PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Max Wallace (ranked 6262 p4p, 0 weight class) and Miko Mari (ranked 6346 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Wallace
vs
Mari

180 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

200 cm
20
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Max Wallace!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Miko Mari!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, William Gold and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mari tries to close the distance and clinch up but Wallace swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Wallace looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!

Mari closes the distance and clinches.
Wallace has Mari pressed against the cage, preventing Mari from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Mari manages to break the clinch.
Mari wants to clinch up but Wallace keeps it at a distance.
Wallace throws a quick counter kick to the body but Mari avoids it.
Mari connects with a high kick.

Mari closes the distance and clinches.

Wallace breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mari fails in his attempt to clinch.
Wallace looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Wallace moves into the clinch successfully.
The referee calls for Mari to work.
Wallace takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mari stalling against the cage.
Mari wants to get back to striking at distance but Wallace won't allow it.
Mari tries to pull guard but Wallace forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Come on Mari - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Mari gets control of Wallace's arms and successfully pulls guard. Mari will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Wallace won't allow Mari to get back to his feet.
Mari controls Wallace momentarily but Wallace frees himself.
Mari wants to stand and escape but Wallace is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Wallace decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Mari, up you get!
Wallace pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mari swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Wallace fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Mari plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Mari scores with a head kick.
Mari looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Mari throws a right and a left that Wallace avoids nicely.
Mari tries to clinch up but Wallace circles away and keeps his distance.

Wallace tries to keep at a distance but Mari has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mari working hard to break the clinch.

Mari manages to break the clinch.
Wallace circles away from the clinch attempt.
As Mari tries to get set, Wallace tries to push him back and clinch up but Mari manages to avoid the attempt.
Mari is trying hard to land a takedown here. Wallace sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Mari goes for a double leg but Wallace avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Wallace continues to drive forward.
Max Wallace has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Miko Mari.

Mari closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Mari's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Wallace tried to score with a low kick but Mari checks it.
Mari goes for a double leg but Wallace avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Wallace continues to drive forward.
Wallace drops down looking for a counter takedown but Mari sprawls and moves away.
Miko Mari seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Mari rushes Wallace and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Mari is trying to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wallace is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Mari pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Mari has Wallace pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Wallace manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Mari wants a takedown but no success here.
Wallace can't get the takedown.
Wallace stops a takedown attempt from Mari.
Mari tries to break free but Wallace pushes him back against the cage.

Wallace manages to break the clinch.
Wallace leaves Mari with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A nice inside leg kick there by Mari. That's going to slow Wallace down.
Mari shoots in looking for a takedown. Wallace tries to sprawl out of it but Mari keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Wallace manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Miko Mari dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Wallace closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Wallace looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Mari is looking to escape.
Mari trying to control but Wallace postures up.
Mari gets full guard.
Wallace might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mari wants to sweep here but Wallace controlling him for the moment.
Mari wants to stand but Wallace is controlling the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wallace won't allow Mari to sweep him here.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Mari wants to stand up but Wallace is controlling him.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Mari lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Mari moves into range and connects with a jab.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mari looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mari.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wallace looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
A cross from Mari lands.
Wallace avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
We've been told by Wallace's head coaches at Cozad MMA London that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.

Wallace fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Mari to the ground. Wallace is now in Mari's guard.
Wallace sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Mari's guard.
Wallace throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Mari wants to get back to his feet.
Wallace wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mari keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mari wants to get back to his feet.
Wallace wants to control but Mari is keeping him busy.
Wallace is looking to stall here but Mari recovers full guard.
Mari is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Mari keeping full guard, as Wallace tries to pass.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Mari throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Mari fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Wallace on the side of the head.
Mari shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Wallace but Wallace pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Mari scores with a kick to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mari gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Wallace counters with a lovely shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Miko Mari will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Mari stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Mari wants it to stay on the feet.
Wallace sets himself, and Mari steps forward looking for the clinch! Wallace avoids it this time.
Mari is looking to clinch but Wallace is avoiding it.
Mari lands a jab to the nose.
A good leg kick by Mari.
Mari lands a nice shot to the body.
Mari tries to clinch up but Wallace circles away and keeps his distance.
Mari shoots in for a double leg but Wallace sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mari cracks Wallace with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Max Wallace is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Wallace avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice cross by Mari.
Mari looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mari tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Wallace manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mari dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Wallace keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Max Wallace has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Miko Mari.
Wallace avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mari looks for a takedown but Wallace sprawls well.

Wallace feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Wallace controlling from the top position.
Wallace throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wallace is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Mari is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Mari bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Wallace's guard.

Mari must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Wallace looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mari trying to control the position from guard on top but Wallace is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mari pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Wallace is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wallace is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mari is controlling him.
Mari won't allow Wallace to sweep him here.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Mari gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Mari throws a series of punches but Wallace moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Mari is trying hard to land a takedown here. Wallace sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Mari tries to clinch but Wallace is having none of it.
Mari fails to land the takedown.
Wallace dives in for a single leg takedown but Mari sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Wallace stuffs the takedown.
Wallace throws a big counter combination but Mari scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Mari tries to clinch but Wallace is having none of it.
Wallace dives in and grabs Mari's left leg, looking for a takedown. Mari pushes down on Wallace's head and hops out.
Mari looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Mari moves in looking to clinch but Wallace pushes him off.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mari misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Max Wallace has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Miko Mari is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Mari shoots in for a takedown but Wallace shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Miko Mari.
I've got Mari winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 James Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Miko Mari!