PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marcin Rak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Franko Maslov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maslov has chosen Naj,Naj as his entrance music. This should be fireworks!

Rak
vs
Maslov

187 cm
19
250 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

200 cm
18
240 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

MMA's Best Nutrition The PIT INC

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Marcin Rak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Franko Maslov!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Steven Brown and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rak tries a head kick but it misses.
Rak changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Maslov tries to avoid it but Rak manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Maslov to the ground. Maslov escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rak swats away the attempt to clinch by Maslov.
Rak tries to clinch but Maslov moves away
and Maslov counters with a nice kick to the body.

Rak closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Maslov manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Rak in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Maslov wants to stand but Rak is controlling the position.
Rak wants to stand but Maslov is controlling his posture from full guard.
Rak looking to pass the guard.
Rak wants to control from the top but Maslov keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rak would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Rak might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Maslov manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Rak is in all sorts of trouble here.
Maslov controlling the position easily from mount.
Rak tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Maslov looking to control but Rak is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Rak is trying desperately to improve position.
Rak wants to control but Maslov is having none of it.
Maslov controlling his opponent.
Maslov really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rak. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rak working to try and regain half guard.
Rak is breathing heavily.
Maslov looking to control and managing it successfully.
Maslov looking to control but Rak is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four 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.
Rak is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Rak wants to control but Maslov is having none of it.
Maslov sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Rak wants to hold on but Maslov pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Franko Maslov dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Rak takes a kick to the side of the head.

Maslov pushes Rak up against the cage in a clinch.
Come on Maslov - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Rak can't break the clinch.

Maslov is fighting off a takedown attempt but Rak is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Maslov to the mat. Maslov regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Rak wants to control from the top but Maslov keeps moving.

Rak stands up and waves to Maslov to follow him.
Maslov tries to clinch

and Rak counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rak tries to pass the half guard into mount. Maslov knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Maslov looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rak missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Maslov kicks off Rak and gets to his feet.
Maslov scores with a push kick.
Maslov throws a right and a left that Rak avoids nicely.

Maslov rushes Rak and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Maslov tries to land a knee to the head but Rak blocks with his arms.

Maslov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Maslov closes the distance and clinches.
Maslov lands an elbow inside.
Rak letting Maslov take a breather here.

Maslov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Maslov gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Rak tries to kick Maslov off but Maslov keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rak is trying to escape back to his feet but Maslov uses the scramble to pass into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Rak is trying to get back to his feet.
Maslov works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Rak is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rak bucks up and tries to throw Maslov off but instead Maslov has got his back!
Maslov is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Maslov keeps control of the position as Rak tries to break free.
Rak wants to control his opponent's hands but Maslov gets his hands free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rak tries to escape but Maslov has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Maslov keeps control of the position easily here as Rak tries to buck him off.
Maslov trying to control.
I really don't envy Rak right now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Franko Maslov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Maslov gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rak goes for a takedown attempt but Maslov pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rak throws a lazy body kick

and Maslov counters by moving into the clinch.

Maslov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Marcin Rak seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rak lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Maslov circles away quickly and effectively.
Rak throws a sloppy head kick

and Maslov holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Rak can't get the takedown.

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

Maslov clinches with his opponent.

Maslov manages to break the clinch.

Maslov gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Maslov lands an elbow inside.
Rak is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Maslov manages to break the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Maslov clinches with his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maslov fails to pull guard.
Rak tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Maslov smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcin Rak. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rak takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Maslov forces Rak back against the cage and clinches.
Maslov lands a knee to the body.
Maslov lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

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

Maslov closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rak is looking to break free of the clinch but Maslov has double underhooks.
Maslov creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Maslov throws a knee to the head but misses.
Maslov using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Maslov with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rak tries to pull guard but Maslov won't allow it.
Maslov gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Maslov with a knee to the head.
Maslov throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Maslov connects with a nasty looking knee right to Rak's face.
Maslov lands an elbow that stopped Rak in his tracks for a moment.
Rak tries to land a knee to the head but Maslov blocks with his arms.
Rak's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Maslov tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Rak gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Maslov.

Maslov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Maslov doesn't manage to clinch there - Rak circles away.
Maslov wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick by Rak misses

and Maslov counters by clinching up.

Maslov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rak swats away the attempt to clinch by Maslov.
Maslov shoots in and drives through. Rak sprawls well.
Rak with a poor takedown
and Maslov counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rak shoots in but no luck this time.
Maslov throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Maslov circles away from the clinch attempt

and Maslov holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Maslov prevents the takedown attempt.
Maslov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rak prevents the takedown attempt.

Maslov breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rak wants to clinch but Maslov slips to the side

and Maslov counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Franko Maslov has got the better of the ground game so far.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rak manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Maslov won't allow Rak to get back to his feet.

Rak manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Maslov throws a head kick that half lands.
Marcin Rak is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maslov closes the distance and clinches up with Rak, looking for a takedown. Maslov pushes Rak against the cage but Rak circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rak doesn't manage to clinch there - Maslov circles away.
Maslov wants to clinch up but Rak keeps it at a distance.

Maslov drives through with a takedown into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rak looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Maslov puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Marcin Rak has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Franko Maslov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Rak looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Franko Maslov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Maslov 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Franko Maslov!