@KOgamingHey, I made a mistake. I thought your elbow was a punch the entire time! Just assume the initial stab attempt was aimed for the armpit, not the crook of the arm and Zande would have ducked for a takedown regardless, so nothing changes, as all of the following would have occurred anyways. Sorry if I confused you about that! You probably thought I was a silly goose, calling an elbow a punch.
On a side note, I noticed that you're giving the "would" style a try. It feels clunky and strange the first few times, I know. It's not a rule that you have to apply it, but some players just find it convenient to apply "would" in freestyle fights, where the future is almost always uncertain. I wouldn't use the word "will", though, unless it's in conversation.
Also, I don't want to seem presumptuous or overbearing, but don't reveal many of your possible responses if you want to catch someone off guard. You describing the possible ways Max could stifle Zande's offence tells me that you're trying to funnel me into a situation that's comfortable for you by giving me reasons to not take various courses of action. I could in turn take said courses of action and then, because you told me what your character would do in advance, turn the tables on you because I know what you can and can't physically do in those situations, which you've given me my pick of the litter to choose from. The punch that scores the knockout is always the one the other guy doesn't see coming. Keep your aces hidden and have a flexible backup plan for every attack you launch, like a cartoon mallet with a spring loaded boxing glove. Any attack that doesn't have a trap or ulterior motive hidden behind it is what we call an "empty move". Try to plan out moves that are "spring loaded".
Sorry if my advice isn't needed, for all I know you may already have figured all of that out and I'm only coming off as an annoying mom!