PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alexi Zaitev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sylvester Malone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Zaitev
vs
Malone

183 cm
19
209 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

184 cm
19
215 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Conviction

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alexi Zaitev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sylvester Malone!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Elvis Blanc and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Malone drops Zaitev with a nice combination! Malone dives into Zaitev's guard, looking to finish!

It looks like Alexi Zaitev has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Malone not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Malone's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Zaitev working a defensive guard here.
Malone is looking to work some ground and pound but Zaitev has wrist control.
Malone is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Oooh a lovely combination from Malone sends Zaitev down but not out. Malone dives into side control looking to finish.

Zaitev is rocked!
Zaitev's coaches at Immortals Fight Camp have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malone is staying tight to Zaitev's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Let's hope that Malone has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Malone working the ground and pound but Zaitev is defending the strikes.
Malone throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zaitev wants to control but Malone postures up.
Malone happy to just control the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zaitev taking punishment in the form of punches.

Alexi Zaitev's cut is getting worse.
Zaitev takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Malone creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Alexi Zaitev's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zaitev is letting Malone control him for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malone in side control, throwing shots but Zaitev defends.
Malone lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Zaitev down.

Jeez, Alexi Zaitev's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Alexi Zaitev's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:34 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Sylvester Malone!
After winning the bout, Sylvester Malone thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.