PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Maksim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Richard Machan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maksim's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, RUSSIA ANTHEM. This should be a great matchup!

Maksim
vs
Machan

175 cm
26
153 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

164 cm
26
160 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Leviathan Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ivan Maksim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Richard Machan!
The judges for this bout are Winston Alpacca, Santiago Holmes and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Machan misses with a takedown
and Maksim counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Maksim closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Machan dives in and scores a takedown into Maksim's guard.
Maksim not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Machan avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Machan stays in close to Maksim's body and controls the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Machan makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Maksim can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Machan controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maksim is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Maksim will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Maksim controlling Machan's posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Maksim escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Machan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Maksim can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Machan controls the pace.
Machan lands a couple of digs.
Machan is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Maksim trying to keep a closed guard but Machan is proving a slippery customer.

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.

Maksim looking for subs off his back but Machan has passed one foot through into half guard.
Machan not doing much here.
Machan tries to pass to full mount but Maksim defends it.
Maksim gets full guard.

Maksim looking for a guillotine here but Machan defends easily.
Machan is in close to Maksim's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machan keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Maksim's head.
Maksim working a defensive guard here.
Machan is in close to Maksim's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Maksim has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Machan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Machan landing with the ground and pound.
Machan scoring with punches to the head and body.
Machan postures up.

Machan avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Maksim seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Machan controlling from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Maksim working for a triangle but Machan defends it easily.
Machan slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Maksim trying to control the position.

Maksim is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Machan is aware though and is defending well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Maksim working for submissions but it's allowed Machan to get to half guard.
Maksim trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Richard Machan will probably get the nod.
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.

Machan shoots in for a takedown but Maksim shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Machan misses with a takedown
and Maksim counters with a stiff right hand.
Maksim feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Machans jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Machan misses with a takedown
and Maksim makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Ivan Maksim has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Richard Machan.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Machan shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
letting Maksim counter with a right hand.
Machan with a lazy takedown attempt
and Maksim counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maksim punishes Machan's body with a nice straight punch.
Machan with a poor takedown
and Maksim counters with a right hand to the body.
Maksim lands with a straight right. Machan didn't see that one coming.
Machan gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Maksim counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Machan.
Maksim digs a good hook to Machan's body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machan gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Maksim counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Maksim breaks from the clinch.
Richard Machan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Machan doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Maksim counters with a stiff right hand.
A shot to the liver by Maksim. Beautiful body shot.
Machan has his takedown stuffed
and Maksim counters with a nice body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Maksim fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maksim is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Machan takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
A cross from Maksim lands.
Maksim scores with a hook to the body. Machan takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Maksim stalks Machan and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Machan's face. Machan staggers backwards, shaken.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Maksim.
Maksim is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Machan walks into a left hand.
Machan with a lazy takedown attempt
and Maksim cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Ivan Maksim is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machan with a poor takedown
and Maksim counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Machan is breathing heavily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Machan with a lazy takedown attempt
and Maksim counters with a series of strikes. Machan will be more careful next time no doubt.
Maksim fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Maksim lands with a right hand.
Nice uppercut there from Maksim.
Maksim is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Maksim scores with a sloppy right hand. Machan should have avoided that one.
Machan misses with a takedown
and Maksim counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Maksim dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Machan throws a lazy uppercut
and Maksim counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Machan thinking.
Machan shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Maksim counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Machan misses with a takedown
and Maksim counters with a straight right hand.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Machan.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Machan working away.
Machan works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machan is looking to take a break and control but Maksim is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Maksim taking a bit of punishment here - Machan scoring with strikes.
Machan working away.
Machan landing strikes.
Maksim struggling a bit here.
Machan scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Maksim to see if he's OK.
Maksim is trying to control Machan's posture but Machan avoids it.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maksim tries to improve position but can't.
Maksim is trying to control Machan's posture but Machan avoids it.
Maksim is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Machan is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Maksim is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Maksim can't do much from the bottom here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Machan with a poor takedown
and Maksim counters with a right hand to the body.
Ivan Maksim has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Richard Machan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Machan shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Machan showed some decent athleticism there.

Maksim manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Machan keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Maksim is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Machan can do to turn this around?
Still in the clinch, Maksim scores with a nice short uppercut.
Maksim scores with a nice hook to the head.

Maksim escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The fighters circle momentarily. Maksim darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Maksim changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Maksim works Machan's body with a nice hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maksim getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Machan gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Machan takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Machan on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Maksim lands a jab to the nose.
A shot to the liver by Maksim. Beautiful body shot.
Maksim works Machan's body with a nice hook.
Machan doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Maksim makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ivan Maksim showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Maksim 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 Winston Alpacca scores the fight 29:27
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 29:27
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ivan Maksim!
In his post fight interview, Ivan Maksim started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.