PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sergei Smirnov (ranked 2389 p4p, 281 weight class) and Lorenzo Mazo (ranked 24705 p4p, 554 weight class). Sergei Smirnov looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Smirnov
vs
Mazo

188 cm
27
220 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

150 cm
26
265 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Can Moonwalk

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sergei Smirnov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Lorenzo Mazo!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Sergei Dronov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smirnov is looking to clinch but Mazo is avoiding it.
Mazo feints the counter takedown.
The fight stays on the outside here - Smirnov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Mazo shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Mazo was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Smirnov is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
Mazo takes a little break here. Smirnov wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mazo trying to control the action but Smirnov is working from the bottom.
Mazo might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Smirnov haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smirnov is trying to improve his position.
Smirnov is breathing heavily.
Mazo wants to control but Smirnov is keeping him busy.
Smirnov is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Mazo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Smirnov keeps working.
Smirnov gets back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Mazo not doing much here.
Mazo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Smirnov keeps working.
Mazo slows the pace down in half guard.
Mazo looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Smirnov is refusing to be controlled, as Mazo sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Smirnov has closed the distance and engaged Mazo in a clinch.

Smirnov has picked Mazo up - he's going for a ride! Smirnov dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Mazo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Smirnov.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Mazo can do anything to dispel that myth.
Smirnov is thwarting Mazo's attempts to control the position.

Smirnov is trying to work for a kimura but Mazo is defending well.
Smirnov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Mazo looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mazo wants to control but Smirnov is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Mazo is trying is best to control the position here.
Mazo tries to roll over but Smirnov keeps him under control.

Smirnov is working for a submission of some sort.
Mazo controlling the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Sergei Smirnov will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Smirnov moves into the clinch.
Mazo wants to take the fight to the mat but Smirnov manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Mazo is looking to take this one to the mat.

Smirnov gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Mazo controls Smirnov momentarily but Smirnov frees himself.
Mazo wants to sweep here but Smirnov controlling him for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smirnov's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Smirnov will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Smirnov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mazo wants to sweep here but Smirnov controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mazo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Smirnov in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Smirnov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mazo can do to turn this around?
Mazo controls Smirnov momentarily but Smirnov frees himself.
Mazo looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Smirnov controlling from the top position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Smirnov fails in his attempt to clinch.

Smirnov gets a double leg takedown into Mazo's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mazo is trying to control the position but Smirnov postures up.
Smirnov preventing the sweep.
Smirnov working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Mazo's head.
Smirnov postures up.
Mazo seems keen to control Smirnov's posture.
Smirnov stops Mazo from standing up.
Mazo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mazo controls Smirnov momentarily but Smirnov frees himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smirnov postures up and lands a big shot to Mazo's brow.
Smirnov working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smirnov throws a big elbow that misses.
Smirnov lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Smirnov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Smirnov drops back looking for a leg! Mazo is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Mazo manages to kick Smirnov off! Smirnov jumps back into Mazo's guard.
Mazo managing to control the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Mazo closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Smirnov's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mazo wants to control from the top but Smirnov keeps moving.
Smirnov manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Mazo manages to get himself to full guard.

Mazo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Smirnov drops back looking for a leg! Mazo is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Mazo manages to kick Smirnov off! Smirnov jumps back into Mazo's guard.
Mazo 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.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergei Smirnov dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Smirnov lands a nice shot to the body.

Mazo shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Smirnov is trying to defend but Mazo finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Mazo wants to take a breather but Smirnov is having none of it.
Smirnov trying to control from the bottom.
Mazo is controlling the pace.

Mazo is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mazo is pressing down on Smirnov's thigh, looking to free his foot. Smirnov is holding on for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smirnov is holding on to half guard well.
Smirnov is staying active underneath Mazo, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Well, if Mazo is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Smirnov tries to get to full guard but Mazo has control of the leg.
Mazo tries to pass the half guard into mount. Smirnov knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Mazo trying to control the action but Smirnov is working from the bottom.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Mazo tries for a takedown but Smirnov circles away easily
and Smirnov makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Mazo scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Mazo trying to control the position but Smirnov is working away.
Smirnov tries to bench press Mazo off him but Mazo keeps the position.

Mazo is trying to get an arm triangle but Smirnov is defending well.
A lull in the action here as Mazo stalls from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mazo is looking to take a break and control but Smirnov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Smirnov gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Mazo trying to control from half guard but Smirnov is working away.
Mazo trying to mount his opponent but Smirnov defends it.
Sergei Smirnov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Smirnov is trying to maintain the position but Mazo is very close to passing his half guard.
Well, if Mazo is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Smirnov makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Smirnov.
Smirnov looking for a sweep. Not yet Smirnov, not yet.
Lorenzo Mazo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mazo showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Smirnov not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lorenzo Mazo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Smirnov has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:29
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Lorenzo Mazo!