PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nikica Polen (ranked 6190 p4p, 5343 weight class) and YaDaruis Queel (ranked 531 p4p, 501 weight class). Polen comes to the cage accompanied by Can't be touched - Roy Jones Jr. YaDaruis Queel looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Polen
vs
Queel

177 cm
24
162
1 - 1 - 0

160 cm
24
155
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Pit Bull Development
Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nikica Polen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, YaDaruis Queel!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Arvi Lind and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Polen shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Queel napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Polen has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Polen misses with a low kick.
Queel changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

Polen looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Queel is trying is best to control the position here.
Queel should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Queel manages to get to full guard.
Queel lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Queel controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Queel stopping the sweep attempt from Polen.
Queel wants to control from the top but Polen keeps moving.
Queel postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Polen is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Polen keeping moving, preventing Queel from controlling successfully.
Queel won't allow Polen to sweep him here.
Queel works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Polen is looking to improve his position.
Queel not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Polen wants to get back to his feet.
Queel has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Cozad MMA Tokyo. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Queel not doing much here.
Polen won't allow Queel to pass to mount.
Queel takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Queel throwing shots but Polen is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Queel is looking to advance position but Polen won't allow it.
Queel is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Queel tries to pass to full mount but Polen defends it.
Queel performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Polen pushes Queel up against the cage in a clinch.

Polen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A combination from Polen does no damage.
Queel with the counter takedown but Polen avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Polen moves into the clinch.
Queel tries to score a body lock takedown but Polen shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Polen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Polen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Polen closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Queel quickly recovers to half guard.
Queel gets back to full guard.
Polen has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Queel looks winded!
Queel is pulling down on Polen's head to control his posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Polen tries to stand but Queel is controlling from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Queel pulls Polen in close to prevent any damage.
Queel wants to sweep here but Polen controlling him for the moment.
Polen wanted to stand there but Queel had control of the position.
Queel trying to control the position.
Polen being controlled here momentarily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Polen swinging wildly here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Polen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Polen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikica Polen dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Polen misses with a head kick.
Queel is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Polen closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Queel to the mat! Queel manages to get full guard.
Queel trying to strike off his back.
Polen will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Queel has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Polen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Queel looking to control.
Queel looking for a sweep. Not yet Queel, not yet.
Queel wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Queel is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Queel is breathing heavily.

Polen got a little sloppy there for a moment and Queel has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Polen has managed to get both his arms back between Queel's legs - danger averted.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Queel 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.
Queel wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

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

Polen gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Polen rushes Queel and presses him up against the cage.
Polen using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Queel has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Queel goes for a takedown attempt but Polen pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Polen throws a leg kick but Queel checks it.
Polen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Queel can do to turn this around?
Danga de danga de dang - Polen scores with a four punch combination!
Polen fails to land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Queel avoids the head kick by Polen.

Polen gets a takedown into half guard.
Queel is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Queel is looking to control Polen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Queel avoid being mounted?
Polen tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Queel is trying to maintain the position but Polen is very close to passing his half guard.
Polen wants to stand but Queel has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Queel is looking to improve his position.
Polen tries to stand but can't do so whilst Queel controls his leg.
Queel trying to control from the bottom.
It looks like Polen is going to stand back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Polen feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Polen is looking to stand up but Queel won't let him.

Polen decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Queel, up you get!
Polen throws a series of strikes that have Queel backpedaling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Polen throws a looping overhand right but Queel ducks down to avoid it.
Queel with the counter takedown but Polen avoids it easily.

Polen has closed the distance and engaged Queel in a clinch.

Polen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Polen clinches up with Queel and pushes him back against the cage.

Polen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Polen lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Polen pushes Queel up against the cage in a clinch.
Queel is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Polen is defending well.
Queel tries to score a body lock takedown but Polen shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Nikica Polen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of YaDaruis Queel.

Polen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Polen instigates a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikica Polen dominated that second round.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Queel avoids the head kick by Polen.
Polen goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Polen throws a series of punches but Queel avoids them all with ease.
Polen tries a head kick but it misses.
Queel feints the counter takedown.
Polen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Polen displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Polen clinches.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Queel lands a takedown into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Queel wants to pass the guard but Polen is keeping the position.
Queel forces his way into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Queel prevents Polen from standing back up.
Queel sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Nikica Polen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Queel trying to advance position but Polen counters by regaining guard.

Queel avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Queel is stalling in the full guard.
Queel's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Polen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Queel is one step ahead there.
Polen keeping moving, preventing Queel from controlling successfully.
Queel sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Polen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Queel is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Polen lands a nice shot that snaps Queel's head back.
Queel avoids a punch combination nicely.
And Queel tries to counter it with a takedown but Polen pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Polen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Polen darts in and clinches Queel up against the cage.
Queel tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Queel goes for a takedown attempt but Polen pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Polen moves into the clinch.

Polen breaks the clinch.

Polen has taken the fight to the clinch.
Polen is pressed up against the cage. Queel has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Polen down to the mat. Polen avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Nikica Polen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of YaDaruis Queel.

Polen closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Polen is trying to force a seperation but Queel has the dominant position.
Queel drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
YaDaruis Queel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nikica Polen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Polen breaks from the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nikica Polen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Polen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikica Polen!
Nikica Polen was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.