PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rasul Mirzaev (ranked 2574 p4p, 269 weight class) and Gray Maynard (ranked 2035 p4p, 218 weight class). Mirzaev comes to the cage accompanied by Natalie La Rose - Somebody ft. Jeremih. Rasul Mirzaev has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mirzaev
vs
Maynard

170 cm
28
157 lbs
14 - 10 - 0

173 cm
34
155 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Mockstar Energy Drinks 160Q
Sportivité

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 14 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rasul Mirzaev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Gray Maynard !
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Gregory Folan and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mirzaev lands a head shot.
Maynard thumps Mirzaev with a low kick.
Mirzaev wants to land a leg kick but Maynard is out of range.
Mirzaev tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Maynard was well out of range. Poor timing from Mirzaev.
Mirzaev drops his hands momentarily and Maynard takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
A telegraphed right hand from Mirzaev misses the target.
Mirzaev throws a nice outside leg kick.
Mirzaev throws the left hand but Maynard avoids the punch easily.
Decent striking displayed by Maynard there.
Mirzaev fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mirzaev bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Maynard 's head backwards.
A big left from Mirzaev misses.
Maynard takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Maynard goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Mirzaev tries to sprawl but Maynard drives through with a takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Maynard throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Maynard drops an elbow to the side of Mirzaev's head.
Mirzaev is not content to let Maynard control the position.
Mirzaev is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mirzaev on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Mirzaev is staying active underneath Maynard , who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Maynard stalling away here and it's allowed Mirzaev to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Mirzaev is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Maynard is controlling him.
Maynard working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Maynard trying to control but Mirzaev is working from the bottom.
Maynard in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Maynard controls from within his opponent's guard.
Maynard postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maynard throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Maynard wants to control from the top but Mirzaev keeps moving.
Maynard working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Maynard works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Mirzaev wants to get back to his feet.
Maynard working Mirzaev over with strikes.
Mirzaev has hold of Maynard 's hands but Maynard slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Maynard has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Maynard prevents Mirzaev from standing back up.
Maynard takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Mirzaev wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maynard working over Mirzaev with some ground and pound. Mirzaev looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maynard thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mirzaev's head.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Maynard lands a nice short elbow.
Maynard throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Maynard not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Maynard slips a nice elbow through Mirzaev's hands, connecting with Mirzaev's forehead.
Maynard working over Mirzaev with some ground and pound. Mirzaev looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Maynard is keen to just control but Mirzaev is a slippery customer.
Maynard looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Mirzaev is staying active underneath Maynard , who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Maynard throwing shots but Mirzaev is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mirzaev keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Maynard missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Maynard is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maynard thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Mirzaev taking some punishment here, with Maynard in his half guard.
Mirzaev looks like he's trying to stand up.
Maynard working over Mirzaev with some ground and pound. Mirzaev looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Maynard is pressing down on Mirzaev's thigh, looking to free his foot. Mirzaev is holding on for now.
Mirzaev has hold of Maynard 's hands but Maynard slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Maynard throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gray Maynard dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Mirzaev connects with a nice looking jab.
Mirzaev rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Maynard counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Maynard will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rasul Mirzaev is winning the standup battle so far.
Maynard smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Maynard fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Mirzaev.
Maynard lands with a thumping leg kick.
Rasul Mirzaev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mirzaev scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Mirzaev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Maynard swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Mirzaev clinches with his opponent.
A hook to the body from Maynard .
Maynard tries to work over Mirzaev's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Maynard is looking for a takedown.
Mirzaev blocks a body shot from Maynard .
Mirzaev wants to break the clinch but can't.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Maynard .
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mirzaev has had enough of the clinch but Maynard keeps him there for the moment.
Mirzaev blocks an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maynard tries to throw a body punch but Mirzaev avoids it by throwing Maynard back against the cage.
A short uppercut from Maynard .
Mirzaev gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Maynard .
Maynard keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Mirzaev's efforts to push away.
Mirzaev is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Mirzaev struggles to land a body shot inside as Maynard controls his hands.
A frustrated look appears on Mirzaev's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Mirzaev misses with a short punch on the inside.
Maynard has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Maynard goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A head punch on the inside from Maynard fails to land.
A nice right hand lands inside from Maynard .
Maynard lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Maynard prevents Mirzaev from breaking the clinch.
Mirzaev prevents a body shot from Maynard .
A nice left hand lands by Maynard .

