PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Evgeniy Malkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tiago Renato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Malkin comes to the cage accompanied by The Heavy - How You Like Me Now?. The crowd seem to be enjoying Renato's choice of entrance music: I Want My Tears Back. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Malkin
vs
Renato

191 cm
30
210 lbs
27 - 9 - 4

184 cm
31
206 lbs
27 - 5 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Grand Champion Apparel
KnockOut

Perkele!
Reaper Combatwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 27 - 9 - 4, fighting out of Amsterdam, Evgeniy Malkin!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tiago Renato!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Malkin connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Renato throws out a loose jab but Malkin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Malkin feinted with a counter takedown.
Renato blocks a head kick by Malkin.
Renato looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Malkin throws a low kick but Renato moves out of range easily.
Renato appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Malkin throws a head kick but Renato moves out of range.
Renato walks forward, straight into a front kick from Malkin.
Malkin moves away from the strike by Renato.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Renato checks a leg kick.
Malkin looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Malkin paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Malkin moves out of range as Renato throws a body kick.
Malkin keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Evgeniy Malkin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Malkin changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Malkin misses with a hook
and Renato counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Malkin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Malkin connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Malkin swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Malkin misses with an attempted mid kick.
Malkin connects with a leg kick. Renato looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Renato lands a nice shot that snaps Malkin's head back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Renato scores with a head kick.
Renato cracks the inside of Malkin's front leg.
Renato moves out of range of the body kick from Malkin.
Tiago Renato is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Malkin needs to keep his hands up - Renato had a free shot at his head there.
Renato pushes Malkin away with a front kick.
A jab lands there for Malkin.
Malkin misses with a hook
and Renato counters with a solid body kick.
Renato with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Malkin scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
A slow jab from Malkin misses its intended target.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Renato changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Malkin throws a jab but it's blocked by Renato.
Malkin throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Malkin fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Renato.
Malkin bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Malkin 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.
Malkin attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Renato feints and then cracks Malkin's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Malkin down.
Renato's jab looks to have found its range, popping Malkin under the eye.
Some wild striking there from Malkin.
Malkin throws out a leg kick but Renato moves out of range and Malkin only half commits.
Renato swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Renato lands with a good body shot.
Renato takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Malkin lands with a kick to the temple. Renato shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Malkin tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Renato is able to avoid easily.
Malkin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Malkin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Malkin thows a left - swing and a miss!
Renato lands a body shot.
Malkin thows a leg kick but Renato checks it

and Renato counters by clinching up.
Renato misses with some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Renato lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Malkin tries to work over Renato's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Renato wants to stall.
Renato misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Malkin doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Malkin blocking some punches.
Renato scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Malkin jumps into guard, dragging Renato to the mat.
Renato stopping the sweep attempt from Malkin.

Malkin throws his legs up looking for a submission but Renato uses it to pass to side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Renato is staying tight to Malkin's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Renato working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Renato creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Renato working the ground and pound but Malkin is defending the strikes.
Malkin is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Malkin is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Renato's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Malkin manages to get to full guard.
Malkin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Renato is one step ahead there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Renato wants to stand but Malkin is controlling his posture from full guard.

Malkin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Renato gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Malkin keeping full guard, as Renato tries to pass.

That's six 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.
Renato wants to control from the top but Malkin keeps moving.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Malkin is looking for a triangle but Renato pushes his legs off easily.
Malkin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Renato got a little sloppy there for a moment and Malkin has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Renato has managed to get both his arms back between Malkin's legs - danger averted.

Malkin looking for subs off his back but Renato has passed one foot through into half guard.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Renato prevents Malkin from improving his position.
Still in half guard, Renato seems content to control.
Malkin wants to get back to full guard but Renato has mounted him!
Renato lands a heavy elbow.
Renato working the ground and pound effectively.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Renato lands a couple of good shots and Malkin has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Renato lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Renato controls the action.
Renato lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Renato struggling to keep hold of the position.
Malkin trying to control but not successfully.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Renato is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Renato scores with strikes from the back.
Renato scores with punches and elbows.

Malkin is rocked!
Malkin gets cracked with a huge elbow and he's out cold! Possibly KO of the night from the back? Unusual but possible!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Tiago Renato!
Tiago Renato is the new light heavyweight champion!
Tiago Renato bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.