PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Maximilian Malkolm (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Abdulla Quliev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maximilian Malkolm looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Malkolm
vs
Quliev

198 cm
26
193 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

180 cm
24
176 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Knockout power

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Maximilian Malkolm!
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, Abdulla Quliev!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Malkolm throws a left and a right that both miss
and Quliev counters with a head kick.
Malkolm really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Decent striking displayed by Quliev there.
Quliev scores with a push kick.
Quliev throws a sloppy head kick and Malkolm moves out of range easily.
Quliev goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Quliev listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Quliev misses with a double jab.
As Quliev tries to get set, Malkolm tries to push him back and clinch up but Quliev manages to avoid the attempt.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Quliev, as that shot connected.
A punch combination from Quliev misses.
Quliev throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Malkolm stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Good exchange - Quliev coming out on top.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Quliev tries to sprawl but Malkolm drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Quliev is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Malkolm stops Quliev from getting back to his feet.
Malkolm prevents Quliev from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Quliev blocking the ground and pound attempt from Malkolm.
Malkolm stops Quliev from getting back to his feet.
Quliev won't allow Malkolm to pass to mount.
Quliev keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Quliev felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Malkolm moves nicely into side control.
Malkolm tries to advance to mount but Quliev denies him.

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.
Quliev is trying to get back to half guard.
Malkolm scoring with punches and elbows.
Quliev taking a bit of punishment here - Malkolm scoring with strikes.
Quliev is looking for a sweep.
Malkolm will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Malkolm lands a nice forearm strike.
Malkolm 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.
Quliev tries to buck Malkolm off but Malkolm is having none of it.
Malkolm throws an elbow but Quliev slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Quliev's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Malkolm tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Malkolm misses with the ground and pound.
Malkolm scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Quliev to see if he's OK.

That's four 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.
Quliev is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Malkolm throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Quliev works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Quliev is in trouble now - Malkolm has advanced to mount!
Malkolm misses with a head shot.
Malkolm looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Malkolm unloads with some shots from mount but Quliev bucks and avoids them well.
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 Maximilian Malkolm will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A combination from Quliev does no damage.
Quliev misses with a few strikes there.
Quliev slips a straight right by Malkolm.
Quliev misses with a straight left.
Nice defenses there by Malkolm.
Quliev just misses with a punch to the body.
Quliev tries to land a front kick but Malkolm steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Malkolm fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Quliev, pushing him back against the cage.
Malkolm throws a punch but it's blocked by Quliev.
Quliev looking to stall.
Quliev lands with a left to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Malkolm has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Quliev regains guard immediately.
Malkolm slips nicely into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Malkolm thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Malkolm is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Quliev sees it coming and defends easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Quliev is controlling Malkolm's trapped leg to prevent Malkolm from advancing to side control.
Malkolm sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Quliev defending well though.
Malkolm wants to pass to mount but Quliev is defending the position.
Malkolm sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Quliev defending well though.
Malkolm wants to pass the guard but Quliev is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Quliev is looking to improve his position.
Malkolm missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Quliev really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Malkolm. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Malkolm not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Quliev wants to control the action here but instead Malkolm manages to pass to full mount!
Quliev avoids a series of strikes thrown by Malkolm.
Malkolm throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Malkolm has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Quliev's face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malkolm looking to ground and pound but Quliev is blocking nicely.
Malkolm working the ground and pound effectively.
Malkolm throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Malkolm punishing his opponent with strikes.
Malkolm 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.
Malkolm throws a sloppy strike and Quliev uses the opportunity to reverse the position! A bit of a scramble here and Quliev has ended up in Malkolm's guard.

Malkolm is looking for a triangle but Quliev pushes his legs off easily.
Malkolm keeping moving, preventing Quliev from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Malkolm 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.
Malkolm is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Quliev can do to turn this around?
Malkolm trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Malkolm has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Quliev has passed into side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Malkolm is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Quliev is figuring out what he wants to do next.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maximilian Malkolm dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Quliev misses with a series of wild punches.
Malkolm appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
A solid body kick from Quliev.
Malkolm throws a half hearted mid kick.
Quliev misses with a head kick.
Quliev throws a sloppy head kick and Malkolm moves out of range easily.
Malkolm throws a head kick that misses.
Malkolm throws a wild body kick that Quliev sees coming a mile off.
Malkolm misses with a low kick.
Quliev wants to counter the offense by Malkolm and move into the clinch position.
Quliev fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Quliev scores with a body shot.
Quliev dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Quliev tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Malkolm tries to move into range but Quliev moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Malkolm walks into a straight right hand from Quliev.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Quliev misses the shot to the body.
Quliev pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Malkolm tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Quliev was well out of range. Poor timing from Malkolm.
Quliev swings for the body but Malkolm moves out of range.
Abdulla Quliev is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Quliev misses with the combination.

Malkolm fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Quliev to the ground. Malkolm is now in Quliev's guard.
Malkolm looking to pass the guard.
Malkolm throwing strikes from guard but Quliev blocks nicely.
Quliev wants to get back to his feet but Malkolm is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Quliev looking to control.
Quliev is looking to stand up but Malkolm isn't so interested in that idea.
Malkolm with a flurry of punches that miss.
Quliev looking for a sweep. Not yet Quliev, not yet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Quliev goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Malkolm throws a head kick but Quliev moves out of range.
It seemed like Quliev was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Quliev tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Malkolm paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Quliev takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Malkolm is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Quliev.
Malkolm swats away the attempt to clinch by Quliev.
Malkolm misses with a few strikes there.

Quliev moves into the clinch successfully.
Quliev prevents the takedown attempt.
Quliev effectively controlling the action here.
Quliev throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Malkolm blocks it with crossed arms.
Quliev with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Malkolm looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Quliev lands a knee to the body.
Quliev looking to stall.
Malkolm tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Quliev's elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for Quliev.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Quliev.
Quliev scores with a knee to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Quliev putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Malkolm in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Quliev on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Quliev lands with a short shot to the head.
Quliev on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Quliev gets through Malkolm's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Abdulla Quliev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Knees to the body from Quliev.
Quliev looking to stall.
Quliev gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Malkolm goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Quliev connects with a nasty looking knee right to Malkolm's face.
Maximilian Malkolm is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Quliev tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Malkolm avoids it.
Quliev working Malkolm over with knees to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Abdulla Quliev comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Malkolm 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Maximilian Malkolm!
Our winner, Maximilian Malkolm, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.