PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Engine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aleksander Putin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Engine
vs
Putin

200 cm
22
287 lbs
9 - 4 - 1

185 cm
27
230 lbs
14 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 9 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thomas Engine!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Aleksander Putin!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Leandro Rodrigues and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Engine tries for a takedown but Putin circles away easily
and Putin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Engine enables Putin to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Engine manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Engine is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Putin is aware though and is defending well.
Putin looking to pass the guard.
Putin trying to control the position from guard on top but Engine is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Engine trying to keep a closed guard but Putin is proving a slippery customer.
Engine will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Engine looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

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

Engine has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Putin can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Putin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Engine swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Putin drops back looking for a leg! Engine is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Engine manages to kick Putin off! Putin jumps back into Engine's guard.
Putin with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Engine is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Putin is aware though and is defending well.

Engine has his foot on Putin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Putin works his way back into a safe position though.
Putin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Putin trying to control but Engine is working from the bottom.
Putin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Engine looking for a sweep. Not yet Engine, not yet.
Putin passes Engine's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Putin wants to work for an arm triangle but Engine is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Engine wants to control but Putin passes into side.
Putin trying to control the position but Engine is working away.

Putin wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Engine, who protects the arm well.
Engine is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Engine is working hard here to advance position.
Putin misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Engine is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Putin is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Engine sees it coming and defends easily.

Engine looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Engine is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Putin's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Putin's back!
Putin controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Engine connects with a big shot to the side of Putin's head.
Putin is trying to break free.
Putin tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Engine fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Putin tries to hold on but Engine postures up.
Putin is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Putin looks gassed!
Engine postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Putin looks a forlorn figure.
Engine looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Engine lands a heavy elbow.
Engine lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Engine working the ground and pound effectively.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Putin working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Engine with shots to the head and body - Putin looks very uncomfortable down there.
Engine landing shots from mount.
Engine landing strikes from the mount.

It looks like Aleksander Putin has been cut.
Putin is looking to get to half guard.
Engine lands a heavy elbow.
Engine in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Putin is bucking up trying to escape but Engine cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Putin slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Engine slips a nice elbow through Putin's hands, connecting with Putin's forehead.
Putin on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Putin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Engine dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Aleksander Putin's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Engine fails with the takedown
and Putin counters with a straight right hand.
Engine with a lazy takedown attempt

and Putin counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Engine!
Putin wants to take Engine's back here but Engine is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Engine sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Putin is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Engine looking for submissions off his back.
Engine 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.

Engine is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Putin pulls his head out easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Engine looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Putin uses his free foot to push down on Engine's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Engine.

Putin is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Putin looks to land a right hand but Engine moved out of range.
Putin lands a leg kick that knocks Engine off balance momentarily.
Engine uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Putin.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Putin.
Putin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Putin lands with a kick to the temple. Engine shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Putin takes a swing at Engine's ribcage but misses.
Engine with a lazy takedown attempt
and Putin counters with a three punch combo that has Engine backing up. Engine nods at Putin to acknowledge the strikes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thomas Engine. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Putin.
Putin lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Putin closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Putin is working Engine over with some ground and pound from side control.

Putin tries for a kimura but Engine is defending well.
Putin trying to control the position but Engine is working away.
An elbow from Putin crashes against the mat.

Putin decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Aleksander Putin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Engine shoots in for a takedown but Putin shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Putin shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Putin. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Engine is looking to improve his position.
Putin is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Putin is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Engine looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Putin wants to control but Engine is keeping him busy.

Putin is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Engine defends it well.
Engine moves into full guard.

Engine throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Engine working for a triangle but Putin defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Putin looking to sit in guard and control but Engine gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Putin throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Engine throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Putin is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Engine is aware though and is defending well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Engine distracts Putin with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Engine scoring with some ground and pound.

Putin is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksander Putin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Aleksander Putin's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Engine throws a right and a left that both miss.
Engine with a poor takedown
and Putin counters with a low kick, right behind Engine 's knee.
Engine has his takedown stuffed
and Putin counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Thomas Engine seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Engine keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Engine tries for a takedown but Putin circles away easily
and Putin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thomas Engine. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Putin misses with a double jab.
Putin throws a series of punches but Engine moves out of range.
Putin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Engine connects with a body shot.
Putin throws a head kick that misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Putin throws a combination. Engine tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Putin throws a series of punches but Engine moves out of range.
Engine with a poor takedown
and Putin counters with a three punch combo that has Engine backing up. Engine nods at Putin to acknowledge the strikes.
Engine tries for a takedown but Putin circles away easily
and Putin counters with a good low kick that Engine was not able to check.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Putin.
Putin tries to clinch but Engine moves out of range.
Putin throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Engine misses with a takedown

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

Putin drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Putin jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Putin wants to control from the top but Engine keeps moving.

Engine working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Putin doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Putin manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Putin preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Engine looking for a guillotine here but Putin defends easily.

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

Putin is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Engine is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Putin trying to stand up but can't free himself from Engine's guard.
Engine is trying to keep Putin in close.
Putin trying to control but Engine is working from the bottom.

Engine looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Putin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Engine swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Putin is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Putin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Engine looking for a guillotine here but Putin defends easily.

Engine is looking for a triangle but Putin pushes his legs off easily.

Putin drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Putin jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Engine throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Putin looking to pass the guard.
Engine keeping moving, preventing Putin from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aleksander Putin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Putin 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aleksander Putin!