PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Leo Shi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Maximus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Shi
vs
Maximus

176 cm
26
265 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

200 cm
25
225 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Leo Shi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alexander Maximus!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Joseph Jones and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maximus misses with a takedown

and Shi counters with a takedown into side control.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Shi is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Maximus has escaped the position, nice work there.
Maximus pushes Shi away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Shi gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Maximus being controlled for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shi is looking to take a break and control but Maximus is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shi in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Maximus is being controlled here.
Maximus managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Shi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Leo Shi has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Maximus has his takedown stuffed

and Shi counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Shi.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Shi just misses with a elbow thrown towards Maximus's brow.

Shi ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Shi no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Shi is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Maximus missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Shi trying to keep a closed guard but Maximus is proving a slippery customer.
Shi has his hands on Maximus's head, controlling the position.
Shi bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Maximus's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Leo Shi.

Shi takes the fight into the clinch.

Shi pulls guard effortlessly.
Maximus looking to sit in guard and control but Shi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Shi decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Maximus, up you get!
Shi slaps away a takedown attempt from Maximus, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Leo Shi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Maximus.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maximus shoots and misses

and Shi holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Maximus drops down looking for an ankle pick but Shi pulls his leg out and moves away.

Shi gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Maximus tries for a takedown but Shi manages to get underhooks.

Shi gets control of Maximus's arms and successfully pulls guard. Shi will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Shi wants to stand up but Maximus is controlling him.
Shi might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maximus wants to control from the top but Shi keeps moving.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shi seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Maximus trying to control the position from guard on top but Shi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Shi dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Shi moves into the clinch.
Maximus keeps control of Shi as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Maximus is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Shi pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Shi turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Maximus is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Shi asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Maximus managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Shi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee asks Shi politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Shi prefers to stall for the moment though.

Shi decides to stand back up.
Maximus has his takedown stuffed
and Shi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

It looks like Alexander Maximus has been cut.
Shi throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Maximus doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Shi counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Leo Shi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Maximus.
Maximus is breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Shi stands up from Maximus's guard - Shi perhaps looking for a knockout.

Shi closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Maximus to the mat! Maximus manages to get full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shi gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Maximus shoots and misses

and Shi counters with a takedown into side control.

Shi decides to stand back up. Shi steps back and let's Maximus get back to his feet.
Leo Shi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Shi drives through and clinches with Maximus against the cage.

Shi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Maximus tries for a takedown but Shi circles away easily

and Shi counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Shi.
Shi tries to land knees in the clinch but Maximus avoids the damage to the body.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shi pushes Maximus up against the cage in a clinch.
Shi lands with a left to the head.

Shi pulls guard.
Maximus looking to sit in guard and control but Shi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shi is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Maximus uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maximus shoots and misses

and Shi holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Shi tightens his grip and picks Maximus up, before dumping him to the ground. Maximus manages to land in guard.
Shi sitting in guard here, content to control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Leo Shi.

Shi clinches with his opponent.
Maximus drops down looking for an ankle pick but Shi pulls his leg out and moves away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

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

Leo Shi dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Alexander Maximus's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Shi scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Shi stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Shi wants it to stay on the feet.

Shi closes the distance and clinches.
Maximus drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Shi gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Maximus avoiding damage as Shi throws knees to the body.

Shi drags the fight down to the ground.
Maximus trying to control the position from guard on top but Shi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Leo Shi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Maximus preventing the sweep.
Shi avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shi striking off his back but it's not causing Maximus any problems.
Shi preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Maximus working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Shi preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Maximus preventing the sweep.
Shi pulls Maximus in close to prevent any damage.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Shi bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Maximus's guard.
Shi is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Leo Shi wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Maximus closes the distance and clinches up with Shi, looking for a takedown. Maximus pushes Shi against the cage but Shi circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Leo Shi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Maximus.
Maximus takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Maximus with a lazy takedown attempt

so Shi counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Shi decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Maximus, up you get!
Shi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Maximus.

Shi moves into range and clinches up with Maximus.
Maximus tries to score a body lock takedown but Shi shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Shi is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Maximus can't fight it off and eventually Shi manages to take the fight to the floor. Maximus looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Maximus avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shi sitting in guard here, content to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Leo Shi just wasn't active enough.
Maximus looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Alexander Maximus seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Maximus moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Shi drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Shi engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Leo Shi wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Maximus shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Shi counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Shi jumps guard.
Shi looking for a sweep. Not yet Shi, not yet.
Shi not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Shi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Maximus.
Shi controlling Maximus's posture.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Maximus throws a strike but Shi rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Maximus wants to stand and escape but Shi is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leo Shi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Shi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:27
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leo Shi!