PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Malvin Maldi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ian Phillips (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Maldi might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Loituma TECHNO!. Malvin Maldi had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 146.1lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Maldi
vs
Phillips

170 cm
37
161 lbs
44 - 25 - 3

180 cm
35
156 lbs
31 - 18 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Milwaukee's Best Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 44 - 25 - 3, fighting out of Helsinki, Malvin Maldi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ian Phillips!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Phillips dives in and grabs Maldi's left leg, looking for a takedown. Maldi pushes down on Phillips's head and hops out.
Nice straight punches there by Phillips. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Phillips.
Phillips tries to score with a low kick but Maldi moves his leg out of the way.
Phillips lands with a cross.

Phillips scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Maldi trying to control here.
Phillips wants to stand but Maldi has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Phillips prevents Maldi from improving his position.
Maldi is refusing to be controlled, as Phillips sits in half guard.
Maldi controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Maldi is not content to let Phillips control the position.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Ian Phillips wasn't active enough on the ground.
Phillips throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Maldi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldi rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Phillips counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Phillips works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Phillips lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Maldi circles away quickly and effectively.
Phillips throws a jab when Maldi was well out of range.
Maldi staying out of range there.
Phillips finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
A good leg kick by Phillips.
Maldi uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
A slow jab from Phillips misses its intended target.
Maldi attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Maldi displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Phillips.
Nice straight punches there by Phillips. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Phillips.
Phillips has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Maldi throws a jab but it's blocked by Phillips.
Maldi misses with an uppercut.
Phillips is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Maldi.
Maldi stuffs the takedown.
Malvin Maldi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ian Phillips.
Phillips throws a shot from downtown. Maldi moves away and avoids it.
A nice leg kick lands there from Phillips.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Phillips feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Maldi's calf.
Maldi throws a jab but it's blocked by Phillips.
Phillips drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

It looks like Ian Phillips has been cut.
Maldi has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Nordic Top Team in the buildup to the fight.
Phillips misses with a straight left.
A swing and a miss from Maldi.
Phillips misses with a hook. Maldi ducked under it nicely.
Phillips misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Maldi throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Phillips.
Nice straight punches there by Maldi. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Maldi.
Phillips misses with an uppercut. Maldi saw that one coming.
Phillips connects with a good right hand that stumbles Maldi. Maldi circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Phillips misses with a combination
and Maldi counters with a nice body shot.
Phillips throws a series of strikes that have Maldi backpedaling.
Phillips throws a hook but Maldi avoids it easily.
Ian Phillips seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Phillips jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Phillips fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maldi connects with a crisp jab.
Phillips feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Maldis jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Phillips is looking to chop away at Maldi's legs.
Maldi misses with a wild combination.
Phillips misses with a takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Maldi throws a low kick but it's checked well by Phillips.
Maldi's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Phillips connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Maldi scrambles back to his feet.
A punch combination from Phillips misses.
Phillips throws the left hand but Maldi avoids the punch easily.
Phillips misses with a straight left.
Phillips staying out of range there.
Phillips thows a body shot but no joy.
Phillips blocks a jab.
Phillips slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Maldi has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Maldi there as he acknowledges the shot.
Phillips lands a nice shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phillips tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Maldi is able to avoid easily.
Phillips looks to land a right hand but Maldi moved out of range.
Maldi misses with a hook.
Phillips is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Maldi had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Phillips scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Maldi doesn't seem bothered though.
Phillips dives in and grabs Maldi's left leg, looking for a takedown. Maldi pushes down on Phillips's head and hops out.
Maldi misses the jab.
Maldi uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Phillips.
Phillips looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Phillips uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Maldi.
Phillips shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Maldi counters with a thumping low kick.
Maldi keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Phillips.
Phillips gets cracked there but stands up to it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A big left from Maldi misses.
Phillips attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
A nice inside leg kick there by Phillips. That's going to slow Maldi down.
A good leg kick by Phillips.
Maldi keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Phillips.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ian Phillips dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ian Phillips's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Maldi drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Maldi misses with a head kick.
Phillips swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nice uppercut there from Phillips.
Maldi looks for a takedown but Phillips sprawls well.
Phillips tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Maldi was well out of range. Poor timing from Phillips.
Maldi throws a shot from downtown. Phillips moves away and avoids it.
Phillips throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Maldi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Phillips manages to avoid it.
Phillips keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Maldi.
Phillips blocks a jab.
Maldi uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Phillips.
Phillips throws an overhand right that lands on Maldi's shoulder, as Maldi tries to avoid the shot.
Phillips displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Maldi throws out the jab.
Maldi tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Phillips moves out of range of the strikes.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Maldi throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldi misses with a looping left.
Maldi throws the left hand but Phillips avoids the punch easily.
Phillips throws a hook but Maldi blocks it.
Maldi misses the jab.
Nice uppercut there from Maldi.
Maldi connects with a looping right hand.
Maldi moves out of range of the strikes.
Phillips slips a jab from Maldi.
That kick from Phillips tenderised Maldi's leg. Maldi is trying to keep his angry face on.
Phillips throws a leg kick but Maldi moved away.
Phillips throws a quick inside leg kick.
A head kick misses from Maldi.
Phillips lands with a thumping leg kick.
Phillips uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Maldi.
Phillips slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Phillips dips to his left and cracks Maldi with an uppercut!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maldi waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Phillips.
Phillips misses with an uppercut. Maldi saw that one coming.
Maldi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Phillips is looking to slow Maldi down with leg kicks.
Maldi lands with a straight right. Phillips didn't see that one coming.
Maldi swings for the body but Phillips moves out of range.
A big left from Maldi misses.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Phillips.
Maldi is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Phillips.
Maldi stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Phillips.
Phillips scores with a nice strike.
Maldi missing with a left hand there. Phillips was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A slow jab from Maldi misses its intended target.
Maldi throws a shot from downtown. Phillips moves away and avoids it.
Phillips avoids the body shot from Maldi.
Phillips displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Maldi throws out the jab.
Maldi misses with a straight right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maldi jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Maldi looks to throw the jab but Phillips is out of range.
Maldi looks to land a right hand but Phillips moved out of range.
Phillips works Maldi's body with a nice hook.
Maldi tries a head kick but it misses.
Phillips connects with a jab.
Phillips shoots for a double leg takedown but Maldi sprawls well. He's pushed Phillips's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Maldi throws a nice head kick!

