PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andrei Arlovski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Melvin Manhoef (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Arlovski
vs
Manhoef

183 cm
25
255 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

177 cm
26
190 lbs
4 - 8 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Andrei Arlovski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Melvin Manhoef!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Summer Carpenter and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Manhoef feints and then cracks Arlovski's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Arlovski down.
Manhoef pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Arlovski swats away the attempt to clinch by Manhoef.
A telegraphed right hand from Arlovski misses the target.
Manhoef fails with an attempt to clinch.
Manhoef throws a big shot that misses.
Manhoef throws a right and a left that Arlovski avoids nicely.
Manhoef swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Manhoef throws a nice head kick!

It looks like Andrei Arlovski has been cut.
Manhoef throws a chopping leg kick but Arlovski manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Manhoef misses with a lunging right hand
enabling Arlovski to counter with a crisp jab.
A lazy left from Arlovski finds it's target.
Arlovski could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Manhoef lands with a cross.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Manhoef feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Arlovski's calf.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arlovski blocks a leg kick.
Manhoef fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Arlovski.
Manhoef misses with a straight left.
Manhoef swinging wildly here.
Arlovski stuns Manhoef with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Arlovski avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Manhoef throws a leg kick but Arlovski checks it.
Melvin Manhoef seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Manhoef moves in looking to clinch but Arlovski pushes him off.
Manhoef throws the left hand but Arlovski avoids the punch easily.
No joy there for Manhoef, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Arlovski steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Manhoef.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Arlovski moves away.
Manhoef lands a head kick!
Manhoef rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Arlovski moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A jab from Arlovski does it's job there.
Manhoef doesn't manage to clinch there - Arlovski circles away.
Manhoef throws a looping overhand right but Arlovski ducks down to avoid it.
Manhoef throws a sloppy head kick and Arlovski moves out of range easily.
Arlovski blocks a jab.
Manhoef misses the jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Manhoef lands a body shot.
Arlovski shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Arlovski's jab looks to have found its range, popping Manhoef under the eye.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef misses with a low kick.
Arlovski scores with a jab. Manhoef acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Arlovski swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Manhoef.
Arlovski throws a good cross that connects.
Arlovski throws the left hand but Manhoef avoids the punch easily.
Manhoef works Arlovski's body with a nice hook.
Manhoef pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Manhoef misses with a jab, cross combination.
Arlovski throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Manhoef throws a combination that misses
and Arlovski counters with a left to the body.
Manhoef rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Arlovski moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Arlovski is looking to chop away at Manhoef's legs.
Manhoef misses with a two punch combination.
Arlovski uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Manhoef.
Manhoef looks to score with a jab to the body but Arlovski is just out of range.
Manhoef misses with an uppercut. Arlovski saw that one coming.
Manhoef connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Manhoef cracks Arlovski with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Manhoef throws a nice inside leg kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Arlovski throws a lazy uppercut
and Manhoef counters with a good, hard body kick but Arlovski shrugs it off.
Manhoef throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Manhoef takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Arlovski is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Manhoef looks winded!
Manhoef swinging wildly here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Melvin Manhoef dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Andrei Arlovski's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Manhoef throws a right and a left that Arlovski avoids nicely.
Manhoef throws a nice outside leg kick.
Manhoef displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Arlovski throws out the jab.
Arlovski throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Manhoef counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Manhoef misses with a few strikes there.
Manhoef with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Manhoef tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Manhoef cracks Arlovski with a good jab.
Arlovski avoids the body shot from Manhoef.
Arlovski takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Arlovski scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manhoef misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Melvin Manhoef is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Arlovski throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Manhoef pivots, looking for a leg kick but Arlovski is out of range and Manhoef settles back down.
A nice leg kick lands there from Manhoef.
Manhoef rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Arlovski moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Arlovski is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Manhoef fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Arlovski has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Manhoef throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Arlovski counter with a right hand.
Manhoef is breathing heavily.
Manhoef lands with an overhand left.
Arlovski ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Manhoef moves away.
