PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Teemu Maijanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Kovalov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Maijanen
vs
Kovalov

185 cm
22
196 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

170 cm
25
196 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Self confident

Good wrestler
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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Teemu Maijanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Antonio Kovalov!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maijanen keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Maijanen connects with a good right hand that stumbles Kovalov. Kovalov circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Maijanen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kovalov moves away.
Kovalov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kovalov moves forwards but Maijanen connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Maijanen misses with a two punch combination.
Maijanen stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Kovalov misses with the combination.
Maijanen connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Maijanen uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kovalov.
Kovalov looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Maijanen loads up on a big right hand but Kovalov slips the punch.
Maijanen displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Good standup being displayed there by Maijanen as he connects with a hook.
Nice body punch from Maijanen.
Maijanen bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Maijanen swings for the body but Kovalov moves out of range.
Kovalov throws a jab but it's blocked by Maijanen.
Maijanen slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Maijanen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Maijanen jabs at Kovalov's body.
Maijanen is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Kovalov uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Maijanen.
Maijanen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kovalov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maijanen cracks Kovalov with a right hand to the side of the head.
Kovalov uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Maijanen.

Kovalov shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Kovalov seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Kovalov wants to pass the guard but Maijanen is keeping the position.
Kovalov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kovalov wants to pass the guard but Maijanen is keeping the position.
Kovalov trying to control but Maijanen is working from the bottom.
Kovalov controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kovalov passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Kovalov misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Maijanen sneaks back into half guard.
Kovalov looks to land a strike but Maijanen avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Maijanen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kovalov.
Kovalov not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Kovalov throwing strikes from guard but Maijanen blocks nicely.
Maijanen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kovalov is fighting to break Maijanen's control of his arms but Maijanen is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Maijanen isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Kovalov stacks Maijanen 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 Kovalov!
Kovalov fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Kovalov looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Maijanen is avoiding damage well.
I wouldn't like to be where Maijanen is right now.
Kovalov has knee on belly and moves into mount.

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.
Kovalov takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kovalov sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Poor strikes thrown by Kovalov there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Maijanen 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.
Maijanen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kovalov.
Kovalov is keen to just control but Maijanen is a slippery customer.
Kovalov is looking to pass Maijanen's guard but actually Maijanen recovers to full guard.
Kovalov loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Teemu Maijanen dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Maijanen with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Maijanen shoots for a double leg takedown but Kovalov sprawls well. He's pushed Maijanen's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Kovalov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Maijanen swivels and escapes.
Maijanen scores with a jab to the body.
Kovalov takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Kovalov will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Maijanen catches Kovalov with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Kovalov fails to land with a series of punches.
Kovalov misses the shot to the body.
Maijanen scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Kovalov.
Kovalov trying to control the action but Maijanen is working from the bottom.
Maijanen managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Kovalov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maijanen can't do much from the bottom here.
Maijanen is not content to let Kovalov control the position.
Kovalov happy to just control the position for now.
Maijanen is looking to reverse the position.
Kovalov trying to control the action but Maijanen is working from the bottom.
Kovalov tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Maijanen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kovalov manages to avoid it.
Maijanen tries to clinch up.

Kovalov closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Kovalov lands in his opponent's guard.
Kovalov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kovalov in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kovalov wants to control from the top but Maijanen keeps moving.
Kovalov stays in close to Maijanen's body and controls the position.
Kovalov postures up in Maijanen's guard and throws a big left but Maijanen blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kovalov landing some decent shots from guard.
Kovalov with a flurry of punches that miss.
Maijanen will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Kovalov showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Kovalov preventing the sweep.

Maijanen has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kovalov can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

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.
Kovalov stopping the sweep attempt from Maijanen.
Maijanen wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Kovalov wants to control from the top but Maijanen keeps moving.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kovalov slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Kovalov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! 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.

Maijanen moves into the clinch.
Maijanen misses with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Maijanen.
A short body shot lands from Kovalov as the two fighters clinch.
A short left from Kovalov.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Maijanen has hold of one of Kovalov's legs. Kovalov is fighting the takedown attempt but Maijanen gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kovalov is on top in guard.
Kovalov wants to control from the top but Maijanen keeps moving.
Kovalov wants to pass the guard but Maijanen is keeping the position.

Maijanen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kovalov gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Kovalov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kovalov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Kovalov not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Kovalov trying to control the position from guard on top but Maijanen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Maijanen scores with a decent looking hook.
Maijanen cracks Kovalov with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Kovalov just misses with a punch to the body.

That's two 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.
Maijanen misses with a looping left.
Kovalov misses with a few strikes there.
Maijanen misses with a wild body shot.
Nice shot by Maijanen.
Maijanen fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Antonio Kovalov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maijanen scores with a jab to the jaw.
Kovalov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Maijanen was well out of range. Poor timing from Kovalov.
Kovalov tries to land a front kick but Maijanen steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Kovalov punishes Maijanen's body with a nice straight punch.
Maijanen scores with a sloppy right hand. Kovalov should have avoided that one.
Maijanen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kovalov was well out of range. Poor timing from Maijanen.
Maijanen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Maijanen with a nice cross.
Kovalov scores with a jab to the body.
Maijanen lands a slapping body shot.
Kovalov misses the shot to the body.
Kovalov is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Maijanen rather than just go for the knockout.
Kovalov just misses with a punch to the body.
Kovalov fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Kovalov swinging wildly here.
Maijanen looks to score with a jab to the body but Kovalov is just out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kovalov takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Kovalov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Maijanen is fending him off so far but Kovalov persists. Nope, Maijanen circles away and we're back to standing.
Maijanen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Maijanen slips under a jab from Kovalov.
Maijanen lands a jab to the nose.
Maijanen scores with a nice head shot.

Kovalov fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Maijanen sprawls well initially but Kovalov persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Maijanen won't allow Kovalov to pass to mount.
Maijanen is looking to improve his position.
Maijanen wants to control but Kovalov is keeping busy.
Maijanen blocking the ground and pound attempt from Kovalov.
Kovalov looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kovalov tries to pass the half guard into mount. Maijanen knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Maijanen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kovalov is working away from the top position though.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
No joy there for Maijanen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kovalov takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Kovalov avoids a punch combination nicely.

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 Teemu Maijanen.
I think Maijanen has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!