PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sherlock Holmes (ranked 4969 p4p, 484 weight class) and Anton Malina (ranked 23686 p4p, 622 weight class). Sherlock Holmes has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Holmes
vs
Malina

175 cm
21
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
180 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sherlock Holmes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Anton Malina!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, Eliza Hachem and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holmes misses with a double jab.
Holmes seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Malina goes for a double leg but Holmes avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Holmes continues to drive forward.

Holmes takes the fight into the clinch.
Holmes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Malina.
Malina is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Malina jumps guard but Holmes turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Malina blocks a body shot from Holmes.
Malina wants a takedown but no success here.
Sherlock Holmes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anton Malina.
Malina blocks the elbow strike.

Holmes breaks from the clinch.
Holmes is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Malina misses with an attempted mid kick.

Holmes drives through and clinches with Malina against the cage.

Holmes jumps guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Malina tries to free his leg and advance position but Holmes is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Malina gets to his feet - Holmes follows without any prompting.
Sherlock Holmes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Holmes dodges the punch combination from Malina.

Holmes pushes Malina up against the cage in a clinch.
Holmes unloads a knee to the mid-section.

Malina breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Holmes clinches.
Holmes is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Malina is defending well for now.
Malina tries to land knees in the clinch but Holmes avoids the damage to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Malina.
Holmes is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Malina is defending well for now.
Malina tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Holmes just stands there and leans against the cage.

Malina breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Holmes throws a leg kick that misses.
Malina tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Holmes closes the distance and pushes Malina back into the cage.
Holmes crunches a lovely knee into Malina's ribcage.
Holmes dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Holmes tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Holmes gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Anton Malina has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Holmes tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Malina avoids it.
Holmes unloads a knee to the mid-section.

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

Malina gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Malina misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Holmes has Malina pressed against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Holmes for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holmes missing with knees to the body.
Holmes using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Malina has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Holmes pressing his opponent against the cage.

Holmes pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Holmes drives through and clinches with Malina against the cage.
Malina tries to pull guard but Holmes forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Malina is trying to pull guard but Holmes turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Holmes is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Holmes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Malina.
Malina has had enough of the clinch but Holmes keeps him there for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Holmes breaks from the clinch.
Malina will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
As Malina looks to move away, Holmes throws a big counter combo but Malina just gets out of the way.

Holmes has closed the distance and engaged Malina in a clinch.
Holmes utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Malina jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Holmes walks away with a smile on his face. Malina gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Holmes is looking to clinch.
Malina scores with a nice head shot.
Holmes tries to clinch up but Malina circles away and keeps his distance.
Malina pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Holmes shoots in but Malina avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Holmes tries to score with a low kick but Malina moves his leg out of the way.
Holmes tries to clinch but Malina is having none of it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Holmes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Malina manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sherlock Holmes dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Anton Malina's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Malina lets loose with a powerful body kick. Holmes will feel that in the morning.
Malina fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Holmes avoids it really well and circles away.

Malina clinches with his opponent.
Malina managing to block the knees to the body from Holmes.
Holmes misses with an elbow over the top.
Malina misses with a hook to the ribs.
Malina looking to throw knees to the head but Holmes is blocking nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Malina tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Holmes prevents a takedown attempt there.
Holmes is stalling here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malina tries to pull guard but Holmes holds him up against the cage and eventually Malina drops back down to his feet.
Sherlock Holmes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anton Malina.
Holmes has Malina pushed against the cage.
Holmes has Malina pushed against the cage.
Holmes is pushing Malina up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Come on Holmes - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Sherlock Holmes.
Malina shoots in and drives through. Holmes sprawls well.
Holmes looks to clinch
and Malina counters with a nice body shot.
Holmes wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holmes throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Malina tries to score a power double leg takedown but Holmes sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Malina somewhat.

Malina forces Holmes back against the cage and clinches.
Malina misses with a hook to the ribs.
Malina can't find room to land a body shot as Holmes controls the action.

Holmes's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Holmes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Malina shapes to counter with a head kick.
Malina scores with a head kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Malina is defended easily by Holmes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holmes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Malina manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Malina gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Holmes tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Malina just stands there and leans against the cage.
Holmes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Malina blocks it with crossed arms.
Holmes lands an elbow just above Malina 's eye.
Malina tries for a takedown. No joy.
Malina letting Holmes take a breather here.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Malina avoiding damage as Holmes throws knees to the body.
Holmes is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Malina is defending well for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Malina wants to take the fight to the mat but Holmes manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Malina tries to pull guard but Holmes forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Holmes with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Malina tries a knee to the head but Holmes blocks it.
Malina is breathing heavily.
Holmes lands an elbow inside.
Holmes landing knees to the body.
Holmes pressing his opponent against the cage.
Malina avoiding damage as Holmes throws knees to the body.
Holmes misses with a knee to the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Malina blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A bit of stalling here from Holmes.
Malina takes an elbow to the temple.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sherlock Holmes dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Anton Malina's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. 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.

Holmes tries to clinch up but Malina circles away and keeps his distance.

Malina closes the distance and clinches.
Malina tries to work over Holmes's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Malina is looking to take this one to the mat.
Holmes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Malina.
Holmes is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Malina trying to land knees to the body.
Holmes blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Malina on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Holmes pulls guard successfully.
Holmes has his hands on Malina's head, controlling the position.
Malina looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes pulls Malina in to control the position.
Malina looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Malina gets to his feet - Holmes follows without any prompting.

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.
Holmes tries to bum rush Malina with a series of wild strikes but Malina uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Holmes takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

Holmes has closed the distance and engaged Malina in a clinch.
Malina with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Sherlock Holmes has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Malina on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Malina breaks from the clinch.
Sherlock Holmes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Holmes takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Holmes fails in his attempt to clinch.
Holmes slips a jab and a cross from Malina.
Malina lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Holmes tries to clinch there but Malina circles away.
Holmes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Malina can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malina dodges the punch combination from Holmes.

Holmes closes the distance and pushes Malina back into the cage.

Holmes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Holmes tries to clinch up.
Malina is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Holmes wants to clinch.
Malina shoots in but Holmes avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Malina fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Holmes fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holmes fails with an attempt to clinch.
Malina tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Holmes defends well and Malina ends up having to push Holmes into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Sherlock Holmes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anton Malina.
Malina takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Malina fails to land the takedown.
Holmes seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

Holmes closes the distance and clinches.
Malina tries to break free but Holmes pushes him back against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Malina.
Holmes is pushing Malina up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Malina can't break the clinch.
Anton Malina has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sherlock Holmes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Holmes blocking some punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Anton Malina.
I think Holmes has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sherlock Holmes!