Melvin Manhoef seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Manhoef misses with the combination.
Manhoef lands with a kick to the temple. Arlovski shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Manhoef misses with a left hand
enabling Arlovski to counter with a crisp jab.
Arlovski slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Manhoef takes one to the chin there.
Arlovski takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Arlovski avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A swing and a miss from Arlovski.
Manhoef falls off balance throwing a combination
and Arlovski counters with a lovely shot to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Manhoef misses the target.
Manhoef throws a hook to the side of Arlovski's head but Arlovski sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Manhoef looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Arlovski takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Manhoef slips a jab from Arlovski.
A nice inside leg kick there by Manhoef. That's going to slow Arlovski down.
Manhoef throws a leg kick that misses.
Manhoef chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Manhoef throws out a loose jab but Arlovski uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sloppy strikes from Manhoef. Those never looked like landing.
Manhoef shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Manhoef takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Manhoef uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Arlovski has time to react.
Manhoef looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Arlovski steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Manhoef.
Arlovski takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Arlovski dodges the punch combination from Manhoef.
Arlovski on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Manhoef jabs Arlovski right on the nose. Arlovski blinks but takes it well.
Manhoef keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Arlovski.
Manhoef swings away with a body shot that misses
and Arlovski counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Melvin Manhoef showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Andrei Arlovski's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Manhoef throws a sloppy head kick and Arlovski moves out of range easily.
Nice cross by Manhoef.
Manhoef tries to clinch but Arlovski is having none of it.
Arlovski throws out a loose jab but Manhoef uses good head movement to avoid it.
Manhoef throws a nice looking combination but Arlovski bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Arlovski bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Arlovski checks a leg kick.
A jab lands there for Arlovski.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Manhoef.
No joy there for Manhoef, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Manhoef ducks under a wild hook from Arlovski.
Arlovski slips a straight right by Manhoef.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manhoef throws a jab when Arlovski was well out of range.
Manhoef waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Arlovski.
Manhoef lands a nice leg kick that just misses Arlovski's sensitive parts.
Manhoef looks to land a left hand but Arlovski moved out of range nicely.
Manhoef tries a head kick but it misses.
Manhoef takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Manhoef fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Arlovski throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Manhoef sees it coming and avoids it easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Manhoef looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Arlovski thuds his right hand into Manhoef's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Manhoef misses with a straight left.
Arlovski paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Manhoef has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski misses with a straight left.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
A nice inside leg kick there by Manhoef. That's going to slow Arlovski down.
Manhoef misses with a double jab.
Manhoef bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Arlovski's head backwards.
Arlovski tries to score with a low kick but Manhoef moves his leg out of the way.
Arlovski has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Manhoef tries to clinch but Arlovski is having none of it.
A combination from Manhoef does no damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Manhoef throws a series of punches but Arlovski moves out of range.
Arlovski keeps the fight on the outside.
Manhoef throws a solid leg kick but Arlovski takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Manhoef.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef misses the jab.
Manhoef throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Manhoef throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Arlovski counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Arlovski throws the left hand but Manhoef avoids the punch easily.
A head kick misses from Manhoef.
Manhoef doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Arlovski, as that shot connected.
Manhoef throws a low kick, looking for Arlovski's leg but Arlovski calmly moves out of range.
Manhoef throws a combination that misses
and Arlovski counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Arlovski throws the left hand but Manhoef avoids the punch easily.
Arlovski bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Manhoef's head backwards.
Andrei Arlovski has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef misses with a straight right.
Manhoef takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Manhoef lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Arlovski circles away quickly and effectively.
Manhoef takes a jab right on the kisser.
Arlovski misses the jab.
Manhoef swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Arlovski avoids a kick to the body.
Manhoef looks to land a right hand but Arlovski moved out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Manhoef throws a jab when Arlovski was well out of range.
Nice defenses there by Arlovski.
Arlovski lands a jab to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Melvin Manhoef comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Manhoef 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Winston Howard scores the fight for Melvin Manhoef!
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight for Melvin Manhoef!
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight for Melvin Manhoef!

Melvin Manhoef wins by unanimous decision!