PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Shock Linewood (ranked 2441 p4p, 292 weight class) and Aleksandr Sinytsyn (ranked 3136 p4p, 353 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Linewood
vs
Sinytsyn

185 cm
25
201 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

187 cm
31
195 lbs
11 - 10 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Shock Linewood!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 10 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aleksandr Sinytsyn!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Tiny Johnson and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sinytsyn throws a lazy right hand but Linewood sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Sinytsyn moves into the clinch.
A left hand lands to the body for Linewood.
Linewood changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Sinytsyn fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Sinytsyn fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Linewood is out of range.
Linewood throws a quick counter kick to the body but Sinytsyn avoids it.
Sinytsyn throws a body punch but Linewood moves out of range.
Linewood looks to land a left hand but Sinytsyn moved out of range nicely.
Linewood dodges the punch combination from Sinytsyn.
Sinytsyn misses with a hook. Linewood ducked under it nicely.
Linewood throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Linewood missing with a left hand there. Sinytsyn was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Linewood feints and then cracks Sinytsyn's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Sinytsyn down.
Linewood fails in his attempt to clinch.
Linewood wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Linewood misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sinytsyn dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Linewood tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sinytsyn scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Sinytsyn connects with a crisp jab.
Aleksandr Sinytsyn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Linewood lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Sinytsyn misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sinytsyn checks a leg kick.
Linewood looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Sinytsyn fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Linewood manages to avoid it.
Sinytsyn moves in looking to clinch but Linewood pushes him off.
Linewood is looking to counter with head kicks.
A left lands for Linewood.
Sinytsyn is looking to slow Linewood down with leg kicks.
Linewood connects with a right hand. Sinytsyn shakes it off.
Sinytsyn just misses with a punch to the body.
Sinytsyn is looking to clinch but Linewood is avoiding it.
It looked like Linewood wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Linewood scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Linewood misses with a leg kick
letting Sinytsyn counter with a right hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Linewood throws a solid leg kick but Sinytsyn takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Linewood.
Sinytsyn throws a right and a left that Linewood avoids nicely.
Sinytsyn throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sinytsyn throws a hook to the side of Linewood's head but Linewood sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Linewood keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sinytsyn lands a body shot.
Linewood missing with a left hand there. Sinytsyn was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Linewood takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Sinytsyn misses with a straight left.
Sinytsyn scores with a jab to the jaw.
Linewood throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sinytsyn chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Linewood can pounce on him.
Linewood throws a nice inside leg kick.
Linewood throws an overhand right that lands on Sinytsyn's shoulder, as Sinytsyn tries to avoid the shot.
Linewood moves out of range of the body kick.
Sinytsyn slips a jab and a cross from Linewood.
Linewood throws a sloppy body shot
and Sinytsyn counters with a left to the body.
Sinytsyn throws a wild body kick that Linewood sees coming a mile off.
Linewood moves forwards but Sinytsyn connects with a nice, crisp jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Linewood moves out of range of the leg kick from Sinytsyn.
An attempted straight right counter from Linewood misses the target.
Sinytsyn is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Linewood rather than just go for the knockout.
The fighters circling - Sinytsyn throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Linewood was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Sinytsyn takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Linewood throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Linewood looks to score with a jab to the body but Sinytsyn is just out of range.
Sinytsyn dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Linewood throws a front kick that sends Sinytsyn stumbling back into the cage.
Sinytsyn swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nice defenses there by Linewood.
Sinytsyn tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Linewood was well out of range. Poor timing from Sinytsyn.
Linewood is looking to land body kicks.
A bone on bone clash there as Sinytsyn blocks the leg kick.
Sinytsyn misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Linewood.
Linewood throws a nice inside leg kick.
Sinytsyn lands with a straight right. Linewood didn't see that one coming.
Linewood looks to score with a jab to the body but Sinytsyn is just out of range.
Sinytsyn moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sinytsyn swings for the body but Linewood moves out of range.
Linewood keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sinytsyn.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sinytsyn goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Sinytsyn's coach down at St Petersburg MMA Gym was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Sinytsyn's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Sinytsyn blocks a jab.
A big right from Sinytsyn misses.
Nice defenses there by Linewood.
Linewood pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Linewood blocks a low kick nicely.
A shot to the liver by Sinytsyn. Beautiful body shot.
Sinytsyn tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Linewood manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
An attempted straight right counter from Linewood misses the target.

