PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Vanna Phommathep (ranked 1404 p4p, 2293 weight class) and Zenek Malina (ranked 209 p4p, 318 weight class). Malina has chosen PROF - Squad Goals as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Phommathep
vs
Malina

172 cm
26
170
4 - 2 - 0

178 cm
25
180
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Solid chin

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Vanna Phommathep!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Zenek Malina!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, David Hoff and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Malina shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Phommathep throws a hook but Malina blocks it.
Phommathep stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Phommathep wants it to stay on the feet.
Malina tries to work over Phommathep's front leg with a kick but Phommathep checks it.
Malina throws a leg kick but Phommathep checks it.
A big left from Phommathep misses.

Phommathep closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Phommathep manages to pull guard.

Phommathep is looking for a triangle but Malina pushes his legs off easily.
Phommathep looking for a sweep. Not yet Phommathep, not yet.
Malina pushing down on Phommathep's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Malina slows the pace down in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Malina is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Malina trying to control the action but Phommathep is working from the bottom.
Phommathep desperately trying to maintain half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Malina wants to work for an arm triangle but Phommathep is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Phommathep is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two 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.
Malina trying to pass the guard but Phommathep defending well.
Malina is looking to take a break and control but Phommathep is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Malina wants to free his trapped foot but Phommathep is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Malina perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Malina is pressing down on Phommathep's thigh, looking to free his foot. Phommathep is holding on for now.
Phommathep is trying to get back to full guard.
Phommathep is pressing down on Malina's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Malina avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Phommathep keeping moving, preventing Malina from controlling successfully.
Malina looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malina content to stall in guard here.

Phommathep is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Malina defends well.
Malina looking to pass the guard.
Phommathep keeping moving, preventing Malina from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Phommathep 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.
Phommathep wants to control but Malina passes easily into half guard.
Phommathep wants to get back to full guard.
Malina missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Phommathep is staying active underneath Malina, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Still in half guard, Malina seems content to control.
Phommathep is pressing down on Malina's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Malina stopping the sweep attempt from Phommathep.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Phommathep escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Malina gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Phommathep looking for a guillotine here but Malina defends easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Vanna Phommathep will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Malina shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Malina is trying to control. Phommathep wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Phommathep is looking for a sweep. Malina is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Phommathep is staying active underneath Malina, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Zenek Malina has got the better of the ground game so far.
Phommathep tries to get to full guard but Malina has control of the leg.
Malina tries to pass to full mount but Phommathep defends it.
Phommathep is looking to get back to full guard here but Malina has managed to pass to side control instead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phommathep manages to get back to half guard.
Malina is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Phommathep is looking to get to half guard.
Phommathep blocking the ground and pound.

Malina jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Phommathep manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Malina looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Phommathep is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Malina's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Phommathep is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phommathep gets back to full guard.
Malina won't allow Phommathep to sweep him here.
Malina trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Malina forces his way into half guard.
Phommathep is pressing down on Malina's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Phommathep trying to control the position.
Phommathep looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Malina tries to free his leg and advance position but Phommathep is retaining full guard.
Malina trying to control but Phommathep is working from the bottom.
Phommathep seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malina postures up.

Phommathep looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Malina passes into half guard.
Phommathep wants to get back to full guard.
Malina tries to pass the half guard into mount. Phommathep knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Malina controlling the action here.
Malina is trying to control. Phommathep wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Phommathep wants to improve his position but Malina is controlling well.
Malina is just content to waste time from the top position. Phommathep takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Malina wants to control from the top but Phommathep keeps moving.
Phommathep tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Malina got a little sloppy there for a moment and Phommathep has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Malina has managed to get both his arms back between Phommathep's legs - danger averted.
Malina passes Phommathep's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Phommathep wants to control but Malina is keeping busy.
Phommathep wants to get back to full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Phommathep looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Phommathep wants to get back to full guard.
Malina wants to control but Phommathep is keeping him busy.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zenek Malina showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Malina misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Phommathep.
Phommathep tries to counter by clinching up but Malina breaks away and moves out of range.
Phommathep checks a low kick from Malina.
Malina throws a leg kick that misses.
Malina ducks under a wild hook from Phommathep.
Malina fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Malina gets tackled into the cage by Phommathep. Phommathep maintains the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Malina tries to pull guard but Phommathep forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Malina pulls guard.

Malina is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Phommathep defends well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phommathep tries to free his leg and advance position but Malina is retaining full guard.
Phommathep pushes down on Malina's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Malina is trying to control but can't.
Malina wants to improve his position but Phommathep is controlling well.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Phommathep in particular looking to stall.

Phommathep is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Malina wants to get back to full guard.

That's two 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.
Malina gets back to full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Phommathep accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Malina keeping full guard, as Phommathep tries to pass.
Phommathep slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Phommathep is looking to take a break and control but Malina is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Malina is trying to improve his position.
Malina wants to control but Phommathep postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phommathep moves into full mount!
Malina is working to get back to half guard.

Phommathep working for a guillotine from mount but Malina is in no mood to give up.
Malina is desperately trying to improve his position but Phommathep has a good base and remains in mount.
Malina stops Phommathep from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Phommathep looking to control but Malina is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Phommathep thowing shots but they're missing.

Phommathep swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Malina is now in Phommathep's guard. A big mistake from Phommathep there, giving up the dominant position!
Phommathep wants to improve his position but instead Malina has moved into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Malina is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Malina trying to mount his opponent but Phommathep defends it.
Malina passes the guard and advances to mount!
Phommathep taking shots to the head.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Phommathep really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Malina can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Phommathep is looking to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Zenek Malina.
I think Malina has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 28:29
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 29:29
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Zenek Malina!
An out of breath Zenek Malina thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.