PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Malvin Maldi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jacque Strap (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maldi comes to the cage accompanied by Loituma TECHNO!. Strap is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Thunderstruck by ACDC. 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.

Maldi
vs
Strap

170 cm
25
161 lbs
16 - 8 - 0

179 cm
29
167 lbs
12 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Malvin Maldi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jacque Strap!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Strap uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Maldi.
Maldi gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Strap counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

It looks like Malvin Maldi has been cut.
Maldi throws a leg kick
and Strap counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Strap misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Maldi.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Strap checks a leg kick.
Strap throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Maldi misses with a low kick.
Maldi checks a leg kick nicely.
Maldi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A swing and a miss from Maldi.
Strap throws a sloppy body shot
and Maldi counters with a slapping leg kick.
Strap throws a leg kick
and Maldi finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strap falls off balance throwing a combination
and Maldi counters with a left to the body.
Strap keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Maldi.
Strap avoids the body shot from Maldi.
Maldi looks to score with a jab to the body but Strap is just out of range.
Maldi looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Strap throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Maldi counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Maldi stuns Strap with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Maldi throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Strap counters with a low kick, right behind Maldi 's knee.
Strap moves out of range of the body kick from Maldi.
Maldi misses with a hook
and Strap counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maldi misses with a leg kick
and Strap counters with a leg kick.
Strap misses with an attempted mid kick.
Strap swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Maldi counters with a straight right hand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Strap misses with a body shot.
Strap swings for the body but Maldi moves out of range.
Nice straight punches there by Maldi. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Maldi.
Maldi thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Strap if he has to take too many more of those.
Maldi throws a nice inside leg kick.
Strap defending well as Maldi loads up on a big left hand.
Strap connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Maldi's hands.
A combination from Strap does no damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strap throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Strap throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Maldi counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Strap looks gassed!
Maldi winds up and cracks Strap with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Maldi thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Strap's head.
Maldi is trying to control. Strap wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Maldi is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Maldi not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Strap taking some punishment here, with Maldi in his half guard.
Strap holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maldi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maldi tries to pass the half guard into mount. Strap knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Maldi is just content to waste time from the top position. Strap takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Maldi has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Strap keeping moving, preventing Maldi from controlling successfully.
Strap avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Maldi controlling from the top position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Strap is trying to control the position from the bottom.
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 Malvin Maldi will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Malvin Maldi's cut.
That's time! Maldi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Maldi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Strap.
Maldi misses with a lunging right hand
and Strap counters with a low kick, right behind Maldi 's knee.
Maldi throws a head kick that misses.
Maldi misses with a right hand
and Strap counters with a left to the body.
Strap uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Maldi.
Maldi tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Strap swivels and escapes.
Strap is looking to slow Maldi down with leg kicks.
Maldi misses with a left hand
and Strap counters with a nice kick to the body.
Strap lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Maldi enables Strap to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Maldi manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strap with a flurry of punches that miss.

Maldi is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Strap lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Strap pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Maldi is keeping the position for now.
Maldi pulls Strap in close to prevent any damage.
Strap postures up.
Maldi manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Strap manages to get himself to full guard.
Maldi with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maldi working some strikes from top position.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Strap holds on and takes a little breather.
Maldi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Maldi is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Maldi is working Strap over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Strap keeping full guard, as Maldi tries to pass.
Strap controlling Maldi's posture.
Maldi stopping the sweep attempt from Strap.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maldi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Maldi throwing strikes from guard but Strap blocks nicely.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Maldi's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Strap keeping moving, preventing Maldi from controlling successfully.
Maldi scoring with some ground and pound.
Maldi working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Maldi stopping the sweep attempt from Strap.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strap is breathing heavily.
Strap has momentary wrist control but Maldi slips an elbow through the middle.
Maldi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Maldi wants to control from the top but Strap keeps moving.
Maldi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Strap can't keep his opponent in guard - Maldi advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Maldi not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jacque Strap will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Malvin Maldi's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Maldi looks to throw the jab but Strap is out of range.
Maldi scores with a body shot.
Maldi scores with a nice strike.
Strap gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Maldi.
Maldi lands a jab.
Strap checks the leg kick.
Maldi misses with a straight right.
Strap takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Strap throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Maldi counters with a left and a right that stings Strap.
Strap doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strap throws a solid leg kick but Maldi takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Strap.
Strap falls off balance throwing a combination
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Strap takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A head kick from Maldi lands but Strap takes it in his stride.
Strap tries to move into range but Maldi moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Strap motions for Maldi to come forward. Strap throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Maldi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Strap.
Maldi thumps Strap with a low kick.
Maldi jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strap throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Maldi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Maldi shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Strap pinned against the cage. Strap gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Maldi lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
A chopping leg kick lands by Maldi.
Maldi throws a sloppy head kick and Strap moves out of range easily.
Strap misses with a combination
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Jab from Maldi.
A decent looking cross lands there for Maldi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lazy left from Maldi finds it's target.
Strap swinging wildly here.
Maldi slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Strap throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Maldi counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Maldi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Strap moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Maldi fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Strap has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Maldi shoots in looking for a takedown but Strap manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Maldi's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Strap rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Maldi counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Maldi looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Strap with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maldi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Maldi trying to pass the guard but Strap defending well.
Strap works his way to full guard. Good work.
Malvin Maldi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Maldi throwing strikes from guard but Strap blocks nicely.
Maldi thows a big elbow that misses.
Maldi slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maldi postures up in Strap's guard and throws a big left but Strap blocks it.
Maldi with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

And that's the end of the fight!
Malvin Maldi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Maldi 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Malvin Maldi!