PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cristobal Balenciaga (ranked 5572 p4p, 560 weight class) and Steve McNights (ranked 7085 p4p, 609 weight class). Steve McNights struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 187.9lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Cristobal Balenciaga has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Balenciaga
vs
McNights

183 cm
18
186 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Can Moonwalk

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cristobal Balenciaga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Steve McNights!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Sergei Dronov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balenciaga throws a shot from downtown. McNights moves away and avoids it.
Cristobal Balenciaga seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McNights looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
McNights avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Balenciaga throws a series of punches but McNights avoids them all with ease.
Balenciaga sets himself, and McNights steps forward looking for the clinch! Balenciaga avoids it this time.
Balenciaga missing with a left hand there. McNights was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
McNights slips under a jab.
Balenciaga misses with a hook.
Balenciaga looks to land a right hand but McNights moved out of range.
Balenciaga throws a series of punches but McNights moves out of range.
Balenciaga swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
McNights is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Balenciaga misses with a straight right.
McNights wants to counter the offense by Balenciaga and move into the clinch position.
Balenciaga misses with a looping right.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balenciaga misses with a straight left.
McNights wants to counter the offense by Balenciaga and move into the clinch position.
Balenciaga swings widly with a right hand

and McNights moves into the clinch.
McNights blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

McNights breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Balenciaga throws an overhand right that lands on McNights's shoulder, as McNights tries to avoid the shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balenciaga jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Balenciaga misses with a straight right.
Balenciaga throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
McNights is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
McNights is looking to clinch but Balenciaga is avoiding it.
Cristobal Balenciaga is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Balenciaga fakes high and swings low for a body shot but McNights manages to avoid it.
Balenciaga thows a left - swing and a miss!
McNights slips a straight right by Balenciaga.
McNights tries to work over Balenciaga's front leg with a kick but Balenciaga checks it.
A punch combination from Balenciaga misses.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Balenciaga.
McNights uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Balenciaga.
McNights throws a fast counter high kick but Balenciaga manages to duck under it in time.
Balenciaga looks to land a left hand but McNights moved out of range nicely.
McNights avoids the body shot from Balenciaga.
Balenciaga throws out a loose jab but McNights uses good head movement to avoid it.
Balenciaga fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balenciaga with a nice cross.
The fighters circling - Balenciaga throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Nice defenses there by McNights.
McNights doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Balenciaga missing with a left hand there. McNights was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
McNights is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Balenciaga just misses with a punch to the body.
A slow jab from Balenciaga misses its intended target.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
McNights blocks a jab.
Balenciaga fakes high and swings low for a body shot but McNights manages to avoid it.
McNights is looking for the big counter here.
McNights looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
McNights moves away from the strike by Balenciaga.
Balenciaga loads up on a big right hand but McNights slips the punch.
Balenciaga throws a looping overhand right but McNights ducks down to avoid it.
Balenciaga is really struggling to find his range with his punches. McNights's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Balenciaga just misses with a punch to the body.
Balenciaga takes a swing at McNights's ribcage but misses.
McNights tries to counter by closing the distance.
Balenciaga throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McNights staying out of range there.
McNights tries to clinch up.
Balenciaga thows a left - swing and a miss!
No joy there for Balenciaga, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A big left from Balenciaga misses.
McNights pulls out of a head kick attempt.
McNights uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Balenciaga.
McNights is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
McNights dodges the punch combination from Balenciaga.
McNights avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Nice defenses there by McNights.
McNights throws a counter combo.
Balenciaga throws a shot from downtown. McNights moves away and avoids it.
McNights takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Balenciaga throws a big shot that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McNights displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Balenciaga throws out the jab.
A big right from Balenciaga misses.
Balenciaga throws a lazy right hand but McNights sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Balenciaga clobbers McNights with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
McNights showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Balenciaga.
McNights with the counter takedown but Balenciaga avoids it easily.
Balenciaga throws a hook to the side of McNights's head but McNights sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Balenciaga throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Balenciaga throws a hook but McNights avoids it easily.
Balenciaga throws a looping overhand right but McNights ducks down to avoid it.
Balenciaga misses with a few strikes there.
Balenciaga pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Balenciaga missing with a left hand there. McNights was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
McNights shapes to counter with a head kick.
Balenciaga throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cristobal Balenciaga dominated that round.
That's time! Balenciaga's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

