PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Memphis Aleist (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dmitri Makarov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Makarov is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Jean Michel Jarre - Second Rendez-Vous. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Aleist
vs
Makarov

198 cm
22
260 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

194 cm
21
238 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Memphis Aleist!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dmitri Makarov!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Igor Prikhodko and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aleist shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Makarov pinned against the cage. Makarov gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Aleist shoots in but Makarov avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Makarov tries to clinch there but Aleist circles away.
Aleist fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Memphis Aleist. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Makarov rushes Aleist and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Makarov goes for a takedown in the clinch but Aleist prevents it.
Makarov holding his opponent close, against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aleist tries for a takedown. No joy.
A bit of stalling here from Makarov.

Makarov breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aleist shoots for a takedown but Makarov saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Aleist is breathing heavily.
Aleist fails with a takedown attempt.

Makarov closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Makarov lands in his opponent's guard.
Makarov content to stall in guard here.
Aleist utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Makarov wants to pass the guard but Aleist is keeping the position.
Makarov is in close to Aleist's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Aleist escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Makarov gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Makarov sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Makarov trying to control the position from guard on top but Aleist is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Makarov working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Aleist's head.
Makarov forces his way into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Aleist looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Makarov seems to be looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makarov slows the pace down in half guard.
Makarov is tying to control. Aleist wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Makarov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Aleist is trying to maintain the position but Makarov is very close to passing his half guard.
Makarov uses his free foot to push down on Aleist's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Aleist.
Aleist is trying to reverse the position but instead Makarov has taken his back - oops!

Aleist is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Makarov gets his way!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aleist rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Makarov is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Aleist looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Makarov takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Makarov wants to pass the guard but Aleist is defending well.
Makarov prevents Aleist from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dmitri Makarov dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Aleist with a lazy takedown attempt
and Makarov counters with a nice leg kick.
Makarov just misses with a punch to the body.
Makarov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Aleist has his takedown stuffed
and Makarov counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Makarov tries to clinch there but Aleist circles away.
Aleist misses with a head kick.
A head kick misses from Makarov.

Makarov has managed to clinch.
Aleist avoids the elbow strike from Makarov, against the cage.
Makarov is stalling here.
Makarov misses with a punch on the inside.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makarov wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Makarov gets underhooks to prevent Aleist's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Memphis Aleist. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Makarov changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Aleist fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Aleist doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Makarov counters by clinching up.

Makarov manages to break the clinch.
Aleist shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Makarov counters by clinching up.
Makarov goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Makarov jumps guard and drags Aleist to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Makarov is looking for a triangle but Aleist pushes his legs off easily.
Aleist is pushing down on Makarov's leg trying to pass to half guard. Makarov is fighting to maintain full guard but Aleist has managed to sneak the leg through.
Aleist throwing shots but Makarov is blocking nicely.
Makarov is refusing to be controlled, as Aleist sits in half guard.
Aleist is stalling here. Makarov is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Aleist seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Makarov has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Aleist is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Makarov is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Makarov is just content to waste time from the top position. Aleist takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makarov thows a big elbow that misses.
Aleist looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Aleist working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Makarov doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Makarov manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Aleist working a defensive guard here.
Makarov sitting in guard here, content to control.
Aleist manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Aleist moves to the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Aleist controlling from the back.
Makarov trying to control the hands but Aleist breaks the grip.
Aleist keeps control of the position as Makarov tries to break free.
Makarov staying busy and making it hard for Aleist to control.
Makarov covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Aleist has the hooks in. Makarov is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Aleist tries to keep control of the position but Makarov is staying busy.
Makarov avoids the strikes from Aleist.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dmitri Makarov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Makarov closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Makarov lands in his opponent's guard.
Aleist wants to sweep but no luck.

Aleist is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Aleist looking to control but Makarov passes into half guard.
Makarov moves into full mount! Aleist won't be happy about that!
Makarov looking to control but Aleist is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Aleist swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aleist wants to control but Makarov is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Makarov manages to capitalize on a mistake by Aleist to take his back!
Makarov lands strikes to the head.

Aleist fending off the submission attempt from Makarov.
Makarov controlling well, preventing Aleist from escaping the position.
Aleist manages to reverse the position and now he's in Makarov's guard. Nice work there by Aleist.

Aleist decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Makarov, up you get!
Makarov misses with the combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aleist shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Makarov as he jumps to the side.

Makarov clinches with his opponent.
The is referee keeping an eye on Makarov - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Aleist manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Aleist manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Aleist fails with an attempt to clinch.
Aleist shoots in for a double leg but Makarov sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Makarov scores a takedown into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aleist is looking to get to half guard.
Makarov with the ground and pound from mount.
Aleist really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Aleist is squirming around, avoiding Makarov's attempts to control the action.

Makarov swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Aleist is now in Makarov's guard. A big mistake from Makarov there, giving up the dominant position!
Aleist slips nicely into half guard.
Aleist trying to control the action but Makarov is working from the bottom.

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.
Makarov has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Aleist is working away from the top position though.
Makarov is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Aleist is staying active.
Aleist slips a nice elbow through Makarov's hands, connecting with Makarov's forehead.
Aleist misses with a head shot. Makarov uses the momentum to regain guard.
Connects with an elbow from the bottom, proving to the judges that he's still active off his back.
Memphis Aleist has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Makarov is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dmitri Makarov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Makarov has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dmitri Makarov!