PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steve Butabi (ranked 2453 p4p, 84 weight class) and Serj Malakian (ranked 3068 p4p, 41 weight class). Malakian has chosen System of a Down - Chop Suey as his entrance music. Serj Malakian acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Butabi
vs
Malakian

205 cm
25
290 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

182 cm
26
185 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

IniTech Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steve Butabi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Serj Malakian!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Malakian misses with a wild body shot.
Butabi connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Malakian throws a body punch but Butabi moves out of range.
Butabi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Malakian takes one on the button.
Malakian tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Butabi was well out of range. Poor timing from Malakian.

Butabi pushes Malakian up against the cage in a clinch.
Butabi stalling against the cage.
Butabi is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Butabi lands a left hand that snaps the head of Malakian backwards.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Butabi has Malakian pressed against the cage, preventing Malakian from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Butabi digs a right hand underneath Malakian's ribcage. Malakian let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Butabi leaning against his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butabi is struggling to control the position.
Butabi seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Butabi is working for takedown but Malakian is calmly controlling the position for now.
Malakian wants to break the clinch but can't.
Butabi lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Butabi breaks the clinch.
Butabi punishes Malakian's body with a nice straight punch.
Butabi connects with a single shot there.
Nice uppercut there from Butabi.

Malakian is rocked!
Butabi lands with a good body shot.
Malakian is still on wobbly legs! Can Butabi finish him?

Butabi lands a big right hand that sends Malakian crashing to the mat! Butabi stays standing though and waves Malakian back to his feet!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Malakian misses with a body kick.
Butabi tries to counter with a takedown but Malakian is quick to defend against it.
Butabi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Butabi feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Malakian sprawling to the canvas! Malakian rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Butabi finish him?!
Malakian has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.

Butabi has closed the distance and engaged Malakian in a clinch.

Butabi breaks the clinch.
Malakian throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Malakian takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Butabi, as that shot connected.

Butabi lands a big right hand that sends Malakian crashing to the mat! Butabi stays standing though and waves Malakian back to his feet!
Butabi is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Butabi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Malakian throws a right and a left that Butabi avoids nicely.
A telegraphed right hand from Butabi misses the target.
Butabi looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
A jab from Malakian misses.
Malakian seems to have recovered his senses.
Malakian lands a jab-cross combination.

It looks like Steve Butabi has been cut.
Malakian slips under a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butabi throws a shot to the body.
A left and a right from Malakian both land. Nice combination.
Butabi drops his hands momentarily and Malakian takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Malakian tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Butabi was well out of range. Poor timing from Malakian.
Butabi misses the shot to the body.
Butabi misses with a two punch combination.
A lazy left from Butabi finds it's target.
Malakian throws a nice looking combination but Butabi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Butabi is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Malakian misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Butabi.
Malakian misses with a hook to the body
and Butabi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Butabi throws a hook but Malakian avoids it easily.
Malakian unleashes a big counter combination but Butabi bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A looping hook to the body misses from Butabi. Malakian does a little dance to reset his feet.
Malakian is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Butabi with a body shot.

Butabi sends Malakian crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Butabi is motioning to the referee to let Malakian up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!
Butabi lands a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Malakian walks into a picture perfect straight right hand from Butabi! He's gone down face first to the canvas, unconscious before he even hit the floor! Ohhhh. My. Goodness! That boys and girls was a beautiful knockout! Give that man a biscuit!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:07 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Steve Butabi!
Steve Butabi managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, IniTech Nutrition , into his post fight interview.