PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mauricio Molina (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Byson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Molina
vs
Byson

191 cm
18
278 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

210 cm
18
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mauricio Molina!
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, Mike Byson!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Aleksandr Martynov and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Molina darts in looking for a takedown but Byson gets double underhooks and turns Molina into the cage.

Byson pulls guard successfully.
Molina might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Molina landing some decent shots from guard.
Byson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Molina is one step ahead there.
Molina throws a big elbow that misses.
Byson is trying to keep Molina in close.

Byson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Molina defends it easily.
Byson pulls Molina in to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byson has a closed guard, preventing Molina from standing up.
Byson looking for a sweep. Not yet Byson, not yet.
Molina not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Byson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Byson 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mike Byson was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Molina shoots in for a takedown but Byson shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Molina closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Byson's guard.
Byson throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Byson pulls Molina in close to his closed guard and prevents Molina from doing any damage or advancing position.
Byson is trying to control the position but Molina postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Byson has control of Molina's left arm, preventing Molina from doing any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Mike Byson.

Byson drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byson looking to pass the guard.
Molina keeping moving, preventing Byson from controlling successfully.
Molina wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Byson manages to pass to side control.
Byson slows the pace down in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Molina tries to roll over but Byson keeps him under control.
Molina keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Molina is looking for a sweep. Byson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Molina gets full guard.
Molina is looking to sweep but instead, Byson has passed into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Byson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Molina stuffs the takedown attempt from Byson. Byson gets slowly back to his feet.
Byson fails to land the takedown.
Molina tries to clinch but Byson is having none of it.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Byson enables Molina to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Byson manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Mike Byson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Molina is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Molina has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Molina preventing the sweep.
Byson trying to control the position here.

Mauricio Molina has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Byson scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

It looks like Mauricio Molina has been cut.
Byson misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Molina misses with a takedown attempt

and Byson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Molina's guard now.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Byson wanted to stand there but Molina had control of the position.
Byson is breathing heavily.
Byson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Byson would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Byson is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Mike Byson wasn't active enough on the ground.
Molina misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Molina pushes Byson up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Molina gets underhooks to prevent Byson's takedown attempt.
Mauricio Molina has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Byson.

Molina has clasped his hands together around Byson's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Byson can't do much from the bottom here.
Molina landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Molina staying calm.
Byson struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byson is trying to work for a sweep but Molina has mounted him!
Byson tries to control the position but Molina now has his back.
Molina really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Byson.
Byson wants to control his opponent's hands but Molina gets his hands free.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mike Byson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Mauricio Molina's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Molina moves into the clinch.
Byson keeps control of Molina as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Byson is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Molina to keep the fight standing.
Molina is working for takedown but Byson is calmly controlling the position for now.

Byson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Byson throws a hook but Molina blocks it.

Byson closes the distance and clinches.
Molina looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Molina blocks an elbow strike from Byson.
Molina looking to throw knees to the head but Byson is blocking nicely.
Molina tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Byson stops a takedown attempt from Molina.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mauricio Molina. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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

Byson darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Byson is trying to control the action in half guard but Molina is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Molina's head.
Byson is controlling the pace.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Byson is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Molina defends it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Molina moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Byson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Molina is proving hard to escape from.
Molina keeping moving, preventing Byson from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byson sitting in guard here, content to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Mike Byson.
Molina misses with a double jab.

Byson drives through with a takedown into Molina's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Byson would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Byson is stalling in the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Byson wants to stand and escape but instead Molina has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Byson manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Molina manages to get himself to full guard.
Byson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Molina is proving hard to escape from.
Mauricio Molina has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mike Byson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Byson controls from within his opponent's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Byson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Byson winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Byson!