PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Efrain Wallid (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mirko Onopko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Onopko has chosen Vinnie Paz - Sixteen bars of Paz as his entrance music. Efrain Wallid had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 187.7lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. 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.

Wallid
vs
Onopko

191 cm
22
196 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

189 cm
19
183 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Efrain Wallid!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mirko Onopko!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Illya Tyunina and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wallid avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Onopko looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Wallid looks to clinch

and Onopko holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Onopko has Wallid pressed against the cage.
Wallid wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Onopko tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Wallid is trying to break the clinch but Onopko has him pressed against the cage.
Wallid tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Onopko's elbow.
Wallid tries to pull guard but Onopko won't allow it.
Onopko tries to break the clinch but Wallid is controlling the position.
Nice body punch from Wallid - that landed with a thud.
Wallid has Onopko pressed against the cage, preventing Onopko from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Wallid manages to pull guard.
Wallid is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Wallid is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Wallid pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Wallid looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Onopko!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wallid misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Wallid sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Wallid controlling from the full mount.

Wallid looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Onopko tries to lock up and control but Wallid gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Onopko holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Wallid tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Wallid avoids the attempt from Onopko to control.
Wallid misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Onopko can't escape the position.
Onopko tries to hold on but Wallid pushes him away.
Wallid looking to control and managing it successfully.
Wallid fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Onopko tries to reverse the position but Wallid maintains control.
Poor strikes thrown by Wallid there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Wallid controlling the pace for now.
Onopko is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Wallid connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Onopko wants to hold on but Wallid pushes him away.
Onopko really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.
Wallid throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Onopko tries to hold on but Wallid postures up.
Onopko is desperately trying to improve his position but Wallid has a good base and remains in mount.
Wallid controlling from the full mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Wallid has hold of Onopko's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Onopko manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Efrain Wallid dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Onopko with a poor takedown
and Wallid counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Onopko is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Wallid throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Wallid shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Wallid showed some decent athleticism there.
Onopko is looking to improve his position.
Onopko keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Onopko missing with punches from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Wallid wants to control but Onopko is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wallid throwing shots but Onopko is blocking nicely.
Onopko keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Onopko wants to get back to full guard.
Wallid is looking to stall here but Onopko recovers full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Onopko forces Wallid back against the cage and clinches.
Onopko tries to land a knee to the head but Wallid blocks with his arms.
Wallid lands an elbow that stopped Onopko in his tracks for a moment.
Wallid lands a knee to the head.
Onopko with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Wallid gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Onopko regains guard.
Onopko is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Onopko is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Wallid 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.

Wallid is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Wallid wants to control from the top but Onopko keeps moving.

Wallid is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Onopko is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Onopko has escaped and now he's on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Wallid uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Onopko has his takedown stuffed

and Wallid decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Onopko's guard.
Wallid trying to control the position from guard on top but Onopko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Onopko looking to hit a scissor sweep but Wallid is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wallid throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Onopko works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Wallid is stalling in the full guard.
Onopko wants to stand up but Wallid is controlling him.
Wallid working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Efrain Wallid dominated that second round.
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!

Onopko wants to clinch.
Onopko wants to clinch up but Wallid keeps it at a distance.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Onopko.
Wallid throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Onopko.
Wallid clinches but Onopko breaks the clinch
and Onopko counters with a straight right hand.

Wallid drives through with a takedown into guard.
Onopko doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Wallid wants to control from the top but Onopko keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wallid throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Onopko is trying to control the position but Wallid postures up.

Wallid got a little sloppy there for a moment and Onopko has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Wallid has managed to get both his arms back between Onopko's legs - danger averted.
Onopko is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Wallid throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Onopko works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Wallid is trying to break the clinch but Onopko has him pressed against the cage.

Onopko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Onopko misses with a body kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Wallid wants to break the clinch but can't.

Onopko's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Efrain Wallid seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wallid closes the distance but Onopko moves to the side

and Onopko counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Onopko.
Wallid managing to block the knees to the body from Onopko.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Onopko misses with a knee to the head.
Onopko stalls.
Wallid has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Onopko unloads a knee to the mid-section. Wallid lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wallid fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Wallid throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Onopko blocks it with crossed arms.
Wallid fails to pull guard.
Wallid looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Efrain Wallid. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Onopko looking to throw knees to the head but Wallid is blocking nicely.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Wallid as Onopko tries to tie him up.
Wallid jumps guard but Onopko stands there with Wallid around his waist. Wallid gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Onopko is pushing Wallid up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Onopko escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Onopko is looking to clinch but Wallid is avoiding it.
Efrain Wallid is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Wallid.
Onopko is looking to regain half guard here but Wallid keeps moving and retains side control.
Onopko struggling a bit here.
Wallid tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Wallid controlling the position from side mount.
Mirko Onopko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Onopko defending against the ground and pound.

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 Efrain Wallid.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Wallid, 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Efrain Wallid!