PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Marcos Bowers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Miodrag Branic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Bowers
vs
Branic

217 cm
18
193 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight 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, Marcos Bowers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Miodrag Branic!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Fedor Mirinova and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bowers shoots in looking for a takedown but Branic manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bowers's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Bowers fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Bowers really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Branic has Bowers up against the cage in a clinch.
Branic has Bowers pressed against the cage.
Branic wants a takedown but no success here.
Branic lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Branic is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Bowers is keeping busy.

Branic jumps into guard, dragging Bowers to the mat.
Branic wants to stand up but Bowers is controlling him.
Bowers keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Branic's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowers trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Bowers drops back looking for a leg! Branic is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Branic manages to kick Bowers off! Bowers jumps back into Branic's guard.
Branic looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Bowers is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Bowers trying to control but Branic is working from the bottom.
Branic preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Branic had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Bowers defends it easily.
Bowers trying to control the position from guard on top but Branic is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bowers has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Branic is proving hard to escape from.
Branic 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.
Bowers content to stall in guard here.

Branic looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bowers preventing the sweep.
Branic bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bowers's guard.
Bowers can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Branic controls the pace.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Bowers pulls Branic in close to prevent any damage.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Bowers is on top in guard.
Branic lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Bowers!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bowers tries to reverse the position but Branic maintains control.
Branic misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Bowers tries to hold on but Branic pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bowers is trying to escape the mount.
Bowers tries to lock up and control but Branic gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bowers is in all sorts of trouble here.
Bowers tries to hold on but Branic pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Miodrag Branic will probably get the nod.
That's time! Bowers's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Branic has a takedown stuffed.

Bowers closes the distance and clinches.
Branic wants a takedown.
Branic wants a takedown but no success here.
Marcos Bowers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Miodrag Branic.
Bowers goes for a takedown attempt but Branic pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Bowers shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Branic counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Bowers is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Bowers looks to land a combination but Branic avoids it well.
Branic thumps Bowers with a low kick.
Branic looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Bowers is fending him off so far but Branic persists. Nope, Bowers circles away and we're back to standing.

Branic gets caught napping as Bowers dives in and scores a takedown. Branic manages to retain guard.
Branic is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bowers trying to control but Branic is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowers sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Branic's guard.
Bowers is trying to control. Branic wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Branic is trying to get back to full guard.
Bowers stops Branic from getting back to his feet.
Branic wants to get back to full guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bowers lands a nice short elbow.
Bowers landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Branic is trying to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bowers scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Bowers tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Branic.
Bowers wants to free his trapped foot but Branic is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Bowers controlling the pace.
Bowers wants to lay and pray for a moment but Branic keeps working.

Bowers is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Branic has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bowers is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Branic is trying to control but Bowers passes into side control!
Branic stops Bowers from passing to mount.
Branic is trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A control attempt from Branic but he's now mounted!
Branic is working to get back to half guard.
Bowers controlling from the full mount.
Bowers postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Branic looks a forlorn figure.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bowers wants to take his opponent's back but Branic doesn't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcos Bowers dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Branic tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Bowers manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Bowers fails with a takedown attempt.
Bowers leaves Branic with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Bowers tries to clinch but Branic is having none of it.
Branic throws a half hearted mid kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bowers looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bowers misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bowers throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Branic tries for a takedown but Bowers sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Bowers darts in looking for a takedown but Branic gets double underhooks and turns Bowers into the cage.
Bowers tries to break free but Branic pushes him back against the cage.

Branic pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bowers shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Branic pinned against the cage. Branic gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcos Bowers. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Branic shoots for a double leg takedown but Bowers sprawls well. He's pushed Branic's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Bowers looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Branic is fending him off so far but Bowers persists. Nope, Branic circles away and we're back to standing.
Bowers fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Branic wants to clinch up but Bowers keeps it at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bowers closes the distance and clinches up with Branic, looking for a takedown. Bowers pushes Branic against the cage but Branic circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Branic closes the distance and clinches up with Bowers, looking for a takedown. Branic pushes Bowers against the cage but Bowers circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Branic shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bowers defends it nicely.
Branic swinging wildly here.
Bowers takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Branic buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Crunch! Branic slams his shin into Bowers's torso.
Bowers closes this distance looking for a takedown but Branic circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Branic tries to clinch up but Bowers circles away and keeps his distance.

Branic has managed to clinch.
Bowers is looking to break free of the clinch but Branic has double underhooks.

Branic has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Bowers uses from the top position.
Branic is trying to control the position but Bowers postures up.
Bowers is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Branic keeping moving, preventing Bowers from controlling successfully.
Bowers stopping the sweep attempt from Branic.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bowers trying to control but Branic is working from the bottom.

We're going to have a standup here because Marcos Bowers wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Branic swats away the attempt to clinch by Bowers.

Bowers clinches up against the cage.
Bowers tries to score a body lock takedown but Branic shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Branic fails to pull the fight into his guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Branic is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Bowers to keep the fight standing.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Miodrag Branic.
I think Branic 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Miodrag Branic!