Sinytsyn has Linewood up against the cage in a clinch.
Linewood swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Linewood tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sinytsyn smiles and moves away.

Sinytsyn pushes Linewood up against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksandr Sinytsyn dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Sinytsyn throws a right and a left that both miss.
Linewood throws a wild body kick that Sinytsyn sees coming a mile off.
Nice straight punches there by Sinytsyn. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Sinytsyn.
Linewood ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

Sinytsyn moves into the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Linewood - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Sinytsyn tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Linewood's elbow.
A short right from Sinytsyn.
Sinytsyn can't find room to land a body shot as Linewood controls the action.
Linewood prevents a body shot from Sinytsyn.
Linewood is working Sinytsyn over against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sinytsyn's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Linewood blocks a body shot from Sinytsyn.
Linewood jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Sinytsyn walks away with a smile on his face. Linewood gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Linewood bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Sinytsyn tries to close the distance and clinch but Linewood swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Linewood throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Linewood defending well as Sinytsyn loads up on a big left hand.
Linewood throws a hook but Sinytsyn avoids it easily.
Linewood is looking to clinch.
Sinytsyn lands a really nice looking cross but Linewood seems unphased.
Linewood throws a looping overhand right but Sinytsyn ducks down to avoid it.
Linewood throws a big shot that misses.
Sinytsyn avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sinytsyn scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Sinytsyn with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Linewood to score with a decent uppercut.

Linewood gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Sinytsyn is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Linewood is defending well for now.
Sinytsyn using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Linewood has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Linewood throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Sinytsyns head.
Sinytsyn lands a nice elbow.
Sinytsyn is trying to break free.
A head punch on the inside from Sinytsyn fails to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Linewood scores with a shoulder strike.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Linewood prevents a body shot from Sinytsyn.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Linewood.
Sinytsyn tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Linewood's elbow.
Sinytsyn throws an elbow but it misses.
A left hand lands to the body for Linewood.
Sinytsyn pushes off an throws an elbow but Linewood leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Linewood trying to control the position but instead, Sinytsyn has worked for underhooks and has pushed Linewood into the cage.
Sinytsyn prevents a body shot from Linewood.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Linewood avoiding damage.
Linewood takes an elbow to the temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Linewood letting Sinytsyn take a breather here.
Sinytsyn missing with knees to the body.
A right hand to the body from Sinytsyn.
Stalling in the clinch from Linewood.
Linewood working aggressively here.
Sinytsyn with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Sinytsyn landing knees to the head.
Sinytsyn lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Linewood.
Sinytsyn trying to land knees to the body.

