PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matrix Leao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maksim Kononov (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.

Leao
vs
Kononov

198 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
203 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Matrix Leao!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Maksim Kononov!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Viktor Lagutenko and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick by Kononov misses

and Leao counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Leao.
Kononov tries to stall but Leao uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Leao fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Leao is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Leao struggles to land a body shot inside as Kononov controls his hands.

Leao breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kononov shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Leao as he jumps to the side.

Leao dives in and scores a takedown into Kononov's guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Leao trying to control the position from guard on top but Kononov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Leao drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Kononov dives on top into guard.
Leao is trying to keep Kononov in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Leao working for a triangle but Kononov defends it easily.
Kononov passes into half guard.
Kononov trying to control from half guard but Leao is working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kononov looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Kononov stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Leao to get to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leao throws a right and a left that Kononov avoids nicely.
Kononov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kononov tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Leao manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Leao fails with a takedown attempt.
Kononov shoots in and drives through. Leao sprawls well.
Matrix Leao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maksim Kononov.

Leao darts in and clinches Kononov up against the cage.
Leao jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kononov walks away with a smile on his face. Leao gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Kononov scores with a hook to the body. Leao takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Kononov is defended easily by Leao.

Leao has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Leao breaks the clinch.
Leao shoots in looking for a takedown but Kononov manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Leao's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Leao fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Leao is breathing heavily.
Kononov works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Kononov shoots in but Leao avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Kononov lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Kononov shoots in for a double leg but Leao sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Kononov should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Leao keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Leao. That's going to slow Kononov down.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Leao shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kononov but Kononov pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Kononov with a nice cross.
Kononov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Leao moves into the clinch.
Kononov throws an elbow but it misses.
Leao stalling in the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Leao is trying to break the clinch but Kononov has him pressed against the cage.
Kononov has Leao pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Leao manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Maksim Kononov will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Leao tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kononov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kononov closes the distance but Leao moves to the side
and Leao counters with a head kick.
Kononov looks for a takedown but Leao sprawls well.
Kononov looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Leao shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kononov but Kononov pushes him off and we're back to square one.

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

Leao pulls guard.
Leao is trying to hold Kononov in close to prevent damage but Kononov has managed to pass into half guard.
Kononov is trying to control. Leao wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Leao is looking to improve his position.
Kononov content to control rather than advance.

Leao is defending against the submission attempts here by Kononov.
Leao is pressing down on Kononov's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
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.
Kononov wants to control from the top but Leao keeps moving.
Kononov controls from within his opponent's guard.
Leao is trying to keep Kononov in close.
Kononov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Leao swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Maksim Kononov has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Kononov shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Leao pinned against the cage. Leao gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Kononov fails to land the takedown.
Matrix Leao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maksim Kononov.
Kononov is breathing heavily.
Kononov stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kononov wants it to stay on the feet.

Leao clinches.
Kononov working hard to break the clinch.
Leao has Kononov pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Kononov manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Kononov is trying to pull guard but Leao turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Kononov lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kononov is pressed up against the cage. Leao has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Kononov down to the mat. Kononov avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Kononov shoots in for a double leg but Leao sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Leao fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Kononov leaves Leao with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Kononov tries for a takedown but Leao sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Kononov shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Leao avoids the body shot from Kononov.
Kononov throws a sloppy head kick and Leao moves out of range easily.
Kononov shoots in for a takedown but Leao shows good takedown defense.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Maksim Kononov will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Horrible takedown by Leao or perhaps it was just good defense by Kononov which made him look bad.
Leao throws a lazy right hand but Kononov sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Leao throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Kononov is looking to clinch but Leao is avoiding it.
Leao throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Kononov pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Maksim Kononov seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kononov moves in looking to clinch but Leao pushes him off.
Kononov tries a head kick but it misses.
Leao shoots in for a takedown but Kononov shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Leao takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Leao fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kononov avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matrix Leao. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kononov clinches.
Leao tries to pull guard but Kononov holds him up against the cage and eventually Leao drops back down to his feet.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Leao as Kononov tries to tie him up.
Kononov tries to circle away but Leao has him pinned against the cage.
Kononov is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Leao pulls Kononov into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kononov throwing strikes but missing.
Kononov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kononov trying to control but Leao is working from the bottom.
Leao has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Kononov has passed into side control.
Leao is looking to regain half guard here but Kononov keeps moving and retains side control.
Kononov has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Leao!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kononov controlling from the full mount.
Leao is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Leao keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Leao is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Kononov sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Leao is bucking up trying to escape but Kononov cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leao wants to control but Kononov is having none of it.
Maksim Kononov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kononov sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Kononov thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Kononov sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kononov's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maksim Kononov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kononov winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight for Maksim Kononov!
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight for Maksim Kononov!
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight for Maksim Kononov!

Maksim Kononov wins by unanimous decision!