PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Aldo Mrakovcic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Theodore Loyd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Loyd comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Throwdown - Burn kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Mrakovcic
vs
Loyd

178 cm
23
183 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

186 cm
23
170 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aldo Mrakovcic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Theodore Loyd!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Viktor Lagutenko and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Loyd changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Mrakovcic tries to avoid it but Loyd manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Mrakovcic to the ground. Mrakovcic escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Mrakovcic shoots in looking for a takedown. Loyd tries to sprawl out of it but Mrakovcic keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Loyd manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Loyd looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Aldo Mrakovcic seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Loyd shoots in but Mrakovcic avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Aldo Mrakovcic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Theodore Loyd.
Mrakovcic shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Loyd counters with a single leg into guard. Mrakovcic didn't expect that.

Mrakovcic throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Loyd in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Loyd trying to control the position from guard on top but Mrakovcic is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Mrakovcic looking for a guillotine here but Loyd defends easily.
Loyd stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mrakovcic swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mrakovcic looking for a sweep. Not yet Mrakovcic, not yet.

Mrakovcic isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Loyd stacks Mrakovcic on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Loyd!
Mrakovcic manages to work his way to half guard, despite Loyd's best efforts.
Mrakovcic is refusing to be controlled, as Loyd sits in half guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Mrakovcic actively working from the bottom here.

Mrakovcic actively working from the bottom here.
Mrakovcic is breathing heavily.
Loyd stalling.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Mrakovcic looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Loyd is trying to control the action in half guard but Mrakovcic is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Mrakovcic actively working from the bottom here.
Loyd controlling the action here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mrakovcic with a lazy takedown attempt

and Loyd moves into the clinch.
Mrakovcic is trying to drag Loyd to the mat but Loyd just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.
Mrakovcic blocks an uppercut.
Loyd tries to score a body lock takedown but Mrakovcic shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Loyd prevents the takedown attempt.
Mrakovcic has Loyd pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Loyd manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Loyd has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Mrakovcic uses from the top position.

Mrakovcic drops back, looking for a kneebar! Loyd looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Loyd looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Loyd!
Loyd is looking to take a break and control but Mrakovcic is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Loyd tries to advance to mount but Mrakovcic denies him.
Mrakovcic tries to buck Loyd off but Loyd is having none of it.

Loyd has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Loyd shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Mrakovcic but Mrakovcic pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Mrakovcic shoots and misses

and Loyd counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Mrakovcic!
Mrakovcic is squirming around, avoiding Loyd's attempts to control the action.
Loyd controlling the pace for now.
Mrakovcic is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Loyd scoring with strikes but Mrakovcic is staying in there.
Mrakovcic is in all sorts of trouble here.
Loyd landing punches.
Loyd trying to control but Mrakovcic is having none of it.
Mrakovcic really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Theodore Loyd dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Mrakovcic decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Mrakovcic is thwarting Loyd's attempts to control the position.

Mrakovcic is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Loyd is just riding it out for now. Mrakovcic eventually gives up the hold.
Loyd is positioning himself well to prevent Mrakovcic advancing to mount.
Loyd tries to roll over but Mrakovcic keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mrakovcic is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Loyd is trying to stand back up but Mrakovcic is controlling him

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mrakovcic shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Loyd counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Loyd has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Mrakovcic avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Loyd prevents a takedown attempt there.
Mrakovcic tries to score a body lock takedown but Loyd shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aldo Mrakovcic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mrakovcic goes for a takedown in the clinch but Loyd prevents it.
Mrakovcic prevents a takedown attempt there.
Mrakovcic has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Loyd is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Loyd ties up his opponent against the ropes and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Loyd no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Loyd has his feet on Mrakovcic's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Mrakovcic decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Mrakovcic is working for a kimura but Loyd is defending it quite comfortably.
Loyd trying to control from the bottom.
Mrakovcic looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Mrakovcic is looking for a kimura but Loyd is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Mrakovcic to get the leverage.
Loyd manages to get to full guard.

Mrakovcic has gone for a leg lock! Loyd slips out almost immediately though and dives into Mrakovcic's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Loyd trying to control but Mrakovcic is working from the bottom.
Loyd tries to stand but Mrakovcic is controlling from the bottom.

Mrakovcic throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Mrakovcic working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Loyd doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Loyd manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Theodore Loyd has got the better of the ground game so far.
Loyd preventing the sweep.

That's four 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.
Loyd slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Mrakovcic tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Loyd wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Loyd has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Mrakovcic gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Loyd counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Loyd closes the distance and clinches up with Mrakovcic, looking for a takedown. Loyd pushes Mrakovcic against the ropes but Mrakovcic circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Mrakovcic shoots and misses

so Loyd counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Mrakovcic isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Loyd stacks Mrakovcic on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Loyd!
Loyd cracks Mrakovcic with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Mrakovcic is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Mrakovcic looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Theodore Loyd showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! 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.

Loyd feints and as Mrakovcic raises his hands in defense, Loyd changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Loyd wants to control from the top but Mrakovcic keeps moving.

Mrakovcic looking for a guillotine here but Loyd defends easily.
Loyd must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Mrakovcic is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Loyd drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Loyd jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Mrakovcic looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Loyd passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Loyd is trying to control. Mrakovcic wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Mrakovcic looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Mrakovcic looking for a kimura from the bottom but Loyd passes into side control!
Mrakovcic is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Loyd is one step ahead and moves to full mount!

Loyd looking to secure an arm triangle but Mrakovcic defends it well.
Mrakovcic regains half guard.
Mrakovcic is pressing down on Loyd's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mrakovcic looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Loyd has picked Mrakovcic up and slammed him! Mrakovcic can't keep hold of the triangle and Loyd manages to pass to side control!
Loyd has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Mrakovcic!
Mrakovcic is looking to improve his position but Loyd isn't that keen on the idea.

Loyd is giving the impression that he's looking to ground and pound but he switches suddenly into a beautiful far side armbar! Mrakovcic is forced to tap! Great finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:37 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Theodore Loyd!