PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Arkady Balagan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Christian Derksen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Balagan
vs
Derksen

182 cm
27
195 lbs
12 - 5 - 1

188 cm
31
192 lbs
17 - 8 - 1

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Arkady Balagan!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Christian Derksen!
The judges for this bout are , Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Derksen has closed the distance and engaged Balagan in a clinch.
Derksen lands a body shot in the clinch.
Derksen working aggressively here.
Derksen works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Derksen pushes Balagan back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Derksen working aggressively here.
Derksen throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Balagans head.
Balagan blocking some punches.
Derksen lands a shoulder strike.
Derksen pushes off an throws an elbow but Balagan leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Derksen.
Derksen throws an elbow that misses.
Derksen lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Derksen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Balagan's defenses.
Balagan tries to pull guard but Derksen forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
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!
Derksen utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Derksen makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Derksen lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Derksen scores with a shoulder strike.
A short uppercut from Derksen.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Derksen.
Derksen is working Balagan over against the cage.
Derksen lands an elbow inside that Balagan shrugs off.
Balagan tries to pull guard but Derksen holds him up against the cage and eventually Balagan drops back down to his feet.
Derksen is leaning against Balagan and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Balagan is breathing heavily.
Derksen lands a right hand that snaps the head of Balagan backwards.
With the fighters up against the cage, Derksen throws an elbow but misses.
Derksen working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Derksen scores a nice knee to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A short left from Derksen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Derksen lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Derksen lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Balagan fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Arkady Balagan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Derksen throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Balagans head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Derksen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Balagan fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Balagan has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Derksen avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Balagan is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Derksen pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Balagan avoids the elbow strike from Derksen, against the cage.
Balagan is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Derksen to keep the fight standing.
Derksen lands an uppercut.
Derksen misses with a hook to the ribs.
Derksen lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Balagan jumps guard but Derksen turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Derksen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Balagan's defenses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balagan's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
With the fighters up against the cage, Derksen throws an elbow but misses.
Derksen lands a damaging elbow.
Still in the clinch, Derksen scores with a nice short uppercut.
Balagan is trying to drag Derksen to the mat but Derksen just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Derksen lands a nice elbow.
Derksen working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Derksen working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Derksen lands an uppercut.
Balagan takes an elbow to the forehead.
Derksen working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Derksen goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Derksen goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Derksen gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Derksen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Derksen throws an elbow that misses.
Balagan tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Derksen smiles and moves away.
Balagan blocks a jab.
Balagan shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Derksen as he jumps to the side.
Derksen leaves Balagan with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Balagan shoots in but Derksen avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Derksen has Balagan up against the cage in a clinch.
Nice elbow from Derksen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Christian Derksen dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Derksen moves into the clinch.

It looks like Arkady Balagan has been cut.
Balagan takes an elbow to the temple.
Derksen lands a nice elbow.
Derksen lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Balagan's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Derksen pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Derksen lands a good knee to the midsection. Balagan won't want to take too many of those.
Derksen lands an elbow that stopped Balagan in his tracks for a moment.
Balagan avoids the elbow strike from Derksen, against the cage.

Balagan is trying to trip Derksen. He has hold of a leg but Derksen is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Balagan persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Derksen trying to control the position.
Balagan postures up in Derksen's guard and throws a big left but Derksen blocks it.
Balagan throwing strikes but missing.
Balagan 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.
Derksen has Balagan pulled in close to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balagan trying to control the position from guard on top but Derksen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Balagan throws a strike but Derksen rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Derksen content to stall in guard here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Balagan doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Derksen holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Balagan jumps guard but Derksen stands there with Balagan around his waist. Balagan gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Balagan takes an elbow to the temple.
Balagan takes an elbow to the temple.
Derksen pushes off an throws an elbow but Balagan leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Derksen.
Derksen gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Derksen softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Derksen comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Balagan takes a shot to the head.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Derksen just misses with a elbow thrown towards Balagan's brow.
Derksen lands an elbow that stopped Balagan in his tracks for a moment.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A short uppercut from Derksen.
Derksen lands a left hand that snaps the head of Balagan backwards.
Derksen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Derksen tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Balagan is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Derksen to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Arkady Balagan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Balagan tries to pull guard but Derksen holds him up against the cage and eventually Balagan drops back down to his feet.
Derksen lands an elbow just above Balagan 's eye.
Derksen comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A left hand lands to the body for Derksen.
Balagan jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Derksen walks away with a smile on his face. Balagan gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Derksen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Balagan.
Derksen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Balagan looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Balagan darts in looking for a takedown but Derksen gets double underhooks and turns Balagan into the cage.
Balagan is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Derksen moves into the clinch.
Derksen scores with a nice hook to the head.
Derksen throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Derksen pushes Balagan back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Derksen landing knees to the body.
Derksen lands an elbow inside that Balagan shrugs off.
Derksen lands an elbow inside that Balagan shrugs off.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Derksen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Balagan's defenses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Derksen lands with a right to the head.
Still in the clinch, Derksen scores with a nice short uppercut.
Derksen lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Derksen lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Nice body punch from Derksen - that landed with a thud.
Balagan takes an elbow to the temple.

Balagan is rocked!
Balagan takes an elbow to the forehead.
Oh Balagan is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Arkady Balagan's cut is getting worse.
Derksen lands a hook to the side of the head.
Derksen gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Balagan tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Derksen just stands there and leans against the cage.
Derksen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Balagan's defenses.
Derksen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Balagan's defenses.
Nice body punch from Derksen - that landed with a thud.
Derksen works on Balagan's body with a couple of short punches.
Derksen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Balagan backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Christian Derksen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Arkady Balagan's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Balagan keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Balagan seems to have got his legs back now.
Nice jab there from Derksen.

Balagan feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Derksen wriggles free and stands up.
Balagan takes one to the side of the head.
Balagan blocks a leg kick.
Derksen punishes Balagan's body with a nice straight punch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Derksen bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Derksen lands a slapping body shot.
Derksen tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Derksen throws a wild body kick that Balagan sees coming a mile off.
Balagan will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Derksen fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Balagan.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Derksen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Balagan paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balagan avoids the body shot from Derksen.

Derksen clinches.
Derksen landing knees to the body.
Derksen digs a right hand underneath Balagan's ribcage. Balagan let out a lung full of air as it connected.
A right hook to the body lands for Derksen.
Derksen lands an elbow inside.
Derksen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Balagan backwards.
Derksen lands a damaging elbow.
Derksen comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
A short right from Derksen.
Derksen throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Balagans head.
Derksen gets through Balagan's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A short left from Derksen.
Derksen lands an elbow inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Derksen.
Nice elbow from Derksen.
Derksen pushes Balagan back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Balagan wants a takedown.
Derksen works on Balagan's body with a couple of short punches.

Derksen lands a vicious elbow to the side of Balagan's head that scrambles his senses and sends him wobbling down to the canvas! Derksen tries to finish him with strikes but Balagan still seems able to defend himself so Derksen steps back and lets Balagan get back to his feet - he wants no part of the ground game.
Derksen flashes Balagan a smile before throwing a beast of a right hand, straight down the pipe. Balagan's eyes follow the hand right onto his nose, taking in it's full glory... and then darkness. Balagan crumples to the floor! He's out cold! Derksen punches the air and yells at the top of his lungs - yeeeeeeeeeeah!!!! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:35 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Christian Derksen!
Christian Derksen is the new middleweight champion!
Christian Derksen decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.