PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Simon Koob (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Markey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Koob's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, The Offspring- Stuff is messed up. Koob is coming into this fight with a significant injury, which will no doubt have an effect on his cardio. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Koob
vs
Markey

200 cm
22
260 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

195 cm
18
258 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Simon Koob!
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, Ben Markey!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Aleksandr Martynov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Markey feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Koob is breathing heavily.
Markey trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Markey trying to control the position from guard on top but Koob is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Markey with a flurry of punches that miss.
Koob has momentary wrist control but Markey slips an elbow through the middle.
Koob working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Markey.
Markey throwing strikes from guard but Koob blocks nicely.
Markey tries to free his leg and advance position but Koob is retaining full guard.
Markey with a flurry of punches that miss.
Koob keeping full guard, as Markey tries to pass.
Koob keeping moving, preventing Markey from controlling successfully.
Markey looking to pass the guard.
Koob controlling the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Markey misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Markey shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Koob manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Markey seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Koob keeping moving, preventing Markey from controlling successfully.
Markey lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Markey throwing strikes from guard but Koob blocks nicely.
Koob keeping moving, preventing Markey from controlling successfully.
Koob looking to control.
Markey must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Markey trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Markey fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Koob sprawls well initially but Markey persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Markey content to control rather than advance.
Koob makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Koob.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Koob controls Markey momentarily but Markey frees himself.
Markey trying to control but Koob is working from the bottom.
Koob controlling Markey's posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Markey is working Koob over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Markey postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koob 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.
Markey working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Koob's head.

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

Markey closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Koob did well to prevent Markey getting side control.
Koob wants to control but Markey is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Markey is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Koob doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Markey.
Koob works his way to full guard. Good work.
Markey working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Koob is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koob has Markey pulled in close to control his posture.
Markey throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Koob works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Markey trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Markey postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Koob lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Markey!

Koob is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

Koob gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Markey to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Koob is on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Markey dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Markey shoots in for a takedown but Koob shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Markey misses with a two punch combination.
Koob shoots and misses

and Markey counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Markey is looking to advance position but Koob won't allow it.
Markey throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Koob is trying to control but can't.
Koob is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Koob keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Markey working over Koob with some ground and pound. Koob looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Markey closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Koob did well to prevent Markey getting side control.
Koob gets full guard.
Koob has his hands on Markey's head, controlling the position.
Markey throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Koob is trying to control the position but Markey postures up.
Markey lands a couple of digs.
Markey is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Koob pulls Markey in close to his closed guard and prevents Markey from doing any damage or advancing position.
Koob is trying to keep Markey in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koob utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Koob is trying to control the position but Markey postures up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Markey shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Koob preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Koob blocking the ground and pound attempt from Markey.
Koob wants to control but Markey is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Koob is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Markey is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Koob blocking the ground and pound attempt from Markey.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Markey wants to lay and pray for a moment but Koob keeps working.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Koob has his takedown stuffed

and Markey counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Markey.
Koob looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Koob trying to control the position.
Ben Markey has got the better of the ground game so far.
Koob is really struggling to control Markey but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Markey is pushing down on Koob's leg trying to pass to half guard. Koob is fighting to maintain full guard but Markey has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Markey thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Koob's head.
Koob desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Koob is looking for a sweep. Markey is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Markey wants to pass to mount but Koob is defending the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Markey takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Markey tries to pass to full mount but Koob defends it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Koob shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Markey sprawls well. Markey wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Koob gets slowly back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Markey 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Koob takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Markey shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Koob is trying to keep Markey in close.
Koob keeping moving, preventing Markey from controlling successfully.
Markey thows a big elbow that misses.
Markey being controlled here momentarily.
Markey wants to control from the top but Koob keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Markey missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Markey has a takedown stuffed.
Markey lands a two punch combo.
Markey fails with a takedown attempt.
Koob misses with a looping right.
Koob looks to score with a jab to the body but Markey is just out of range.

Markey gets the takedown into side control.
Koob is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Markey's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Markey landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Koob wants to control but Markey is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Koob makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Koob.
Markey working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koob has his hands on Markey's head, controlling the position.
Markey trying to control the position from guard on top but Koob is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Markey throws and elbow that misses. Koob uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Markey's guard. Nice move by Koob!
Koob forces his way into half guard.
Markey is trying to control but can't.
Koob content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Markey has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Koob is working away from the top position though.
Markey controlling the position for now.
Simon Koob has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Koob sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Koob is trying to control the action in half guard but Markey is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Koob tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Koob wants to free his trapped foot but Markey is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Still in half guard, Koob seems content to control.
Koob has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Markey works to full guard.
Ben Markey is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Koob looking to pass the guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Markey comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Markey 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Markey!