McNights takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
The fight stays on the outside here - McNights looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Balenciaga swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Balenciaga waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract McNights.
Balenciaga throws a combination. McNights tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
McNights steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Balenciaga.
Balenciaga takes a swing at McNights's ribcage but misses.
Balenciaga loads up on a big right hand but McNights slips the punch.
McNights throws a nice looking combination but Balenciaga bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balenciaga misses with a looping left.
Steve McNights is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Balenciaga throws a body shot but no joy.
Balenciaga throws a looping overhand right but McNights ducks down to avoid it.
Balenciaga backing away here, and McNights unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
McNights steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Balenciaga.
Balenciaga throws a looping overhand right but McNights ducks down to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balenciaga throws a hook but McNights blocks it.
McNights drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Balenciaga defends it well.
McNights is breathing heavily.
Balenciaga looks to throw the jab but McNights is out of range.
Balenciaga misses with a wild combination.
Balenciaga throws a combination but it was largely blocked by McNights.
Balenciaga throws the left hand but McNights avoids the punch easily.
McNights defending well as Balenciaga loads up on a big left hand.
A swing and a miss from Balenciaga.
McNights steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Balenciaga.
McNights wants to counter with a clinch but Balenciaga pushes him away.
McNights staying out of range there.
Balenciaga throws a hook to the side of McNights's head but McNights sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
McNights moves out of range of the strikes.
Balenciaga misses with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balenciaga misses with an uppercut. McNights saw that one coming.
Balenciaga misses with a hook. McNights ducked under it nicely.
Balenciaga misses with a wild body shot.
Balenciaga misses with an uppercut. McNights saw that one coming.
McNights is looking for the big counter here.
Nice defenses there by McNights.
Balenciaga misses with an uppercut. McNights saw that one coming.
McNights uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Balenciaga.
Balenciaga throws an overhand right that lands on McNights's shoulder, as McNights tries to avoid the shot.
Balenciaga misses with an uppercut.
Cristobal Balenciaga is winning the standup battle so far.
McNights keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Balenciaga.
McNights avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Balenciaga misses with a hook. McNights ducked under it nicely.
Balenciaga throws out a loose jab but McNights uses good head movement to avoid it.
Balenciaga misses with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balenciaga throws a looping overhand right but McNights ducks down to avoid it.
Balenciaga misses with a wild body shot.
Balenciaga misses with a hook. McNights ducked under it nicely.
Balenciaga loads up on a big right hand but McNights slips the punch.
Balenciaga misses with a hook. McNights ducked under it nicely.
McNights unleashes a big counter combination but Balenciaga bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Balenciaga misses with a straight left.
McNights ducks under a wild hook from Balenciaga.
McNights is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Balenciaga misses with a wild body shot.
Balenciaga lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but McNights circles away quickly and effectively.
Balenciaga throws a hook but McNights blocks it.
Balenciaga swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Balenciaga swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
McNights wants to counter the offense by Balenciaga and move into the clinch position.
Balenciaga throws a hook but McNights avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McNights avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
McNights is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Balenciaga throws a looping overhand right but McNights ducks down to avoid it.
The fighters circling - Balenciaga throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Balenciaga throws a series of punches but McNights moves out of range.
Balenciaga misses with a straight right.
Balenciaga thows a left - swing and a miss!
Balenciaga misses the shot to the body.
McNights uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Balenciaga.
Balenciaga scores with the left hand. McNights knows he should have avoided that one.
Balenciaga misses with a hook.
McNights ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
McNights throws a counter combo.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Balenciaga lands with a hook. McNights tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
McNights uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Balenciaga.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cristobal Balenciaga dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Balenciaga!
A jab from Balenciaga misses.
McNights staying out of range there.
Balenciaga misses the jab.
McNights slips a straight right by Balenciaga.
Balenciaga misses the shot to the body.
Balenciaga is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Balenciaga fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Balenciaga throws a body punch but McNights moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - McNights looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balenciaga throws a jab when McNights was well out of range.
Balenciaga misses with a body shot.
McNights takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
McNights moves out of range as Balenciaga strikes.
McNights is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
McNights uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Balenciaga.
McNights is looking for the big counter here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balenciaga looks to land a left hand but McNights moved out of range nicely.
McNights displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Balenciaga throws out the jab.
Balenciaga misses with a looping left.
Balenciaga ducks down and throws a hook to the body but McNights moves away.
McNights steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Balenciaga.
Balenciaga misses with an uppercut. McNights saw that one coming.
McNights slips under a jab from Balenciaga.
Balenciaga throws an overhand right that lands on McNights's shoulder, as McNights tries to avoid the shot.
Balenciaga misses with an uppercut. McNights saw that one coming.
McNights uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Balenciaga.
Balenciaga is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by McNights.
Balenciaga throws a hook but McNights avoids it easily.
McNights avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balenciaga lands a jab.
Balenciaga misses with a looping right.
Balenciaga throws an uppercut from half a mile away. McNights sees it coming and avoids it easily.
McNights is looking for the big counter here.
Balenciaga with a jab.
McNights uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Balenciaga.
Balenciaga missing with a left hand there. McNights was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Balenciaga throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Balenciaga misses with a double jab.
McNights with the counter takedown but Balenciaga avoids it easily.
Balenciaga swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Balenciaga throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Balenciaga throws a big shot that misses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Balenciaga misses with a two punch combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balenciaga throws a hook to the side of McNights's head but McNights sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Nice defenses there by McNights.
Balenciaga looks to land a right hand but McNights moved out of range.
Balenciaga loads up on a big right hand but McNights slips the punch.
Balenciaga throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Balenciaga throws a lazy right hand but McNights sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
McNights displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Balenciaga throws out the jab.
Cristobal Balenciaga is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Balenciaga misses with a looping right.
Balenciaga misses with an uppercut. McNights saw that one coming.
McNights is looking for the big counter here.
Balenciaga looks to land a combination but McNights avoids it well.
Balenciaga swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A big left from Balenciaga misses.
Balenciaga loads up on a big right hand but McNights slips the punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balenciaga misses the shot to the body.
Balenciaga cracks McNights with an open hand slap.
Balenciaga misses with a hook.
Balenciaga misses with a wild body shot.
McNights tries to clinch but Balenciaga is having none of it.
The fighters circling - Balenciaga throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
McNights moves out of range as Balenciaga strikes.
McNights wants to counter with a clinch but Balenciaga pushes him away.
Balenciaga throws a body punch but McNights moves out of range.
Balenciaga is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that McNights can do to turn this around?
McNights defending well as Balenciaga loads up on a big left hand.
Balenciaga throws a body punch but McNights moves out of range.
McNights is looking for the big counter here.
Balenciaga pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Steve McNights has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Balenciaga misses with a looping left.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cristobal Balenciaga showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Balenciaga, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:24
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:24
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:24

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cristobal Balenciaga!
Cristobal Balenciaga spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.