Sinytsyn breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Linewood drops his hands momentarily and Sinytsyn takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Sinytsyn keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Linewood.
A head kick misses from Linewood.
Sinytsyn wants to counter the offense by Linewood and move into the clinch position.
Sinytsyn throws a nice outside leg kick.
Sinytsyn misses with an uppercut. Linewood saw that one coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sinytsyn misses with a shot to the body
and Linewood counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sinytsyn throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sinytsyn lands a front kick.
Aleksandr Sinytsyn seems to be getting the better of the standup.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sinytsyn throws a big shot that misses.
Sinytsyn misses with a straight left.
Linewood slips a jab from Sinytsyn.
Sinytsyn has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Linewood finds it's way round the side to connect with Sinytsyn's head.
Good exchange - Linewood coming out on top.
Sinytsyn lunges at Linewood with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Linewood's hand.
Linewood throws a nice head kick!
Sinytsyn throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Linewood appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Linewood blocks a leg kick.
Linewood missing with a left hand there. Sinytsyn was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sinytsyn will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Linewood throws a good cross that connects.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Aleksandr Sinytsyn will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Linewood stuns Sinytsyn with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Linewood works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Linewood lands a glancing blow to the side of Sinytsyn's head.
Sinytsyn displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Linewood throws out the jab.
A little jabbing left from Sinytsyn on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Sinytsyn ducks under a wild hook from Linewood.
Sinytsyn gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Linewood counters with a low kick, right behind Sinytsyn 's knee.
Linewood misses the shot to the body.
Linewood staying out of range there.
Sinytsyn blocks a jab.
Sinytsyn keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Linewood walks into a stiff left hand from Sinytsyn.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Linewood goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Linewood misses with an uppercut.
Good shot there by Linewood.
Sinytsyn tries to close the distance and clinch but Linewood swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sinytsyn just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromLinewood.
Linewood throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sinytsyn throws a head kick that half lands.
Linewood connects with a body shot.
A bone on bone clash there as Sinytsyn blocks the leg kick.
Sinytsyn checks the leg kick nicely there.
Some wild striking there from Sinytsyn.
Sinytsyn swings for the body but Linewood moves out of range.
Linewood wants to land a leg kick but Sinytsyn is out of range.
Sinytsyn looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Linewood uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sinytsyn.
Sinytsyn throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Linewood stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Sinytsyn lands with a good body shot.
Sinytsyn scores with a hook to the body. Linewood takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Sinytsyn moves out of range of the strikes.
Sinytsyn tries to close the distance and clinch but Linewood swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sinytsyn dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Good shot there by Linewood.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Good exchange - Sinytsyn coming out on top.
Linewood keeps the fight on the outside.

Sinytsyn instigates a clinch.
Sinytsyn blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Linewood jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Sinytsyn walks away with a smile on his face. Linewood gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
The fighters circling - Sinytsyn throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Linewood is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Linewood stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Sinytsyn.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sinytsyn looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A combination from Linewood does no damage.
Linewood misses with a straight right.
Nice defenses there by Sinytsyn.
Sinytsyn lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Sinytsyn fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Linewood manages to avoid it.
Sinytsyn fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Linewood manages to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Linewood misses the target.
Linewood throws a leg kick
and Sinytsyn counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Sinytsyn displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Sinytsyn bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Linewood's head.
Linewood changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Linewood misses with a low kick.
Sinytsyn displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Linewood throws out the jab.
Linewood pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sinytsyn is looking for the big counter here.
Linewood lands a jab to the nose.
Linewood moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Linewood throws a combination. Sinytsyn tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
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!
Linewood takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Linewood misses with a looping right.
Sinytsyn takes a swing at Linewood's ribcage but misses.
Linewood scores with a hook.
Aleksandr Sinytsyn is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Linewood throws a leg kick
and Sinytsyn counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Linewood thinking.
Sinytsyn misses with a looping left.
Sinytsyn connects with a body shot.
Linewood lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Shock Linewood has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sinytsyn feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Linewood's calf.
Sinytsyn defending well as Linewood loads up on a big left hand.
Linewood turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Sinytsyn just misses with a punch to the body.
Linewood throws a shot from downtown. Sinytsyn moves away and avoids it.
Sinytsyn wants to clinch up but Linewood keeps it at a distance.
Linewood is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Sinytsyn.
A lazy left from Sinytsyn finds it's target.
A low kick from Linewood misses
and Sinytsyn counters with a straight right hand.
Sinytsyn shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sinytsyn takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Shock Linewood.
Well Sinytsyn 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aleksandr Sinytsyn!
During a confident post fight interview, Aleksandr Sinytsyn thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.