PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Trader Stiga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vlad Maskiev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maskiev has chosen Berzerker as his entrance music. Trader Stiga had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Stiga
vs
Maskiev

178 cm
23
188 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

188 cm
22
190 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Trader Stiga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vlad Maskiev!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Viktor Lagutenko and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Maskiev fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Stiga sprawls well initially but Maskiev persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Maskiev prevents Stiga from improving his position.
Maskiev blocks the strikes from Stiga.
Maskiev prevents Stiga from improving his position.
Stiga is pressing down on Maskiev's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Maskiev trying to control the position from guard on top but Stiga is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stiga trying to control the position.
Maskiev stopping the sweep attempt from Stiga.
Maskiev throws a big right hand that misses.
Maskiev must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Stiga throws a push kick but Maskiev slaps the foot to one side.
Stiga buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Stiga.
Stiga fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maskiev chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Stiga can pounce on him.
Stiga fails in his attempt to clinch.

Stiga clinches with his opponent.
Stiga connects with a nasty looking knee right to Maskiev's face.
Stiga scores a nice knee to the body.
Stiga landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Maskiev looks gassed!
Stiga landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Stiga.
Stiga lands a knee to the body.
Stiga lands a nice knee to the body.

Stiga breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Stiga has taken the fight to the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stiga landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Stiga with a knee to the head.
Maskiev takes a knee right on the jaw!
Stiga lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Stiga crunches a lovely knee into Maskiev's ribcage.
Stiga lands a knee to the body.
Stiga comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Maskiev takes a knee right on the jaw!
Stiga with a knee to the head.
Stiga using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maskiev trying to land knees to the body.
Stiga connects with a nasty looking knee right to Maskiev's face.
Stiga connects with a nasty looking knee right to Maskiev's face.
Stiga missing with knees to the body.
Maskiev wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Stiga has him pressed against the cage.
Stiga unloads a knee to the mid-section. Maskiev lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Stiga unloads a knee to the mid-section. Maskiev lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Maskiev jumps guard but Stiga stands there with Maskiev around his waist. Maskiev gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Stiga landing knees to the head.

Maskiev has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Stiga uses from the top position.
Maskiev trying to keep a closed guard but Stiga is proving a slippery customer.
Stiga trying to control but Maskiev is working from the bottom.
Stiga controls from within his opponent's guard.
Maskiev not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stiga landing some decent shots from guard.
Stiga cracks Maskiev with a solid left hand.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Stiga is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Maskiev is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Stiga is controlling him.
Stiga slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Stiga forces his way into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stiga lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Stiga trying to control from half guard but Maskiev is working away.
Stiga sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Maskiev defending well though.
Maskiev is refusing to be controlled, as Stiga sits in half guard.
Stiga throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Maskiev actively working from the bottom here.
Stiga wants to lay and pray for a moment but Maskiev keeps working.
Stiga 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.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Stiga fails in his attempt to clinch.

Stiga darts in and clinches Maskiev up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Trader Stiga dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Stiga connects with the punch.
Stiga scores with a spinning back kick!

Stiga closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Stiga using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
A knee to the head by Stiga.
Stiga lands a knee to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Stiga.
Stiga looking to throw knees to the head but Maskiev is blocking nicely.
Stiga lands a nice knee to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Stiga.
Maskiev takes a knee right on the jaw!

Maskiev gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Stiga regains guard.
Stiga trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Maskiev postures up.
Stiga is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stiga is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Stiga trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stiga pulls Maskiev in close to prevent any damage.
Maskiev wants to control from the top but Stiga keeps moving.
Stiga is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Stiga content to control rather than advance.
Maskiev is refusing to be controlled, as Stiga sits in half guard.
Stiga takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

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.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Trader Stiga just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Stiga looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Stiga throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Stiga misses with a body kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Maskiev crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Stiga - the referee stops the clock and Maskiev gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Stiga. Maskiev manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Maskiev moves in looking to clinch but Stiga pushes him off.
Stiga closes the distance looking to clinch

and Maskiev counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Stiga manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Maskiev manages to get himself to full guard.
Stiga sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Stiga looking to sit in guard and control but Maskiev gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stiga wants to sweep but no luck.
Maskiev postures up.
Maskiev stopping the sweep attempt from Stiga.
Stiga has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Maskiev has passed into side control.
Stiga gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Stiga is looking to escape.

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.
Maskiev seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Stiga does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Stiga is looking to improve his position.
Maskiev is tying to control. Stiga wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Stiga is controlling Maskiev's trapped leg to prevent Maskiev from advancing to side control.
Stiga won't allow Maskiev to pass to mount.
Stiga regains full guard. Nicely done.
Maskiev stopping the sweep attempt from Stiga.
Stiga manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Stiga breaks from Maskiev's wrist control and lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Trader Stiga dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Maskiev bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Stiga doesn't manage to clinch there - Maskiev circles away.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Stiga, right into the meat.
A nice leg kick lands there from Stiga.
Stiga throws a combination that misses

and Maskiev decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Stiga's guard.
Stiga looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Stiga is on top in guard.
Stiga working some strikes from top position.
Stiga controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Maskiev wants to sweep but no luck.
Stiga sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Stiga lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stiga wants to control from the top but Maskiev keeps moving.
Stiga postures up in Maskiev's guard and throws a big left but Maskiev blocks it.
Stiga postures up in Maskiev's guard and throws a big left but Maskiev blocks it.
Stiga is stalling in the full guard.
Stiga stands up over Maskiev, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Stiga is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Stiga is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
Stiga stopping the sweep attempt from Maskiev.

Stiga decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Maskiev, up you get!
Maskiev on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Trader Stiga is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maskiev gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Stiga thuds his shin into the meat of Maskiev's side.
Stiga throws a nice outside leg kick.
Stiga lets loose with a powerful body kick. Maskiev will feel that in the morning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stiga lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
A thudding body kick lands there by Stiga!
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Stiga, right into the meat.
Stiga tries to close the distance and clinch but Maskiev swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Stiga dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Maskiev. That did some damage!
Stiga throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.

Stiga clinches.
Maskiev's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Stiga landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Knees in the clinch landing for Stiga.
Stiga unloads a knee to the mid-section. Maskiev lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Stiga unloads a knee to the mid-section. Maskiev lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Stiga manages to break the clinch.
Maskiev misses with a head kick.

Stiga closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Stiga lands a knee to the body.
Maskiev has Stiga pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Stiga manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Maskiev tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Stiga landing knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stiga manages to break the clinch.
Stiga throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Maskiev doesn't manage to clinch there - Stiga circles away.
Left hook, right uppercut from Stiga.
Maskiev lands with a shot to the body.
Stiga thows a body kick. Maskiev tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Stiga swats away the attempt to clinch by Maskiev.
Stiga fails in his attempt to clinch.
Stiga fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Maskiev decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stiga wants to control but Maskiev is keeping busy.
Maskiev moves nicely into side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Trader Stiga showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Stiga, 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Trader Stiga!