Phillips is rocked!
Maldi is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Maldi misses with an uppercut. Phillips saw that one coming.
Phillips is still on wobbly legs! Can Maldi finish him?
Maldi misses with a head kick.
Phillips misses with a two punch combination.
Maldi throws out a loose jab but Phillips uses good head movement to avoid it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Phillips throws a looping overhand right but Maldi ducks down to avoid it.
Maldi misses with an uppercut. Phillips saw that one coming.
Maldi is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Phillips.
Phillips throws a leg kick but Maldi moved away.
Maldi throws the left hand but Phillips avoids the punch easily.
Nice defenses there by Maldi.
Maldi delivers a nice body kick.
Phillips seems to have recovered his senses.
Ian Phillips seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Phillips throws a leg kick which misses Maldi's front leg but catches the back leg as Maldi tries to avoid it.
Phillips throws a solid leg kick but Maldi takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Phillips.
Phillips misses with a straight right.
Donk. Maldi catches Phillips right on the button with a cross.
Phillips with a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phillips with a hook.
Maldi throws a series of punches but Phillips moves out of range.
Maldi needs to keep his hands up - Phillips had a free shot at his head there.
Phillips misses with a hook.
Maldi throws a hook but Phillips blocks it.
Maldi throws a jab when Phillips was well out of range.
Maldi takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
A slapping leg kick lands for Phillips.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Phillips!
Maldi throws out a loose jab but Phillips uses good head movement to avoid it.
Maldi throws a hook to the side of Phillips's head but Phillips sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Phillips throws a good cross that connects.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Maldi misses with a looping right.
Maldi jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Maldi looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Phillips misses with a low kick.
Nice uppercut there from Phillips.
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 Malvin Maldi will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ian Phillips's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Nice defenses there by Maldi.
Phillips displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Maldi throws out the jab.
Phillips connects with a solid leg kick.
Phillips fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Maldi manages to avoid it.
Phillips slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Maldi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Phillips needs to keep his hands up - Maldi had a free shot at his head there.
Maldi takes one on the button.
Maldi takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Phillips moves away from the strike by Maldi.
Phillips tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Maldi swivels and escapes.
Maldi connects with a high kick.
Nice uppercut there from Phillips.
Phillips throws out a loose jab but Maldi uses good head movement to avoid it.
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!
Phillips lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

Maldi is rocked!
Maldi on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Oh Maldi is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Phillips blocks a head kick by Maldi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldi thows a left - swing and a miss!
Maldi slips under a jab from Phillips.
Maldi seems to have got his legs back now.
Maldi waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Phillips.
Phillips misses with an uppercut. Maldi saw that one coming.
A slow jab from Maldi misses its intended target.
Maldi throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Phillips steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Maldi.
Maldi looks to score with a jab to the body but Phillips is just out of range.
Phillips bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Phillips fails with a takedown attempt.
A shot to the body from Phillips misses
and Maldi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Maldi drops Phillips with a huge uppercut! Phillips drops to the floor like a sack of potatoes. Maldi is raining down punches and the ref stops the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:49 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Malvin Maldi!
Malvin Maldi seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.