PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Yuri Maltsev (ranked 2143 p4p, 279 weight class) and Ovidio Kiran (ranked 1539 p4p, 213 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Maltsev
vs
Kiran

185 cm
26
211 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

189 cm
19
210 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Yuri Maltsev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ovidio Kiran!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Dirk Anderson and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kiran lands a nice hook to Maltsev's body. Maltsev takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Kiran drives through and clinches with Maltsev against the cage.
Kiran looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Maltsev scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Kiran lands a nice uppercut.
Kiran swings away with an uppercut that misses.

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

Kiran has taken the fight to the clinch.
Kiran scores with a shot to the side of Maltsev's head.
Maltsev tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Kiran's elbow.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Maltsev definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Kiran blocks a body shot from Maltsev.
Maltsev taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Kiran scores with a shot to the side of Maltsev's head.
Kiran works on Maltsev's body with a couple of short punches.
Maltsev is breathing heavily.
Kiran is working Maltsev over against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Maltsev misses with some punches.
Kiran misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Kiran breaks from the clinch.
Kiran lands a lovely overhand right.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kiran forces Maltsev back against the cage and clinches.
Kiran lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Maltsev backwards.
A short right from Kiran.
Maltsev blocks a body shot from Kiran.
Kiran tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Maltsev's elbow.
Kiran gets through Maltsev's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Kiran fails to land.
Maltsev blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Nice body punch from Kiran.
Kiran tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Maltsev's elbow.

Maltsev breaks the clinch.
Kiran takes a swing at Maltsev's ribcage but misses.

Kiran closes the distance and clinches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kiran.
A short left from Kiran.

Maltsev breaks the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kiran scores with a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kiran lunges at Maltsev with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Maltsev's hand.
Maltsev ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Kiran cracks Maltsev with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

Kiran clinches with his opponent.
Maltsev tries to work over Kiran's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Maltsev manages to break the clinch.

Kiran forces Maltsev back against the cage and clinches.
Maltsev misses with a hook to the ribs.
Maltsev blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Maltsev throws a punch but it's blocked by Kiran.
Kiran goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kiran blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Maltsev breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kiran sizes up Maltsev with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ovidio Kiran dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kiran darts in trying to clinch
and Maltsev counters with a stiff right hand.
A big right from Maltsev misses.
Kiran bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Maltsev throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Some wild striking there from Maltsev.
Maltsev ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kiran moves away.
Kiran misses with a hook. Maltsev ducked under it nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kiran clinches up against the cage.
Maltsev working aggressively here.
Kiran lands a hook that snaps the head of Maltsev backwards.
Kiran stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Kiran prevents a body shot from Maltsev.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kiran lands a body punch in the clinch.
Maltsev blocks a body shot from Kiran.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kiran is looking for a takedown.
Kiran lands a shoulder strike.
Maltsev working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Good body shot from Kiran.
Kiran lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Maltsev backwards.
Maltsev blocks a body shot from Kiran.
Kiran scores with a shoulder strike.
Kiran lands with a light punch inside.
Kiran pushes Maltsev back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Kiran lands a right hand that snaps the head of Maltsev backwards.
Kiran presses Maltsev against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Kiran lands a hook that snaps the head of Maltsev backwards.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Kiran throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Maltsevs head.
Kiran struggles to land a body shot inside as Maltsev controls his hands.
A hook to the body from Kiran.
Kiran tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maltsev is looking to control Kiran's arms but Kiran gets an underhook and turns him. Now Maltsev has his back to the cage.
Kiran misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kiran lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Still in the clinch, Kiran scores with a nice short uppercut.
Kiran tries for a takedown. No joy.
Good body shot from Kiran.
Kiran scores with a shoulder strike.
Kiran lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Kiran pushes Maltsev back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kiran.
Kiran lands a left hand that snaps the head of Maltsev backwards.
Kiran lands a body punch in the clinch.
A body shot lands from Kiran.
Kiran misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kiran is leaning against Maltsev and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Maltsev takes a shot to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kiran lands a nice shot to the body.
Kiran has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Maltsev is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ovidio Kiran showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Kiran instigates a clinch.
Maltsev fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kiran.
Kiran has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Kiran prevents a body shot from Maltsev.
Kiran presses Maltsev against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Ovidio Kiran seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Kiran scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Kiran lands with a right to the head.
Kiran gets through Maltsev's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Kiran lands a body shot.
A short uppercut from Kiran.
A shot in the inside from Kiran.
A bit of stalling here from Maltsev.
Kiran lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Maltsev backwards.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A right hand to the body from Kiran.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Maltsev blocks a body shot from Kiran.
A shot in the inside from Kiran.
Kiran misses with a punch to the body.
Kiran lands a body shot in the clinch.
Yuri Maltsev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Kiran.
Kiran lands a body punch in the clinch.
Kiran digs a right hand into Maltsev's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Maltsev's gas tank.
Kiran lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Kiran lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A right handed body shot lands from Kiran.
Kiran softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Kiran lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Maltsev or not.
Kiran works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Kiran lands a left hand.
Ovidio Kiran is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kiran lands a nice shot to the body.
Maltsev swings wildly with an uppercut but Kiran uses good head movement to avoid it.
Maltsev lands with a right to the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Kiran creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Maltsev throws a punch but it's blocked by Kiran.
Kiran lands a shoulder strike.

Maltsev is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maltsev tries to work over Kiran's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Oh Maltsev is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Maltsev misses with the head strike.
Maltsev seems to have got his legs back now.
Maltsev misses with some punches.
Maltsev goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Maltsev misses with a punch to the body.
Maltsev blocks a body shot from Kiran.
Maltsev swings away with an uppercut that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Maltsev.
Kiran tries a body shot but Maltsev blocks it.
Maltsev fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Maltsev takes a shot to the head.
Kiran prevents a body shot from Maltsev.
Kiran blocks a body shot from Maltsev.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ovidio Kiran comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Kiran has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Santiago Holmes scores the fight for Ovidio Kiran!
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight for Ovidio Kiran!
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight for Ovidio Kiran!

Ovidio Kiran wins by unanimous decision!
During a confident post fight interview, Ovidio Kiran thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.