PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Alex Polyanskiy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Midick Aiken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Polyanskiy comes to the cage accompanied by Oxxxymiron - Signs of life. Midick Aiken acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Polyanskiy
vs
Aiken

169 cm
21
150 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

160 cm
20
145 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alex Polyanskiy!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Midick Aiken!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Alan Glass and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aiken moves out of range as Polyanskiy strikes.
Aiken blocks a jab.

Aiken closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Aiken makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Aiken misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Polyanskiy tries to stall but Aiken uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Aiken blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Aiken pushes Polyanskiy back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Polyanskiy manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Aiken controlling the action here for a moment.
A bit of stalling here from Polyanskiy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Polyanskiy.
Aiken cracks Polyanskiy with a nice body shot.
Polyanskiy has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Aiken as Polyanskiy tries to tie him up.
Polyanskiy looking to slow down the pace here.
Polyanskiy can't seem to implement his control oriented gameplan at the moment. That's no bad thing of course, for those of us who want to see a good fight.
Polyanskiy trying to stall but Aiken improves his position.
Polyanskiy seems a little flustered. He's come in with the intention of controlling the clinch but Aiken is preventing him from doing so, at least for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Alex Polyanskiy.
Polyanskiy showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Aiken.
Polyanskiy throws a body punch but Aiken moves out of range.
Aiken fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Aiken clinches with his opponent.
Aiken scores with a shoulder strike.
Polyanskiy blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Polyanskiy escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Aiken clinches.
Polyanskiy tries to pull guard but Aiken won't allow it.
Polyanskiy tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Aiken pushes Polyanskiy back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Polyanskiy jumps guard but Aiken turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Polyanskiy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aiken swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Polyanskiy is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Aiken lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Polyanskiy blocks an uppercut.
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!
A short uppercut from Aiken.
Polyanskiy fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aiken lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Aiken goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Aiken prevents Polyanskiy from breaking the clinch.
Aiken stalling against the cage.
Aiken digs a right hand underneath Polyanskiy's ribcage. Polyanskiy let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Polyanskiy looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Aiken throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Aiken makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Aiken.
Polyanskiy misses with a hook to the ribs.
Aiken manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Aiken lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Aiken lands a right hand that snaps the head of Polyanskiy backwards.
Aiken misses with some punches.
Aiken misses with a hook to the ribs.
Aiken lands a hook that snaps the head of Polyanskiy backwards.
Polyanskiy with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Aiken lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Polyanskiy wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Polyanskiy tries to pull guard but Aiken forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Polyanskiy is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Polyanskiy is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Aiken to keep the fight standing.
Polyanskiy blocking some punches.
Polyanskiy blocks an uppercut.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Aiken lands a body punch.
Polyanskiy tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Aiken just stands there and leans against the cage.
Aiken throws a head punch that misses.
Still in the clinch, Aiken scores with a nice short uppercut.
Polyanskiy is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Aiken taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Aiken lands a right hand.
Aiken lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Aiken is looking to control Polyanskiy's arms but Polyanskiy gets an underhook and turns him. Now Aiken has his back to the cage.
Aiken lands a hook to the side of the head.
Polyanskiy is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aiken is working Polyanskiy over against the cage.
Polyanskiy tries to pull guard but Aiken forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Aiken scores with a hook to the body.
Aiken digs a right hand into Polyanskiy's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Polyanskiy's gas tank.
Polyanskiy is breathing heavily.
Aiken scores with a shot to the side of Polyanskiy's head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A right hook to the body lands for Aiken.
Aiken works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Aiken lands with a right to the head.
Aiken is leaning against Polyanskiy and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Good body shot from Aiken.
Aiken lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Aiken lands a right hand that snaps the head of Polyanskiy backwards.
Aiken gets through Polyanskiy's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Aiken softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Aiken lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A short right from Aiken.
Aiken doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A body shot lands from Aiken.
A short right from Aiken on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Aiken rushes Polyanskiy and presses him up against the cage.
Polyanskiy tries to pull guard but Aiken forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
A body shot lands from Aiken.
Polyanskiy jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Aiken walks away with a smile on his face. Polyanskiy gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Aiken uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Polyanskiy.
Aiken wants to counter the offense by Polyanskiy and move into the clinch position.
Aiken tries to close the distance and clinch up but Polyanskiy swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Polyanskiy throws a jab when Aiken was well out of range.

Aiken darts in and clinches Polyanskiy up against the cage.
Polyanskiy tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Aiken avoids it.
Polyanskiy is struggling to control the position.
Polyanskiy fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Polyanskiy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Polyanskiy tries to pull guard but Aiken won't allow it.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Aiken.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Polyanskiy looking to stall.
Polyanskiy tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A left hand lands to the body for Aiken.
Polyanskiy is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A short right from Aiken.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aiken taking a breather.
Aiken lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Polyanskiy is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Aiken to keep the fight standing.
A body shot lands from Aiken.
Aiken throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Polyanskiys head.
Aiken is leaning against Polyanskiy and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Aiken has Polyanskiy pushed against the cage.
Aiken holding his opponent close, against the cage.
The crowd are getting on Aiken's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
Aiken lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Polyanskiy.
Polyanskiy has had enough of the clinch but Aiken keeps him there for the moment.
Aiken lands a right hand that snaps the head of Polyanskiy backwards.
Aiken lands with a short shot to the head.
Aiken scores with a nice hook to the head.
A nice left hand lands by Aiken.
Polyanskiy tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Aiken smiles and moves away.

Aiken gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Polyanskiy struggles to land a body shot inside as Aiken controls his hands.
Polyanskiy tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Aiken just stands there and leans against the cage.
Aiken lands a hook to the side of the head.
Aiken pushes Polyanskiy back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Aiken lands a shoulder strike.
Aiken lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Polyanskiy tries to stall but Aiken uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Aiken has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Polyanskiy jumps guard but Aiken stands there with Polyanskiy around his waist. Polyanskiy gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Aiken stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Aiken throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Polyanskiys head.
Aiken lands with a right to the head.

Polyanskiy is rocked!
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Aiken.
Aiken stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Aiken lands a shot to the body.
Aiken lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Oh Polyanskiy is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Aiken lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Aiken working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Aiken controlling the action here for a moment.
Aiken lands a body shot in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aiken lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Polyanskiy.
Aiken lands a body shot.
Aiken scores with a nice hook to the head.
Aiken lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Midick Aiken seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Aiken throws a big uppercut that drops Polyanskiy! More strikes from Aiken and the referee jumps in to stop the fight! Polyanskiy lies dazed against the cage as Aiken celebrates with his cornermen!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:22 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Midick Aiken!
Midick Aiken is the new featherweight champion!