PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Leonid Martinyuk (ranked 2394 p4p, 2352 weight class) and Magnus Gunnarsson (ranked 283 p4p, 279 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Martinyuk
vs
Gunnarsson

200 cm
40
225
27 - 18 - 0

190 cm
35
213
18 - 22 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Granite chin

BKC Nutrition and Laundry [30%]

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 27 - 18 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Leonid Martinyuk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 22 - 0, fighting out of New York, Magnus Gunnarsson!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Bruno Hogan and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Martinyuk feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Martinyuk looking to pass the guard.
Gunnarsson keeping moving, preventing Martinyuk from controlling successfully.
Martinyuk stops Gunnarsson from standing up.
Martinyuk stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gunnarsson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Martinyuk prevents Gunnarsson from getting back to his feet.
Martinyuk sitting in guard here, content to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Martinyuk trying to control but Gunnarsson is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinyuk waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson with the counter takedown but Martinyuk avoids it easily.
A swing and a miss from Martinyuk.
And Gunnarsson tries to counter it with a takedown but Martinyuk pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Martinyuk closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Gunnarsson did well to prevent Martinyuk getting side control.

Gunnarsson has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Martinyuk is on him like a limpet, forcing Gunnarsson back against the cage.
Martinyuk is trying to push Gunnarsson away but Gunnarsson has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Gunnarsson dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Gunnarsson is trying to break the clinch but Martinyuk is controlling him.

Gunnarsson breaks the clinch.
A low kick from Gunnarsson misses
and Martinyuk counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Gunnarsson loads up on a big right hand but Martinyuk slips the punch.
A lazy left from Gunnarsson finds it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Martinyuk fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Gunnarsson looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Martinyuk moves out of range of the strikes.
Gunnarsson avoids the head kick by Martinyuk.
Martinyuk jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Martinyuk uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Martinyuk misses with a head kick.
Nice defenses there by Gunnarsson.

Gunnarsson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Martinyuk working aggressively here.
Martinyuk makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Martinyuk is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Martinyuk misses.
Gunnarsson misses with a two punch combination.
Martinyuk avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gunnarsson looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Gunnarsson scores with a jab to the body.
Gunnarsson digs a good body shot into Martinyuk's ribs.
Gunnarsson avoids the head kick by Martinyuk.
Gunnarsson walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Martinyuk checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Martinyuk throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Martinyuk misses with a body shot.
Martinyuk tries to clinch up but Gunnarsson circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick from Gunnarsson misses.
Martinyuk waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Martinyuk throws a body shot but no joy.
Gunnarsson is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Martinyuk drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Magnus Gunnarsson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gunnarsson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Martinyuk was well out of range. Poor timing from Gunnarsson.

Gunnarsson clinches up with Martinyuk and pushes him back against the cage.
Gunnarsson tries a body shot but Martinyuk blocks it.

Gunnarsson manages to break the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gunnarsson throws a quick inside leg kick.
Gunnarsson cracks Martinyuk with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

Martinyuk tries to keep at a distance but Gunnarsson has taken the fight into the clinch.
Gunnarsson prevents a body shot from Martinyuk.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Magnus Gunnarsson dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Gunnarsson closes the distance and clinches.

Martinyuk pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Martinyuk looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Martinyuk is looking to clinch.

Martinyuk drives through and clinches with Gunnarsson against the cage.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Gunnarsson in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.

Gunnarsson breaks the clinch.

Gunnarsson gets a clinch.
Martinyuk keeps control of Gunnarsson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Gunnarsson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Gunnarsson manages to break the clinch.

Gunnarsson moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martinyuk wants to stall.
Martinyuk misses with a hook from the clinch.
Gunnarsson is trying to break free.
Martinyuk misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinyuk lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short right from Gunnarsson on the inside.
Martinyuk blocks a body shot from Gunnarsson.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson wants to break the clinch but can't.
Gunnarsson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Gunnarsson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Martinyuk has him pressed against the cage.
Martinyuk taking a breather.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Martinyuk.
Gunnarsson tries to circle away but Martinyuk has him pinned against the cage.
Martinyuk working aggressively here.

