PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Damian Malenczuk (ranked 23170 p4p, 825 weight class) and Armando Buckholtz (ranked 8541 p4p, 768 weight class). Buckholtz comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Cypress Hill - Tequila Sunrise kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Damian Malenczuk is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Malenczuk
vs
Buckholtz

189 cm
25
217 lbs
3 - 10 - 0

186 cm
25
201 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Sportivité

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Damian Malenczuk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Armando Buckholtz!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Ian Loll and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Buckholtz misses with a head kick.
Buckholtz slips a jab and a cross from Malenczuk.
Buckholtz shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Malenczuk pinned against the cage. Malenczuk gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Malenczuk looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Buckholtz is fending him off so far but Malenczuk persists. Nope, Buckholtz circles away and we're back to standing.
Buckholtz throws a sloppy head kick and Malenczuk moves out of range easily.
Malenczuk fails with the takedown.
Buckholtz tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Malenczuk tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Buckholtz swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Damian Malenczuk. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Malenczuk shoots in but Buckholtz avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Malenczuk tries for a takedown but Buckholtz circles away easily

and Buckholtz counters with a takedown into side control.
Malenczuk striking from the bottom but nothing landed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buckholtz controls the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Let's hope that Buckholtz has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Malenczuk is looking for a sweep.
Buckholtz advances nicely into full mount.
Buckholtz lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Buckholtz controlling the pace for now.
Buckholtz punishing his opponent with strikes.
Malenczuk is in a horrible position here. Buckholtz smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Buckholtz controlling from the full mount.
Malenczuk is looking to improve his position but Buckholtz isn't that keen on the idea.
Buckholtz controlling the pace for now.
Buckholtz's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Buckholtz wants to finish this one by submission but Malenczuk is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Buckholtz.
Buckholtz controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Buckholtz lands a nice shot to the head.
Buckholtz scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Buckholtz avoids the attempt from Malenczuk to control.
Buckholtz content just to control the position here.
Malenczuk really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Buckholtz tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Malenczuk is desperately trying to improve his position but Buckholtz has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buckholtz controlling from mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Buckholtz prevents Malenczuk from getting the reversal.
Buckholtz controlling the position easily from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Armando Buckholtz dominated that round.
That's time! Malenczuk's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Buckholtz leaves Malenczuk with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Buckholtz steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Malenczuk.

Buckholtz clinches up with Malenczuk and pushes him back against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Malenczuk.
Malenczuk is working for takedown but Buckholtz is calmly controlling the position for now.
Knees to the body from Buckholtz.

Buckholtz pulls guard.
Malenczuk throws an elbow that misses. Buckholtz uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Malenczuk's guard. Nice move by Buckholtz!

Buckholtz is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Buckholtz passes Malenczuk's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Buckholtz working Malenczuk over with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buckholtz controlling the pace.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Buckholtz.
Malenczuk tries to get to full guard but Buckholtz has control of the leg.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Buckholtz lands a nice short elbow.
Buckholtz seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Buckholtz is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Buckholtz with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Malenczuk is looking to improve his position.
Buckholtz content to control rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Buckholtz is continuing to stall.
Malenczuk is trying to stand back up but Buckholtz is controlling him
Malenczuk won't allow Buckholtz to pass to mount.
Malenczuk is trying to maintain the position but Buckholtz is very close to passing his half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Buckholtz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Buckholtz slips a nice elbow through Malenczuk's hands, connecting with Malenczuk's forehead.
Buckholtz not doing much here.
Yet more stalling tactics from Buckholtz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Buckholtz moves into the clinch.
Malenczuk lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Buckholtz breaks the clinch.
Buckholtz fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Buckholtz takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Malenczuk will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Buckholtz's coach down at Spar Bros was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Buckholtz's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Damian Malenczuk. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head kick by Malenczuk misses

and Buckholtz counters with a shoot takedown. Malenczuk fights it but they end up in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buckholtz is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The adventures of Buckholtz the control monster continue. Boring.
Buckholtz advances to half guard.
Buckholtz controlling the action here.
Armando Buckholtz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Malenczuk works his way to full guard. Good work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Buckholtz slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Malenczuk throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Armando Buckholtz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Malenczuk shoots and misses

and Buckholtz decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Malenczuk's guard.
Buckholtz is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Buckholtz postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Buckholtz keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Malenczuk's head.
Buckholtz slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Malenczuk looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Buckholtz seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Malenczuk trying to keep a closed guard but Buckholtz is proving a slippery customer.
Buckholtz seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malenczuk 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.
Buckholtz controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Buckholtz passes Malenczuk's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Buckholtz sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Malenczuk trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Buckholtz performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Buckholtz scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Buckholtz not doing much here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Malenczuk tries to clinch up but Buckholtz circles away and keeps his distance.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Buckholtz! But no joy.
Buckholtz circles away from the clinch attempt

and Buckholtz counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Malenczuk working a defensive guard here.
Armando Buckholtz is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buckholtz looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Buckholtz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Malenczuk swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Malenczuk looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Buckholtz controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
More stalling from Buckholtz.

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

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Left hook, right uppercut from Malenczuk.
Damian Malenczuk is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Malenczuk tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Buckholtz paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Malenczuk pushes Buckholtz away with a front kick.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Malenczuk closes the distance but Buckholtz moves to the side

and Buckholtz counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Damian Malenczuk has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Buckholtz controlling the action here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Armando Buckholtz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Buckholtz winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Armando Buckholtz!
Armando Buckholtz very nearly forgot to thank Sportivité amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.
Damian Malenczuk was interviewed post fight and said 'I will get you next time !!! '.