PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tarzan Malone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stari Kruha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Malone
vs
Kruha

200 cm
22
275 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
21
242 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Improved boxing
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tarzan Malone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Stari Kruha!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Chris Downing and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Malone fails with an attempt to clinch.
Malone tries a head kick but it misses.
Malone tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kruha swivels and escapes.
Kruha tries to clinch but Malone is having none of it.
Kruha takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Malone shoots in but no luck this time.
Kruha swinging wilding here.
Malone fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Malone throws a sloppy head kick and Kruha moves out of range easily.
Kruha throws a half hearted mid kick.

Malone drives through with a takedown into guard.

Kruha is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Malone scoring with some ground and pound.
Malone has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.Malone stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kruha swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kruha is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Kruha is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Malone is controlling him.
Malone content to stall in guard here.
Kruha looking to hit a scissor sweep but Malone is one step ahead there.
Kruha lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Malone!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Kruha looking to control but Malone is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Malone is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Malone has given up his back here.
cage is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Malone.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
I really don't envy Malone right now.
Malone is breathing heavily.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Kruha's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Kruha just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Malone controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.

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.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Kruha. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Kruha doesn't have the hooks in and Malone manages to turn into his guard.

Kruha has his feet on Malone's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Kruha throws a nice inside leg kick.
A jab from Kruha does it's job there.

Kruha looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Kruha stands up and waves to Malone to follow him.
Kruha fails with the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tarzan Malone will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Malone shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Kruha pinned against the cage. Kruha gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Malone keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Malone throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kruha.
Malone drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Malone shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Kruha pinned against the cage. Kruha gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Malone closes the distance looking to clinch

and Kruha counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Malone is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kruha tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Kruha is breathing heavily.
Malone keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Malone has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kruha is working away from the top position though.
Kruha wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Kruha moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Malone.
Malone can't do much from the bottom here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Malone shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Kruha counters with a nice body kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tarzan Malone. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Malone has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Kruha.
Kruha has a takedown stuffed.
Kruha shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Malone pinned against the cage. Malone gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Malone throws a series of punches but Kruha moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kruha gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Malone breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Malone shoots in for a takedown but Kruha shows good takedown defense.

Kruha moves into range and clinches up with Malone.
Kruha looking to stall.

Malone pulls Kruha into guard.
Malone is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Malone is pulling down on Kruha's head. It's preventing any offense from Kruha, at least for the moment.
Malone not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kruha stopping the sweep attempt from Malone.
Kruha has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Malone is proving hard to escape from.
Kruha stopping the sweep attempt from Malone.
Malone is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Kruha is controlling him.
Malone controls Kruha momentarily but Kruha frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stari Kruha showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Kruha looks to clinch
and Malone counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Malone lands a jab-cross combination.
Malone tries for a takedown but Kruha circles away easily

and Kruha holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Kruha is trying to break free.
Kruha gets underhooks to prevent Malone's takedown attempt.
Malone is trying to stall.
Malone wants to break free but Kruha has control.
Malone avoiding damage as Kruha throws knees to the body.
Malone changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Kruha fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tarzan Malone. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Malone shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nice takedown defense from Kruha. No joy for Malone on that attempt.

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

Kruha pulls guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Kruha has his feet on Malone's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Malone tries for a takedown but Kruha sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Malone.
Malone tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Kruha counters by moving into the clinch.
Malone fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Malone lands a nice shot to the body.

Malone breaks the clinch.
Malone tries to clinch but Kruha is having none of it.
Kruha misses with the body kick
and Malone counters with a series of strikes. Kruha will be more careful next time no doubt.
Malone doesn't manage to clinch there - Kruha circles away.
Malone looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kruha is fending him off so far but Malone persists. Nope, Kruha circles away and we're back to standing.
Kruha lands a nice looking body kick.
Kruha doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Malone counters with a body kick that stops Kruha in his tracks momentarily.

Malone gets caught flat footed, as Kruha shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Kruha stands and steps away. Malone gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kruha tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
An inside leg kick lands from Kruha.

Kruha scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Malone wants to control but Kruha postures up.
Stari Kruha has got the better of the ground game so far.

Kruha decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malone shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kruha as he jumps to the side.
Malone tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Malone misses with a takedown attempt - Kruha sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Malone closes the distance and clinches.
Malone tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kruha just stands there and leans against the cage.

Malone manages to break the clinch.
Malone throws a head kick but Kruha moves out of range.
Kruha shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kruha looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Kruha bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Malone fails to land the takedown.
Kruha fails to land the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kruha tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kruha wants to clinch.
Malone tries to clinch up
and Kruha counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Kruha looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Malone is fending him off so far but Kruha persists. Nope, Malone circles away and we're back to standing.

Malone looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Kruha!
Malone tries to control but Kruha wriggling away.
Malone will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Malone cracks Kruha with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Malone controlling the pace for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Stari Kruha.
I think Kruha has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!