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maynard 's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Mirzaev manages to break the clinch.
Maynard throws a leg kick which misses Mirzaev's front leg but catches the back leg as Mirzaev tries to avoid it.
Maynard avoids a punch combination nicely.
Maynard misses with a low kick.
Mirzaev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Maynard !
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mirzaev fails with an attempt to clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Maynard . Mirzaev does a little dance to reset his feet.
Maynard tries to land a leg kick but Mirzaev saw it coming and moves away.
A leg kick checked by Maynard .
Maynard appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Mirzaev wants to clinch up but Maynard keeps it at a distance.
Maynard comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Mirzaev wants to clinch.
Maynard circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maynard throws a low kick but Mirzaev avoids it.
Maynard scores with a crisp jab that stopped Mirzaev in his tracks.
A slow jab from Mirzaev misses its intended target.
Maynard digs a good hook to Mirzaev's body.
Maynard lands a nice shot to the body.
Mirzaev displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Mirzaev looks to score with a jab to the body but Maynard is just out of range.
Maynard takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Mirzaev tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Maynard manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mirzaev pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Rasul Mirzaev is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Maynard throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mirzaev swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
It seemed like Maynard was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Mirzaev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Maynard swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maynard throws a big shot that misses.
Maynard slips under a jab from Mirzaev.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mirzaev scores with a crisp jab that stopped Maynard in his tracks.

Maynard is rocked!
Maynard throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maynard drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Maynard is still on wobbly legs! Can Mirzaev finish him?
Maynard throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Mirzaev stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Maynard connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Maynard misses with a kick to the body.
Maynard seems to have recovered his senses.
A big right from Mirzaev misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Mirzaev misses the target.
Mirzaev uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Maynard .
Maynard uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Mirzaev.
Mirzaev stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Maynard .
Mirzaev avoids the head kick by Maynard .
Mirzaev throws a leg kick that misses.
A chopping leg kick lands by Maynard .
Maynard lands a nice looking body kick.
Mirzaev uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Maynard .
Maynard lands with an uppercut that bounces Mirzaev off the cage and back into range.
Mirzaev throws a hook but Maynard blocks it.
Maynard moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Maynard takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gray Maynard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

A slow jab from Maynard misses its intended target.
Mirzaev misses with a hook.
Maynard tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mirzaev closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Mirzaev throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Nice jab there from Maynard .
Mirzaev misses with an uppercut
and Maynard counters with a nice uppercut.
A looping hook to the body misses from Maynard . Mirzaev does a little dance to reset his feet.
An inside leg kick lands from Mirzaev.
Mirzaev wants to clinch but Maynard slips to the side
and Maynard counters with a straight right hand.
Mirzaev throws a series of punches but Maynard avoids them all with ease.
Maynard is looking to slow Mirzaev down with leg kicks.
Mirzaev looks to land a right hand but Maynard moved out of range.
Mirzaev doesn't manage to clinch there - Maynard circles away.
Maynard with a hook.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maynard displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Mirzaev throws out the jab.
Maynard lands a nice leg kick that just misses Mirzaev's sensitive parts.
Mirzaev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mirzaev throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mirzaev wants to clinch.
Maynard throws a nice outside leg kick.
Maynard scores with a jab to the jaw.
Mirzaev gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Mirzaev has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Maynard .
Maynard works the jab nicely.
Maynard lands with a straight right. Mirzaev didn't see that one coming.
Mirzaev tries to clinch up.
Maynard takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Good shot there by Mirzaev.
A head kick misses from Maynard .

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Mirzaev, as that shot connected.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Maynard throws a jab but it's blocked by Mirzaev.
Mirzaev moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Mirzaev is looking to clinch.
Maynard scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Mirzaev doesn't seem bothered though.
Mirzaev tries to clinch but Maynard is having none of it.
Maynard slips under a jab.
Maynard keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mirzaev.
Maynard misses with a head kick.
A decent looking cross lands there for Maynard .
Mirzaev takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Mirzaev is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Mirzaev loads up on a big right hand but Maynard slips the punch.
Mirzaev scores with a decent looking hook.
Mirzaev blocks a jab.
Mirzaev throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Maynard counters with a straight right hand.
Maynard lands a body shot.
Maynard lands with a good body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maynard avoids a kick to the body.
Maynard doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Maynard connects with a solid leg kick.
Some wild striking there from Mirzaev.
Mirzaev doesn't manage to clinch there - Maynard circles away.
Maynard digs a good hook to Mirzaev's body.
Maynard scores with a leg kick.
Both fighters circling a little - Maynard finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Maynard takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Maynard cracks Mirzaev with a right hand to the side of the head.
Maynard slips a jab and a cross from Mirzaev.
Mirzaev looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

Mirzaev closes the distance and clinches.
Maynard lands a hook to the side of the head.
Mirzaev wants to break the clinch but can't.
Maynard blocking some punches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maynard makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Maynard working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maynard lands a nice uppercut.
Maynard blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Mirzaev wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Maynard lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Mirzaev misses with the head strike.
Maynard gets through Mirzaev's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Maynard blocks an uppercut.
Maynard doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Maynard gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Maynard is keen to just control but Mirzaev is a slippery customer.
Maynard prevents Mirzaev from standing back up.
Maynard trying to control from half guard but Mirzaev is working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mirzaev avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Maynard .
Rasul Mirzaev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Maynard trying to mount his opponent but Mirzaev defends it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gray Maynard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Maynard has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gray Maynard !
A very excited looking Gray Maynard made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.