Martinyuk breaks the clinch.
Martinyuk throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Martinyuk pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Martinyuk gets tackled into the cage by Gunnarsson. Gunnarsson maintains the clinch.
Gunnarsson lands a shoulder strike.

Gunnarsson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A solid body kick from Gunnarsson.
A swing and a miss from Gunnarsson.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Gunnarsson throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Martinyuk stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Martinyuk misses with a looping right.

Gunnarsson closes the distance and pushes Martinyuk back into the cage.

Martinyuk breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gunnarsson looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Martinyuk looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gunnarsson is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Gunnarsson is looking to slow Martinyuk down with leg kicks.
Gunnarsson throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gunnarsson rushes Martinyuk and presses him up against the cage.

Gunnarsson manages to break the clinch.
Martinyuk misses with a two punch combination.
Gunnarsson with the counter takedown but Martinyuk avoids it easily.
Martinyuk is looking to clinch.
Martinyuk fails to land with a series of punches.
Martinyuk connects with a jab.
Good standup being displayed there by Martinyuk as he connects with a hook.
Gunnarsson lands the left hand.
Martinyuk tries to close the distance and clinch but Gunnarsson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gunnarsson feints the counter takedown.
Gunnarsson connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Gunnarsson misses with a straight right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martinyuk tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gunnarsson was well out of range. Poor timing from Martinyuk.
Gunnarsson feints the counter takedown.
Left hook, right uppercut from Martinyuk.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A telegraphed right hand from Martinyuk misses the target.
Martinyuk tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gunnarsson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Martinyuk moves away from the strike by Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Martinyuk looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Martinyuk throws a series of punches but Gunnarsson avoids them all with ease.
Gunnarsson looks to land a right hand but Martinyuk moved out of range.

Gunnarsson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Martinyuk, pushing him back against the cage.
Martinyuk lands a body shot.
Martinyuk keeps control of Gunnarsson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Magnus Gunnarsson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Gunnarsson swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Martinyuk counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Gunnarsson takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Martinyuk lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Martinyuk misses with the combination.
Gunnarsson fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Martinyuk on the side of the head.
Gunnarsson lands a head kick!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gunnarsson instigates a clinch.
Martinyuk swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Martinyuk cracks Gunnarsson with a nice body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Martinyuk closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Martinyuk is staying tight to Gunnarsson's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Gunnarsson is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Martinyuk controlling the position.
Gunnarsson is trying to buck Martinyuk off.
Martinyuk tries to advance to mount but Gunnarsson denies him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martinyuk trying to control the action but Gunnarsson is working from the bottom.
Gunnarsson regains half guard there - taking advantage of Martinyuk's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Martinyuk is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Gunnarsson tries to kick Martinyuk off but Martinyuk keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sloppy strikes from Gunnarsson. Those never looked like landing.
Martinyuk misses with a straight right.
A head kick by Gunnarsson misses
and Martinyuk counters with a two punch combo.
Gunnarsson moves out of range as Martinyuk strikes.
Gunnarsson misses with the combination.
Gunnarsson takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Martinyuk takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Leonid Martinyuk has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martinyuk moves forwards but Gunnarsson connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Martinyuk avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gunnarsson uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Martinyuk.
And Gunnarsson tries to counter it with a takedown but Martinyuk pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Martinyuk uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson scores with a sloppy right hand. Martinyuk should have avoided that one.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Danga de danga de dang - Martinyuk scores with a four punch combination!

It looks like Magnus Gunnarsson has been cut.
Martinyuk takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Martinyuk throws a sloppy head kick and Gunnarsson moves out of range easily.
Gunnarsson changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Magnus Gunnarsson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Martinyuk slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Leonid Martinyuk is winning the standup battle so far.
Gunnarsson moves into range and connects with a jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Leonid Martinyuk.
I think Gunnarsson 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Magnus Gunnarsson!