PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Artem Irhin (ranked 2841 p4p, 358 weight class) and Marian Balkon (ranked 3390 p4p, 406 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Irhin
vs
Balkon

180 cm
32
191 lbs
12 - 12 - 0

184 cm
31
191 lbs
15 - 13 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

King of Clothes

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Artem Irhin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 13 - 0, fighting out of New York, Marian Balkon!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Aleksandr Martynov and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balkon misses with a straight left.
It looked like Irhin wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Balkon misses with a leg kick.
Irhin is looking to counter punch.
Balkon throws a right hand that misses
and Irhin counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Irhin misses with a hook.
Irhin lands a jab.
Balkon swinging wildly here.
Balkon misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Irhin.
Irhin was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Balkon tries to clinch but Irhin is having none of it.
Balkon misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
It looked like Irhin wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balkon throws a shot from downtown. Irhin moves away and avoids it.
Irhin slips a jab from Balkon.
We've been told by Irhin's head coaches at Samran Muay Thai that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Balkon misses with an uppercut.
Irhin avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A little feinted left hand from Irhin on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Balkon throws a jab when Irhin was well out of range.
Irhin is looking for a counter combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Irhin finds it's way through Balkon's defenses.

It looks like Marian Balkon has been cut.
Jab, jab by Balkon - just one landing.
Balkon throws a lazy uppercut
and Irhin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Irhin misses with an uppercut
and Balkon counters with a right hand to the body.
Irhin looks to throw the jab but Balkon is out of range.
Balkon scores with a head kick.

Balkon rushes Irhin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Balkon goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Balkon blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A short body shot lands from Irhin as the two fighters clinch.
Irhin gets through Balkon's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Irhin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Irhin staying out of range there.
Irhin looks to score with a jab to the body but Balkon is just out of range.
Balkon cracks Irhin with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the liver by Balkon. Beautiful body shot.
Balkon loads up on a big right hand but Irhin slips the punch.
Irhin was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Balkon lands a jab to the nose.
Irhin takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Balkon misses with a hook
and Irhin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Marian Balkon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice uppercut there from Balkon.
Balkon misses with a hook to the body
and Irhin counters with a nice uppercut.
Irhin needs to keep his hands up - Balkon had a free shot at his head there.
Balkon misses with an uppercut.
Irhin throws a lazy right hand but Balkon sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Balkon tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Irhin makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Balkon lands with an overhand left.
Balkon throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irhin slips a jab and a cross from Balkon.
Balkon wants to clinch
and Irhin counters with a straight right hand.
Balkon misses with a right hand
and Irhin counters with a straight right hand.
Irhin takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Balkon might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Balkon throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A little feinted left hand from Irhin on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Balkon throws a poor cross that misses
letting Irhin counter with a right hand.
Balkon misses with a body shot.
Balkon uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Irhin.
Balkon connects with a single shot there.
Balkon throws a sloppy head kick
and Irhin counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Irhin misses with a straight left.
Irhin throws a right hand that Balkon ducks under and follows up with a left that Balkon also avoids with ease.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Balkon scores with a crisp jab that stopped Irhin in his tracks.
Balkon scores with a one two! Irhin had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Irhin is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Balkon looks to throw the jab but Irhin is out of range.
Balkon throws a body shot but no joy.
A counter left hand to the body from Irhin misses its target.
Balkon getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
A telegraphed right hand from Balkon misses the target.
Irhin throwing a counter right hand but Balkon manages to avoid it.
Irhin misses with a body shot.
Balkon misses with a wild body shot.
Irhin slips under a jab.
Balkon keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Balkon moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Irhin scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Balkon doesn't seem bothered though.
A combination from Balkon does no damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marian Balkon dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Marian Balkon's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Irhin slips under a jab from Balkon.
Irhin throws a right and a left that Balkon avoids nicely.
Balkon misses with a looping right.
Balkon swings widly with a right hand
and Irhin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Balkon's jab looks to have found its range, popping Irhin under the eye.
Balkon lands a jab to the head.
Balkon fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Irhin on the side of the head.
The fighters circle momentarily. Balkon darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Balkon throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Irhin is rocked!
Marian Balkon seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Irhin gets clipped by a big right hand and goes down spinning to the canvas! Balkon gets the back mount and begins to drop bombs on his rocked foe! Irhin is too out of it to defend against the strikes and the referee jumps in to save him from the beatdown!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:48 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Marian Balkon!
After winning the bout, Marian Balkon thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.