PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Malik Battle (ranked 23804 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Bundy (ranked 2937 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Malik Battle has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Malik Battle seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Battle
vs
Bundy

165 cm
25
178 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

199 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Hates pizza

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Malik Battle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tom Bundy!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Battle closes the distance and clinches.
Stalling in the clinch from Battle.
Bundy is trying to drag Battle to the mat but Battle just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Battle stalling in the clinch.
Bundy is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Bundy being controlled against the cage.
Battle just leaning against Bundy, taking a breather.
Battle gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Battle really is a fat lump.
Battle slows down the pace here.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Malik Battle.
Battle on the wrong end of a nice jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bundy connects with a single shot there.
Bundy misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Bundy.
Battle takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Battle is rocked!

It looks like Malik Battle has been cut.
Battle avoids a punch combination nicely.
Battle wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Bundy misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Battle.
Battle throws a big counter combination but Bundy scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Bundy fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Battle, pushing him back against the cage.

Bundy pulls Battle into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Battle accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Battle working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Bundy's head.
Battle throwing strikes from guard but Bundy blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Battle scoring with some ground and pound.
Bundy avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Battle is looking to work some ground and pound but Bundy has wrist control.

Bundy isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Battle stacks Bundy on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Battle!
Battle working the ground and pound but Bundy is defending the strikes.
Battle sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Bundy is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Battle tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Battle has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Battle tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Battle has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Battle is working Bundy over with some ground and pound from side control.
Bundy is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Bundy is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

Battle tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Battle landing strikes.
Battle lands a decent elbow from side control.
Battle has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Battle looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Battle is chipping away with strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Battle tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Battle has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Malik Battle dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Malik Battle's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Battle moves in looking to clinch but Bundy pushes him off.
Tom Bundy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Battle moves into the clinch.
Battle slows down the pace here.
Battle prevents the takedown attempt.
Bundy tries to pull guard but Battle forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Battle lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Bundy takes a knee to the side of the body.

Bundy breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bundy clinches with his opponent.
Battle just leaning against Bundy, taking a breather.
Battle stalling the fight.
Battle effectively controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bundy tries for a takedown but Battle manages to get underhooks.
Malik Battle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Bundy.
Battle lands with a short head shot on the inside.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Bundy is looking to control Battle's arms but Battle gets an underhook and turns him. Now Bundy has his back to the cage.
Bundy is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Bundy is trying to slow the pace down but that's a couple of times in a row that he's tried to get underhooks and Battle has denied him.
Battle lands a nice knee to the body.
Battle with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Battle throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Bundy blocks it with crossed arms.
Bundy is looking to break free of the clinch but Battle has double underhooks.
Battle stalls.
Stalling in the clinch from Battle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Battle is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Malik Battle.
Bundy lands a jab.

Battle clinches with his opponent.
Bundy is trying to drag Battle to the mat but Battle just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Bundy is breathing heavily.
The referee calls for Battle to work.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Bundy seems frustrated at his inability to get double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Battle.
Battle is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Bundy is working for takedown but Battle is calmly controlling the position for now.
Battle works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Battle lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Battle takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Battle takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Battle slows down the pace here.
Bundy on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Bundy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bundy tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Battle swivels and escapes.

Bundy drives through and clinches with Battle against the cage.
Battle lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Battle stalling.
Battle missing with knees to the body.
A short right from Battle on the inside.
Battle lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Battle leaning his opponent against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Battle scores with an uppercut up the middle.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Bundy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bundy swings away with a body shot that misses

and Battle counters by clinching up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Malik Battle dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Malik Battle's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Bundy shoots for a double leg takedown but Battle sprawls well. He's pushed Bundy's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Bundy has managed to clinch.
Bundy scores with a shoulder strike.
Battle managing to block the knees to the body from Bundy.
Battle leaning against his opponent.
Malik Battle has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Bundy breaks from the clinch.
Battle defending well as Bundy loads up on a big left hand.
Tom Bundy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bundy throws a body shot but no joy.
Battle jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice sprawl there from Battle as Bundy shoots in.
Bundy throws a series of punches but Battle moves out of range.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Bundy takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bundy manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Battle taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Battle scores with a nice short uppercut.
Bundy lands an elbow inside that Battle shrugs off.
Battle leaning against his opponent.
Battle gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Bundy.
Malik Battle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Bundy.
Nice body punch from Battle.
A body shot lands from Battle.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
A right hand to the body from Battle.
Battle lands with a right to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Battle misses with a knee to the head.
Battle lands an elbow inside that Bundy shrugs off.
Battle stalling in the clinch.
Battle slows down the pace here.
Battle is pushing Bundy up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Battle stalling the fight.
Battle is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Battle is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bundy can do to turn this around?
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Malik Battle.
Bundy fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bundy throws a head kick that misses.
Bundy throws a sloppy head kick and Battle moves out of range easily.

Battle closes the distance and clinches.
Battle dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Battle lands a knee to the head.
Battle stalling the fight.
Battle stalls.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Battle.
Bundy being controlled against the cage.
Battle with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Battle stalling the fight.
The referee calls for Battle to work.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Malik Battle.
Bundy shoots for a takedown but Battle saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Battle clinches up with Bundy and pushes him back against the cage.
Battle is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
The referee calls for Battle to work.
Battle is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Battle throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Bundy blocks it with crossed arms.
Tom Bundy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Malik Battle is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Battle looking to throw knees to the head but Bundy is blocking nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Malik Battle showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Battle, 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Malik Battle!