PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rmarkas Fletcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Malvin Maldi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fletcher comes to the cage accompanied by Keep on Lovin Me Baby by Colin James. Maldi has chosen Loituma TECHNO! as his entrance music. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Fletcher
vs
Maldi

175 cm
37
146 lbs
35 - 21 - 0

170 cm
34
161 lbs
37 - 18 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Brute

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 35 - 21 - 0, fighting out of London, Rmarkas Fletcher!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 37 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Malvin Maldi!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Marco Blurström and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fletcher shoots in but Maldi avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Fletcher shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Maldi as he avoids it easily.
Fletcher shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rmarkas Fletcher. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maldi slaps away a takedown attempt from Fletcher, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Maldi missing with a left hand there. Fletcher was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Maldi slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Maldi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Fletcher.
Maldi slips a jab from Fletcher.
Maldi just misses with a punch to the body.
Fletcher moves out of range of the strikes.
Maldi bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Fletcher's head backwards.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Fletcher is defended easily by Maldi.
Fletcher uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Maldi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fletcher shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Maldi sprawls well. Maldi wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Fletcher gets slowly back to his feet.
Maldi lands a nice looking body shot.
Fletcher on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Maldi looks to land a combination but Fletcher avoids it well.
Fletcher displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Maldi throws out the jab.
Maldi shoots in but no luck this time.
Fletcher looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Maldi throws a head kick that misses.
Fletcher loads up on a big right hand but Maldi slips the punch.
Fletcher shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Maldi pinned against the cage. Maldi gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Maldi explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good leg kick by Maldi there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Fletcher shoots in and drives through. Maldi sprawls well.
Maldi throws a right hand that misses
enabling Fletcher to counter with a crisp jab.
Fletcher shoots for a double leg takedown but Maldi sprawls well. He's pushed Fletcher's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Fletcher misses with a takedown attempt - Maldi sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Fletcher fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Malvin Maldi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fletcher looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Maldi misses with a few strikes there.
Nice straight punches there by Maldi. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Maldi.

Fletcher shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Maldi looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Maldi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Maldi controlling Fletcher's posture.
Fletcher pushes down on Maldi's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Maldi works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maldi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Fletcher trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maldi looking to hit a scissor sweep but Fletcher is one step ahead there.
Maldi trying to keep a closed guard but Fletcher is proving a slippery customer.
Fletcher throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Maldi works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Fletcher controls from within his opponent's guard.
Maldi 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.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Maldi is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Maldi keeping moving, preventing Fletcher from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Malvin Maldi dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Maldi takes a swing at Fletcher's ribcage but misses.
Maldi throws a push kick but Fletcher slaps the foot to one side.
Fletcher with a poor takedown
and Maldi cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Maldi shoots in for a takedown but Fletcher shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Maldi throws a sloppy body shot
and Fletcher connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Fletcher pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Maldi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A looping hook to the body misses from Maldi. Fletcher does a little dance to reset his feet.
Maldi cracks Fletcher with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Maldi swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Maldi misses with a wild body shot.
Fletcher leaves Maldi with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Maldi throws a big shot that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fletcher dives in and grabs Maldi's left leg, looking for a takedown. Maldi pushes down on Fletcher's head and hops out.
Fletcher ducks under a wild hook from Maldi.
Maldi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Maldi scores with a kick to the body.
Maldi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Fletcher manages to avoid it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Maldi. Fletcher does a little dance to reset his feet.
Fletcher throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Fletcher shoots in looking for a takedown but Maldi manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Fletcher's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rmarkas Fletcher. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fletcher looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Fletcher fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Maldi avoids it really well and circles away.
Fletcher shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Maldi pinned against the cage. Maldi gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maldi tests Fletcher's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Maldi dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Maldi throws out a leg kick but Fletcher moves out of range and Maldi only half commits.
Maldi defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Fletcher.
Fletcher uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Maldi.
Fletcher keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Maldi swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Maldi sizes up Fletcher with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher shoots in looking for a takedown but Maldi manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Fletcher's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Malvin Maldi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Maldi misses with a body shot.
Maldi stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Maldi scores with a body shot.
Maldi shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Fletcher pinned against the cage. Fletcher gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Maldi throws a right and a left that Fletcher avoids nicely.
Rmarkas Fletcher has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Maldi looks to score with a jab to the body but Fletcher is just out of range.
Some wild striking there from Maldi.
Maldi takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Maldi fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Fletcher checks it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Maldi.
Fletcher keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Fletcher fails with the takedown.
A slow jab from Maldi misses its intended target.
Malvin Maldi is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Jab, jab by Maldi - just one landing.
Fletcher ducks under a wild hook from Maldi.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Fletcher is defended easily by Maldi.
Maldi takes a swing at Fletcher's ribcage but misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
No luck for Fletcher with that takedown attempt.
A slow jab from Maldi misses its intended target.

And that's the end of the fight!
Malvin Maldi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Maldi has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 18:20
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 18:20
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 18:20

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Malvin Maldi!
Our winner, Malvin Maldi, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.