PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ruslan Danilov (ranked 2509 p4p, 283 weight class) and Jhin Markell (ranked 919 p4p, 121 weight class). Jhin Markell is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Danilov
vs
Markell

185 cm
22
180 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

182 cm
31
182 lbs
15 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ruslan Danilov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jhin Markell!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Danilov dodges the punch combination from Markell.
Markell displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Danilov throws out the jab.
Danilov throws out a loose jab but Markell uses good head movement to avoid it.
Markell throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Danilov finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Markell shoots for a takedown but Danilov saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Danilov throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Danilov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Danilov has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Danilov throws a quick inside leg kick.
Markell throws a body punch but Danilov moves out of range.
Danilov lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Danilov lands with a slapping head kick.
Danilov tries to clinch up but Markell circles away and keeps his distance.
Danilov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Markell just misses with a punch to the body.
Markell on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Markell lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Danilov circles away quickly and effectively.
Danilov takes a swing at Markell's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Danilov lands a head kick. Markell smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Markell throws the left hand but Danilov avoids the punch easily.
Markell misses with a wild combination.
Markell checks a leg kick nicely.
Ruslan Danilov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Markell takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Markell is rocked!
A nice leg kick lands there from Danilov.
Markell is still on wobbly legs! Can Danilov finish him?
Markell throws a combination. Danilov tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Markell seems to have recovered his senses.
Ruslan Danilov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Danilov is looking to slow Markell down with leg kicks.
A solid leg kick lands there for Danilov.

Danilov darts in and clinches Markell up against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Danilov misses with a punch to the body.
A right handed body shot lands from Markell.
Markell has Danilov pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Danilov manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Danilov prevents the takedown attempt.
Ruslan Danilov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jhin Markell.
Danilov stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Markell swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Danilov effectively controlling the action here.
A head punch on the inside from Markell fails to land.
Markell misses with a hook to the ribs.
Markell struggles to land a body shot inside as Danilov controls his hands.
Danilov is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Danilov tries to throw a body punch but Markell avoids it by throwing Danilov back against the cage.
Markell drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Danilov gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Markell has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Danilov is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Markell tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Markell struggles to land a body shot inside as Danilov controls his hands.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Danilov.
Markell is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Danilov softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Danilov softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Danilov obliges.
Markell looks winded!
Danilov stalling in the clinch.
Markell can't get the takedown.
Come on Danilov - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Danilov has Markell pushed against the cage.
Danilov cracks Markell with a nice body shot.
Danilov lands a body punch.
Danilov leaning his opponent against the cage.
Danilov lands a nice knee to the body.
Danilov slowing the pace effectively.
Danilov lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Danilov just leaning against Markell, taking a breather.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Ruslan Danilov.
Danilov dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Danilov throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Markell's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Danilov fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Markell on the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Markell scores with a jab to the head.

Markell looking to score a takedown here. Danilov is defending well but Markell drives through and ends up in Danilov's guard.
Danilov is controlling Markell's posture.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Markell working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Markell is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Danilov working for a triangle but Markell defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Markell looking to sit in guard and control but Danilov gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ruslan Danilov dominated that round.
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.

Markell drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Markell wants to control from the top but Danilov keeps moving.
Markell keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Danilov's head.
Markell throws a big right hand that misses.
Markell trying to control but Danilov is working from the bottom.
Danilov looking to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Markell is looking to work some ground and pound but Danilov has wrist control.
Markell trying to control but Danilov is working from the bottom.
Danilov pulls Markell in close to his closed guard and prevents Markell from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Markell missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Danilov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Markell can do to turn this around?
Markell content to stall in guard here.
Markell trying to control the position from guard on top but Danilov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Danilov moves into range and connects with a jab.
Danilov throws a front kick that sends Markell stumbling back into the cage.
Danilov throws the left hand but Markell avoids the punch easily.
Good work by Markell as he checks the leg kick.
Danilov lands a nice looking body kick.
Danilov leaves Markell with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Danilov thinks about countering with a body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Markell closes this distance looking for a takedown but Danilov circles away.
Jhin Markell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Markell shoots for a double leg takedown but Danilov sprawls well. He's pushed Markell's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ruslan Danilov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jhin Markell.
Markell slips under a jab.
Danilov lunges at Markell with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Markell's hand.
Markell moves out of range of the leg kick from Danilov.

Danilov has taken the fight to the clinch.
Danilov lands a body shot in the clinch.
Markell pressing his opponent against the cage.
Danilov scores a nice knee to the body.
Markell is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Markell being controlled against the cage.
Markell tries a body shot but Danilov blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is keeping an eye on Danilov - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Knees to the body from Danilov.
Danilov connects with a knee to the head.
Danilov unloads a knee to the mid-section. Markell lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Danilov throws an elbow but it misses.
Danilov landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Danilov digs a right hand underneath Markell's ribcage. Markell let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Danilov lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Markell avoids the elbow strike from Danilov, against the cage.
Danilov leaning against his opponent.
Danilov unloads a knee to the mid-section. Markell lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Danilov lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Markell.
Danilov taking a breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Danilov pressing his opponent against the cage.
Knees to the body from Danilov.
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!
Danilov scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Jhin Markell has been cut.
Danilov pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Danilov.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Danilov obliges.
Danilov unloads a knee to the mid-section. Markell lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Danilov drops Markell with a big knee straight up the middle! Markell is covering up against the cage but manages to escape and gets back to his feet!
Danilov throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.

Danilov fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Markell, pushing him back against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Danilov.
Danilov lands an uppercut.
Danilov digs a right hand into Markell's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Markell's gas tank.
Danilov stalling.

Danilov drops Markell with a big knee straight up the middle! Markell is covering up against the cage but manages to escape and gets back to his feet!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ruslan Danilov dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jhin Markell's cut.
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!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Markell tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Danilov utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Danilov lands a big knee to the head and Markell goes down! Danilov pounces and finishes the fight with strikes! He jumps to his feet and celebrates with the crowd!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:24 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ruslan Danilov!