PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ilmari Laine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bo Malone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bo Malone has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Ilmari Laine's chin.

Laine
vs
Malone

209 cm
24
300 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

195 cm
21
270 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ilmari Laine!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bo Malone!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Malone throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Laine.
Laine lands a jab to Malone's midsection.
Laine falls off balance throwing a combination
letting Malone counter with a right hand.

It looks like Ilmari Laine has been cut.
Malone moves out of range as Laine strikes.
Malone on the wrong end of a nice hook.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Laine misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Malone throws a body punch but Laine moves out of range.
Laine misses with an uppercut.
Laine lunges at Malone with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Malone's hand.
Malone tries for a takedown but Laine sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Laine swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Malone doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Malone looks gassed!
Laine swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Laine fails with the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malone shoots for a takedown but Laine saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
A combination from Laine does no damage.
Laine lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Malone circles away quickly and effectively.
Laine wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

Laine shoots in and bounces Malone off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Laine controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Laine wants to control from the top but Malone keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laine working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Laine makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Malone wants to sweep but no luck.
Malone throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Laine trying to control the position from guard on top but Malone is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Laine shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Malone controls Laine momentarily but Laine frees himself.
Laine will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Malone keeping moving, preventing Laine from controlling successfully.
Laine trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Malone manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malone fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Malone can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Laine is looking to escape.
Laine is trying to escape the mount.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Malone breaks from Laine's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Laine on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Laine tries to get out of the position.
Laine throwing hammer fists to the chest of Malone. What's that going to do exactly?
Laine is working to get back to half guard.
Malone looking to control but Laine is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laine takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
A nice elbow there by Malone.
Malone lands with some strikes.
Malone controlling the pace for now.
Laine is squirming around, avoiding Malone's attempts to control the action.
Laine tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Malone controlling the position easily from mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Malone dominating with strikes here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilmari Laine dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ilmari Laine's cut.
That's time! Laine's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Laine uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Malone.
No joy there for Laine, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Laine loads up on a big right hand but Malone slips the punch.
Laine takes one on the chin but seems OK.
A slow jab from Laine misses its intended target.

Malone shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Laine napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Malone tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Malone has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Malone working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Laine is looking for a sweep.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laine is trying to control Malone's posture but Malone avoids it.
Malone trying to control the position but Laine is working away.
Laine tries to improve position but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Malone cracks Laine with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Malone has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Malone advances to mount.

Malone working for a guillotine from mount but Laine is in no mood to give up.
Malone blocks Laine's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Laine working to try and regain half guard.

That's two 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.

Malone moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Laine has worked his arm free - good work by Laine!
Laine regains half guard.
Malone sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Laine defending well though.
Laine makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Laine.
Bo Malone has got the better of the ground game so far.
Laine wants to sweep but no luck.
Malone trying to control the position from guard on top but Laine is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Laine 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.
Laine throws a nice elbow from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malone trying to control but Laine is working from the bottom.
Laine utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Laine looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Malone trying to control the position from guard on top but Laine is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Malone moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Ilmari Laine's cut is getting worse.
Laine throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Malone sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Nice sprawl there from Laine as Malone shoots in.

Laine shoots in and bounces Malone off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Malone has his foot on Laine's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Laine works his way back into a safe position though.

Malone is looking for a triangle but Laine pushes his legs off easily.
Malone trying to control the position.
Laine has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Malone working for submissions but it's allowed Laine to get to half guard.
Laine is pressing down on Malone's thigh, looking to free his foot. Malone is holding on for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Laine moves into full mount! Malone won't be happy about that!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bo Malone showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ilmari Laine's cut.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Laine misses with a double jab
and Malone counters with a left and a right that stings Laine.
Laine misses with a jab to the body

and Malone counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Laine!
Malone controlling the position easily from mount.
Malone fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Laine swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Malone dominating with strikes here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Laine manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Well, if Malone is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Laine throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malone wants to take a breather but Laine is having none of it.
Malone trying to mount his opponent but Laine defends it.
Laine throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Malone seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Laine does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Laine misses with a body punch

and Malone counters with a nice double leg into side control. Laine won't be happy with that.

Malone tries for a kimura but Laine is defending well.
Laine is not content to let Malone control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laine manages to get back to half guard.
Laine tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Laine has a hand on Malone's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Malone takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Malone lands a big elbow.
Malone landing strikes, looking to finish!
Malone is landing with some decent strikes but Laine is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Laine throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

Malone working for a submission but Laine is keeping him at bay.

Malone swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Laine is now in Malone's guard. A big mistake from Malone there, giving up the dominant position!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laine scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Laine postures up.

Malone is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Laine lands a couple of elbows.
Laine works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Laine prevents Malone from improving his position.
Laine winds up and cracks Malone with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laine is looking to take a break and control but Malone is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Malone has hold of Laine's hands but Laine slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Malone trying to control here.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Laine connects with a nice short shot to Malone's temple.

Malone looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Laine wants to control but Malone is keeping him busy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Malone blocking the ground and pound attempt from Laine.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bo Malone comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Malone has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bo Malone!