PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Andrew Havener (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Maksimenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Igor Maksimenko told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Havener
vs
Maksimenko

179 cm
25
164 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andrew Havener!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Igor Maksimenko!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Fedor Mirinova and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Havener tries to clinch up.
Maksimenko takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Maksimenko shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Andrew Havener seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Maksimenko tries to clinch up.
Havener swats away the attempt to clinch by Maksimenko.

Maksimenko shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Havener napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Havener tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Maksimenko wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Maksimenko trying to control the position but Havener is working away.
Havener on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Havener tries to get out of the position.
Havener sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Maksimenko wants to get back to his feet.
Havener is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maksimenko looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Maksimenko decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Maksimenko throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Havener is breathing heavily.
Havener misses with a body kick.
Havener keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Havener slips a jab and a cross from Maksimenko.
A lazy left from Maksimenko finds it's target.

Havener gets a clinch.
Maksimenko has had enough of the clinch but Havener keeps him there for the moment.
Maksimenko is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Havener gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Andrew Havener has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Igor Maksimenko.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maksimenko is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Havener gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Havener is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Havener tries to throw a body punch but Maksimenko avoids it by throwing Havener back against the cage.
Havener is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Havener leaning his opponent against the cage.
Havener goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Havener misses with a hook to the ribs.
Maksimenko blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Maksimenko breaks the clinch.
Havener stuffs the takedown attempt from Maksimenko. Maksimenko gets slowly back to his feet.
Maksimenko circles away from the clinch attempt.
Havener tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maksimenko paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Havener clinches up against the cage.
Maksimenko is pressed up against the cage. Havener has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Maksimenko down to the mat. Maksimenko avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Havener fails in his attempt to clinch.
Maksimenko ducks right into an uppercut from Havener.
Maksimenko fails to land the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Havener connects with a single shot there.
Maksimenko shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Havener pinned against the cage. Havener gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Havener fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Maksimenko manages to avoid it.
Havener lands a nice looking body kick.

Havener clinches.
Havener is trying to drag Maksimenko to the mat but Maksimenko just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Maksimenko pulls guard effortlessly.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Igor Maksimenko will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Havener tries to clinch up but Maksimenko circles away and keeps his distance.
Maksimenko throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Maksimenko fails with the takedown.
Jab by Havener.

Havener has Maksimenko up against the cage in a clinch.
Maksimenko fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Havener tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Maksimenko gets underhooks to prevent Havener's takedown attempt.
Maksimenko tries to pull guard but Havener won't allow it.
Andrew Havener has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Igor Maksimenko.
Havener can't break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maksimenko is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Havener is keeping busy.
Maksimenko tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Havener just stands there and leans against the cage.
Maksimenko is looking to break free of the clinch but Havener has double underhooks.
Havener is trying to break free.
Maksimenko pushes Havener back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Havener is pressed up against the cage. Maksimenko has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Havener down to the mat. Havener avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Maksimenko scores with a head kick.
Havener tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maksimenko paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maksimenko misses with a shot to the body
and Havener counters with a thumping low kick.

Havener clinches.
Maksimenko blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Havener is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Maksimenko to keep the fight standing.
Maksimenko jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Havener walks away with a smile on his face. Maksimenko gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Havener tries a head kick but it misses.
Maksimenko shoots in but Havener avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Havener moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Maksimenko tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Havener counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Havener. Maksimenko does a little dance to reset his feet.
Havener moves out of range as Maksimenko throws a body kick.
Havener lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Maksimenko circles away quickly and effectively.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Havener avoids the head kick by Maksimenko.
Havener lands the left hand.
Havener misses with a body kick.
Maksimenko wants to clinch.
Havener stuns Maksimenko with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Maksimenko fails to land the takedown.
Maksimenko leaves Havener with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Havener forces Maksimenko back against the cage and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maksimenko working hard to break the clinch.
Havener misses with a short punch on the inside.
Havener fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Maksimenko can't break the clinch.
Maksimenko is defending well against a takedown attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Maksimenko jumps into guard, dragging Havener to the mat.

Havener gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Havener instigates a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrew Havener dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Havener shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Maksimenko napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maksimenko stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
Havener wants to lay and pray for a moment but Maksimenko keeps working.
Maksimenko is trying to control Havener's posture but Havener avoids it.
Maksimenko sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Maksimenko is trying to get back to full guard.
Maksimenko trying to control from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Maksimenko won't allow Havener to pass to mount.
Maksimenko wants to improve his position but Havener is controlling well.
Havener trying to control from half guard but Maksimenko is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maksimenko trying to control from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Maksimenko has a takedown stuffed.
Havener swats away the attempt to clinch by Maksimenko.
Havener connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Havener thuds a left hand into Maksimenko's body.
Maksimenko connects with a high kick.

Havener instigates a clinch.
A short right from Havener on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maksimenko jumps guard but Havener stands there with Maksimenko around his waist. Maksimenko gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Maksimenko has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Havener avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Andrew Havener has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Igor Maksimenko.
Havener will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Maksimenko up against the cage.
Maksimenko looking for a takedown.
Maksimenko tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maksimenko wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Havener misses with a hook from the clinch.
Maksimenko stalling in the clinch but Havener improves position.
Maksimenko tries to pull guard but Havener won't allow it.
Maksimenko drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Havener gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Maksimenko tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Havener just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maksimenko blocking some punches.
Havener tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Maksimenko has Havener pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Havener manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Havener swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Havener keeps control of Maksimenko as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maksimenko tries to break free but Havener pushes him back against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Maksimenko's face as he tries to break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Igor Maksimenko.
I think Maksimenko has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!