PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Radoslaw Michalak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Austin Aries (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michalak comes to the cage accompanied by 50 cent-Ready for war. Austin Aries is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Michalak
vs
Aries

188 cm
21
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
27
167 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Radoslaw Michalak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Austin Aries!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Winston Howard and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aries misses with a head kick.
Aries fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Michalak misses with a takedown attempt - Aries sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Aries throws a body kick that misses.
Michalak shoots and misses
and Michalak takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Aries dives in and grabs Michalak's left leg, looking for a takedown. Michalak pushes down on Aries's head and hops out.
Michalak tries to clinch up but Aries circles away and keeps his distance.

Michalak has closed the distance and engaged Aries in a clinch.
Aries can't get the takedown.
Radoslaw Michalak has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Austin Aries.
Michalak is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Aries is defending well.
Aries tries to pull guard but Michalak won't allow it.

Michalak breaks the clinch.
Nice shot lands for Michalak.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Michalak clinches up against the cage.
Aries tries to pull guard but Michalak won't allow it.

Michalak manages to break the clinch.
Aries shoots in looking for a takedown but Michalak manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Aries's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Aries throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Michalak tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Aries is in Michalak's guard.
Aries looks gassed!
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Michalak looking to hit a scissor sweep but Aries is one step ahead there.
Aries trying to control but Michalak is working from the bottom.
Michalak is trying to control the position but Aries postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michalak is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Aries is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Michalak throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Aries closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Michalak manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Michalak is trying to maintain the position but Aries is very close to passing his half guard.
Aries is stalling here. Michalak is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Aries seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Michalak has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Aries tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Michalak wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Michalak will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Aries can do anything to dispel that myth.
Michalak gets to mount! Aries was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

Michalak is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Aries has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Michalak throws some wild stikes that Aries manages to avoid easily.

Michalak stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Aries tries to close the distance and clinch up but Michalak swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Aries closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Michalak's guard.

Michalak pushes Aries off and scrambles back to his feet.
Aries tries to clinch but Michalak is having none of it.

Michalak gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Aries to score an easy takedown into full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Michalak wants to stand up but Aries is controlling him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Michalak keeping moving, preventing Aries from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Austin Aries will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Michalak shoots in looking for a takedown. Aries tries to sprawl out of it but Michalak keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Aries manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Aries is defended easily by Michalak.
Michalak fails with a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Michalak showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Aries.
Michalak throws a combination. Aries tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A combination from Michalak does no damage.
Michalak fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Radoslaw Michalak. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Aries will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Radoslaw Michalak is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Aries tries for a takedown but Michalak sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Aries.
Aries misses with a series of wild punches.
Aries defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Michalak.
Aries has a takedown stuffed.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aries stops a takedown attempt from Michalak.
Michalak tries to land a knee to the head but Aries blocks with his arms.
Aries looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Aries tries to throw a body punch but Michalak avoids it by throwing Aries back against the cage.
Aries fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Aries is looking to break free of the clinch but Michalak has double underhooks.
Aries is trying to pull guard but Michalak turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Michalak looking for a takedown.

Michalak breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Aries misses with a leg kick

and Michalak counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Michalak.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michalak with a flurry of punches that miss.
Aries throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Aries has his foot on Michalak's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Michalak works his way back into a safe position though.
Michalak trying to control the position from guard on top but Aries is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Aries holds on and takes a little breather.
Aries avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Michalak wants to pass the guard but Aries is keeping the position.
Aries wants to stand and escape but Michalak is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michalak throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Aries works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Michalak would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Aries looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Michalak has picked Aries up and slammed him! Aries can't keep hold of the triangle and Michalak manages to pass to side control!
Aries really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Michalak. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Aries is trying to control Michalak's posture but Michalak avoids it.
Aries is looking to regain half guard here but Michalak keeps moving and retains side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Michalak is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Aries has escaped the position, nice work there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Radoslaw Michalak dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Michalak closes this distance looking for a takedown but Aries circles away.
Aries keeps the fight on the outside.

Aries closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Michalak did well to prevent Aries getting side control.
Michalak trying to control but Aries postures up.
Michalak works his way to full guard. Good work.
Michalak looking to hit a scissor sweep but Aries is one step ahead there.
Aries wants to stand and escape but instead Michalak has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aries trying to control the position here.
Aries tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Michalak gets to his feet - Aries follows without any prompting.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Michalak, as that shot connected.
Michalak shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Aries counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Michalak!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aries blocks Michalak's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Michalak is desperately trying to improve his position but Aries has a good base and remains in mount.
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!
Aries lands a heavy elbow.
Aries raining down shots from the mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aries avoids the attempt from Michalak to control.
Michalak is squirming around, avoiding Aries's attempts to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aries controlling from the full mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aries dominating with strikes here.

Aries goes for an armbar but Michalak turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Michalak.
Aries trying to keep a closed guard but Michalak is proving a slippery customer.
Aries wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aries not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Michalak drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Michalak jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Aries controlling the position.

Aries is looking for a triangle but Michalak pushes his legs off easily.
Aries trying to control the position here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Michalak avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Austin Aries comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Aries 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Austin Aries!