PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Denis Denisov (ranked 1534 p4p, 2121 weight class) and Martian Manhunter (ranked 78 p4p, 104 weight class). Manhunter is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: My Name Is J'onn J'onzz. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Denisov
vs
Manhunter

167 cm
24
140
7 - 9 - 0

175 cm
31
145
9 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

ALPHAwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Denis Denisov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Martian Manhunter!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Ben Hemmingworth and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big right from Manhunter misses.
Denisov tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Manhunter manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Manhunter takes a swing at Denisov's ribcage but misses.
Manhunter misses the jab.
As Manhunter looks to move away, Denisov throws a big counter combo but Manhunter just gets out of the way.
Denisov tries for a takedown but Manhunter circles away easily
letting Manhunter counter with a right hand.
Manhunter throws a body punch but Denisov moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Denisov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Manhunter now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Denisov lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Denisov needs to keep his hands up - Manhunter had a free shot at his head there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Denisov scores with a jab to the head.
Denisov throws a nice looking combination but Manhunter bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Denisov dodges the punch combination from Manhunter.
Manhunter throws a series of punches but Denisov moves out of range.
Denisov is looking to counter punch.
Manhunter misses with a two punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manhunter lands with a shot to the body.
Manhunter throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Denisov fails with a takedown attempt.
Manhunter will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nice uppercut lands for Denisov. That snapped Manhunter's head back.
Denisov swinging wildly here.
Manhunter is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Denisov takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Martian Manhunter is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Manhunter throws a jab but it's blocked by Denisov.
Martian Manhunter seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Manhunter throws a right and a left that both miss.
Denisov feinted with a counter takedown.
Manhunter fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Denisov manages to avoid it.
Manhunter takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manhunter misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Denisov.
Manhunter misses with a wild combination.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Denisov defending well as Manhunter loads up on a big left hand.
Manhunter throws a lazy uppercut
enabling Denisov to counter with a crisp jab.
Denisov fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Manhunter scores with a hook to the body. Denisov takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Denisov defending well as Manhunter loads up on a big left hand.
Manhunter misses with a shot to the body
and Denisov connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Manhunter takes one to the chin there.
Denisov doesn't manage to clinch there - Manhunter circles away.
Manhunter throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Manhunter takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Manhunter's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Manhunter duly obliges.
Denisov digs a good hook to Manhunter's body.
Denisov tries to close the distance and clinch up but Manhunter swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Manhunter takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Denisov scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

Denisov gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Manhunter is trying to force a seperation but Denisov has the dominant position.

Manhunter breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Denisov wants to clinch.
Denisov wants to clinch up but Manhunter keeps it at a distance.
A little jabbing left from Manhunter on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Manhunter scores with a jab to the jaw.
Denisov showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Manhunter.
Denisov on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Denisov bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Manhunter scores with a shot to the body.
Denisov is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Manhunter throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Denisov cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Manhunter rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Denisov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Denisov steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Manhunter.
Manhunter swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Manhunter fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Manhunter misses with a left hand
and Denisov cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Denisov.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Denis Denisov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Denisov fails with a takedown attempt.
Denisov tries to clinch there but Manhunter circles away.

Denisov drives through and clinches with Manhunter against the cage.
Manhunter gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Denisov.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

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

Denisov has closed the distance and engaged Manhunter in a clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Martian Manhunter will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Denisov steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Manhunter.
Denisov steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Manhunter.
Manhunter looks to score with a jab to the body but Denisov is just out of range.
Denisov looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Nice defenses there by Denisov.
Manhunter dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Denisov moves in looking to clinch but Manhunter pushes him off.
Manhunter throws an overhand right that lands on Denisov's shoulder, as Denisov tries to avoid the shot.
A punch combination from Manhunter misses.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Denisov is defended easily by Manhunter.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manhunter fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Denisov on the side of the head.
Denisov is looking to clinch.
Manhunter let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Martian Manhunter seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Manhunter misses with the combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manhunter connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Manhunter gets tackled into the cage by Denisov. Denisov maintains the clinch.
Denisov tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Manhunter just stands there and leans against the cage.
Manhunter wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Denisov has him pressed against the cage.
Denisov has Manhunter pressed against the cage.
Manhunter wants to get back to striking at distance but Denisov won't allow it.

Manhunter pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Denisov misses the jab.
Denisov lands a jab to the head.
Manhunter has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Manhunter throws a right and a left that Denisov avoids nicely.
Manhunter swinging wildly here.
Denisov lands a head shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manhunter fails to land with a series of punches.
Denisov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Manhunter manages to avoid it.
Manhunter lands a right hook to the body.
Manhunter fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Denisov looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Denisov sizes up Manhunter with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Denis Denisov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Denisov fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Denis Denisov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Denisov bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Denisov gets cracked there but stands up to it.

Manhunter lands a left and a right that sends Denisov crashing to the canvas! Manhunter dives into mount looking to finish!

Denisov is rocked!

It looks like Denis Denisov has been cut.
My spies in Tran MMA Gym inform me that Manhunter has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Manhunter punching from mount but Denisov doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Oh Denisov is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Denisov sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Denisov missing with punches from the bottom.
Denisov seems to have got his legs back now.
Denisov blocking the ground and pound attempt from Manhunter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Denisov wants to control but Manhunter is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Manhunter is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Denisov is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Manhunter's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Manhunter's back!
Denisov softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Denisov scores with punches from the back.
Denisov really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Manhunter.
Denisov struggling to keep hold of the position.
Manhunter rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Denisov slips a nice elbow through Manhunter's hands, connecting with Manhunter's forehead.
Denisov performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Manhunter trying to control here.
Manhunter is trying to control but Denisov manages to pass to mount!
The referee warns Manhunter that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Denisov with good strikes from the mount here!

Manhunter is rocked!
Denisov postures up and connects with a big shot that has rocked Manhunter badly. He's trying desperately to grab hold of Denisov around the waist but Denisov pushes him off and unloads with more strikes, forcing the referee to jump in and save him! Denisov is the winner by TKO! Denisov jumps onto the cage and shouts into the camera. "We did it momma!"

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Denis Denisov!
Denis Denisov thanked the fans post fight for their support.