abshir working the body and head with strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Abshir in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Abshir in side control, throwing shots but Maximilian defends.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yunus Abshir dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

A solid leg kick lands there for Maximilian.
Abshir swings widly with a right hand
and Abshir takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Maximilian punishes Abshir's body with a nice straight punch.
Abshir misses the jab.
A big left from Abshir misses.
Maximilian throws a nice head kick!
Maximilian slips under a jab.
A big right from Abshir misses.
Maximilian on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Maximilian goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Abshir connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Maximilian momentarily.
Abshir misses with a hook
and Maximilian counters with a flying knee. Nice.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Maximilian walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maximilian keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Abshir.
The fighters circling - Abshir throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Maximilian tries to land a front kick but Abshir steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Maximilian tries a low kick but Abshir avoids it.
A big left from Abshir misses.
A bone on bone clash there as Abshir blocks the leg kick.
Maximilian goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Maximilian slips under a jab from Abshir.
Maximilian takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Abshir misses with a hook. Maximilian ducked under it nicely.
Abshir misses with a wild body shot.
Abshir bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Maximilian's head.
A punch combination from Abshir misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Abshir.
Maximilian ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Alessandro Maximilian is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Abshir throws a jab but it's blocked by Maximilian.
Abshir fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Maximilian avoids it really well and circles away.
A solid leg kick lands there for Maximilian.
Maximilian throws a front kick aimed at Abshir's knee but Abshir avoids it well.
Abshir will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Maximilian misses with a body kick.
Maximilian lands with a thumping leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maximilian takes one on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maximilian throws a nice outside leg kick.

Abshir closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Maximilian's guard.
Maximilian is adopting a defensive guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Maximilian can do anything to dispel that myth.
Abshir trying to control but Maximilian is working from the bottom.
Abshir with a flurry of punches that miss.
Maximilian being controlled here, momentarily.
Abshir trying to control but Maximilian is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abshir scoring with some ground and pound.
Maximilian is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Abshir wants to control from the top but Maximilian keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Abshir takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Maximilian throws a body kick that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Yunus Abshir will probably get the nod.
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.

Abshir is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Maximilian.
Abshir checks a low kick from Maximilian.
Abshir sizes up Maximilian with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Maximilian uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Abshir.
Maximilian throws a head kick that misses.
Maximilian feints and then cracks Abshir's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Abshir down.
Abshir on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Abshir looks to land a right hand but Maximilian moved out of range.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Maximilian lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Abshir has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Abshir and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Abshir is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Abshir misses with an uppercut
and Maximilian counters with an outside leg kick.

Abshir scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Maximilian manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Abshir thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abshir is looking to take a break and control but Maximilian is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Abshir is really struggling to control Maximilian but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Abshir thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Abshir thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Abshir trying to control from half guard but Maximilian is working away.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Maximilian has hold of Abshir's hands but Abshir slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abshir controlling the action here.
Abshir missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Abshir takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Abshir is keen to just control but Maximilian is a slippery customer.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Yunus Abshir just wasn't active enough.
Maximilian is looking to chop away at Abshir's legs.
Abshir shoots in looking for a takedown. Maximilian tries to sprawl out of it but Abshir keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Maximilian manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maximilian throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Abshir's head.
Abshir misses with a straight right.
Maximilian tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Abshir throws a lazy uppercut
and Maximilian counters with a two punch combo.
Abshir misses with a wild body shot.
Nice defenses there by Maximilian.
Maximilian scores with a leg kick.
Maximilian slips under a jab.
Abshir throws a lazy uppercut
and Maximilian counters with a nice kick to the body.
A big left from Abshir misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abshir swings for the body but Maximilian moves out of range.
Maximilian throws a nice outside leg kick.
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!
Maximilian looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Abshir throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Abshir chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Maximilian can pounce on him.
Abshir is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Abshir misses with a looping right.
Abshir throws out a powerful jab.
Abshir misses with a hook
enabling Maximilian to counter with a crisp jab.
Maximilian uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Abshir.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Abshir misses with a right hand
and Maximilian counters with a leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Abshir throws a shot from downtown. Maximilian moves away and avoids it.
Alessandro Maximilian has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
An inside leg kick lands from Maximilian.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Alessandro Maximilian.
I think Abshir has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Yunus Abshir!
Yunus Abshir thanked the fans post fight for their support.