PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Riki Maru (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Karol Szczypiorski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Maru
vs
Szczypiorski

190 cm
19
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
18
198 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Riki Maru!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Karol Szczypiorski!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Aafke Stam and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maru fails with a takedown attempt.

Szczypiorski shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Maru wants to get back to full guard but Szczypiorski has mounted him!
Maru can't escape the position.
Maru wants to control but Szczypiorski is having none of it.
Maru holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Szczypiorski tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Szczypiorski connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Maru trying desperately to get to his feet.
Szczypiorski lands a nice shot to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Szczypiorski wants to control the pace but Maru is squirming around nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maru can't escape the position.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Szczypiorski cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Szczypiorski lands a big elbow.

Szczypiorski goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Maru turns into him and now he's in Szczypiorski's guard.
Szczypiorski is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Maru is controlling him.

Maru drops back looking for a leg! Szczypiorski is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Szczypiorski manages to kick Maru off! Maru jumps back into Szczypiorski's guard.
Maru is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Szczypiorski not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Maru prevents Szczypiorski from getting back to his feet.
Maru has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Maru avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Maru is pushing down on Szczypiorski's leg trying to pass to half guard. Szczypiorski is fighting to maintain full guard but Maru has managed to sneak the leg through.

Maru is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Szczypiorski is just riding it out for now. Maru eventually gives up the hold.

Szczypiorski is defending against the submission attempts here by Maru.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szczypiorski has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Maru is working away from the top position though.
Szczypiorski pushes Maru off looking to stand but Maru dives back in and keeps control.
Maru throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Szczypiorski is looking to improve his position.
Szczypiorski punching from the bottom.

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

Szczypiorski shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Maru napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Szczypiorski scoring with punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Maru's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Maru tries to improve position but can't.
Szczypiorski has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Szczypiorski advances to mount.
Szczypiorski raining down shots from the mount!
Maru is desperately trying to improve his position but Szczypiorski has a good base and remains in mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karol Szczypiorski dominated that round.
That's time! Maru's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Szczypiorski shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Maru counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maru postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Maru wants to stand and escape but instead Szczypiorski has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Szczypiorski avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Szczypiorski trying to control but Maru is working from the bottom.

Maru looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Szczypiorski chips away with some ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szczypiorski trying to control but Maru is working from the bottom.
Szczypiorski postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Szczypiorski is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Szczypiorski works over Maru with some ground and pound from guard.
Szczypiorski thows a big elbow that misses.
Szczypiorski postures up in Maru's guard and throws a big left but Maru blocks it.
Maru looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Szczypiorski wants to control from the top but Maru keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Maru leaves Szczypiorski with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Maru stuffs the takedown attempt from Szczypiorski. Szczypiorski gets slowly back to his feet.
Riki Maru has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Karol Szczypiorski.

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.

Szczypiorski darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Maru manages to get to full guard.
Szczypiorski with a flurry of punches that miss.
Maru avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Szczypiorski trying to control the position from guard on top but Maru is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Szczypiorski takes a decent strike to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maru preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Maru bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Szczypiorski's guard.

Szczypiorski working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Maru doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Maru manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Maru landing some decent shots from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Maru is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Szczypiorski is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Szczypiorski has escaped and now he's on top!

Maru looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Maru looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Szczypiorski thows a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Riki Maru dominated that second round.
That's time! Maru's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Maru stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Maru wants it to stay on the feet.
Szczypiorski shoots for a double leg takedown but Maru sprawls well. He's pushed Szczypiorski's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Maru.
Szczypiorski lands with a slapping head kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Maru is defended easily by Szczypiorski.
Szczypiorski gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Maru moves into the clinch.
Riki Maru has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Karol Szczypiorski.

Szczypiorski manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Maru pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Szczypiorski is keeping the position for now.
Maru is working hard here to advance position.
Maru postures up in Szczypiorski's guard and throws a big left but Szczypiorski blocks it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Maruis looking to pass into half guard but Szczypiorski pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Szczypiorski is in guard.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Szczypiorski. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maru trying to keep a closed guard but Szczypiorski is proving a slippery customer.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Szczypiorski accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Szczypiorski wanted to stand there but Maru had control of the position.
Maru looking to hit a scissor sweep but Szczypiorski is one step ahead there.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Maru misses with a takedown
and Szczypiorski counters with a one-two to the body.
Szczypiorski with a lazy takedown attempt

and Maru counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Szczypiorski can't keep his opponent in guard - Maru advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Szczypiorski is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Szczypiorski looking for submissions off his back.
Szczypiorski trying to control here.

Maru is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Szczypiorski flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Maru wants to free his trapped foot but Szczypiorski is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Szczypiorski is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maru thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Szczypiorski's head.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Horrible takedown by Maru or perhaps it was just good defense by Szczypiorski which made him look bad.
Szczypiorski shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Maru defends it nicely.
Maru rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Szczypiorski moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Szczypiorski looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Maru is fending him off so far but Szczypiorski persists. Nope, Maru circles away and we're back to standing.

Maru scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Maru creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Maru is trying to get an arm triangle but Szczypiorski is defending well.
Szczypiorski can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maru in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Szczypiorski is not content to let Maru control the position.

Maru is trying to get an arm triangle but Szczypiorski is defending well.

Maru is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Szczypiorski knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Maru moves into full mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
Riki Maru showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Maru 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Riki Maru!