PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nick Wright (ranked 3212 p4p, 4240 weight class) and Efrem Davydov (ranked 319 p4p, 415 weight class). Davydov has chosen Bop - Mr Credo as his entrance music. This should be a great matchup!

Wright
vs
Davydov

184 cm
30
232
5 - 7 - 0

183 cm
24
242
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Nick Wright!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Efrem Davydov!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Wright fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Davydov to the ground. Wright is now in Davydov's guard.

Davydov has his feet on Wright's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Wright drives through with a takedown into guard.
We've been hearing good reports from Wright's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Wright pushes down on Davydov's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Davydov manages to get to full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Wright wants to pass the guard but Davydov is keeping the position.
Davydov avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Wright drops back looking for a leg! Davydov is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Davydov manages to kick Wright off! Wright jumps back into Davydov's guard.

Davydov is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Davydov looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Davydov is pulling down on Wright's head. It's preventing any offense from Wright, at least for the moment.

Wright postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Davydov is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Wright, into his guard.

Davydov's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Davydov pushing down on Wright's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Davydov is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wright keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Davydov is looking to take a break and control but Wright is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Davydov seems to be looking for submissions.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Davydov.

Wright shoots in and gets a takedown into Davydov's guard.

Davydov pushes Wright off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Davydov closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Davydov is trying to trip Wright. He has hold of a leg but Wright is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Davydov persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Wright keeping moving, preventing Davydov from controlling successfully.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Davydov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Wright is fending him off so far but Davydov persists. Nope, Wright circles away and we're back to standing.

Wright shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Davydov napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Davydov wants to control but Wright postures up.
Davydov gets back to half guard.

Wright is working for a submission of some sort.
Davydov looks like he's trying to stand up.
Davydov felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Davydov is looking to control Wright's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Davydov avoid being mounted?

Davydov is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Wright pulls his head out easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wright thows a huge punch but Davydov dodges it nicely.
Davydov tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Wright lands a nice short elbow.
Davydov is staying active underneath Wright, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Davydov slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Wright landing some decent shots from guard.
Wright stopping the sweep attempt from Davydov.
Davydov looking to control.
Wright trying to control the position from guard on top but Davydov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Davydov tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Davydov has his foot on Wright's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Wright works his way back into a safe position though.
Wright working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Davydov's head.
Davydov wants to sweep here but Wright controlling him for the moment.
Wright working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Wright controls from within his opponent's guard.
Wright scoring with punches to the head and body.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Davydov is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Wright is aware though and is defending well.
Wright tries to free his leg and advance position but Davydov is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Davydov throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Wright drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Wright jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Davydov is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Davydov has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Wright can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Efrem Davydov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wright is in close to Davydov's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's four 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.

Davydov looking for subs off his back but Wright has passed one foot through into half guard.

Wright is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Davydov is just riding it out for now. Wright eventually gives up the hold.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wright tries to pass the half guard into mount. Davydov knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Wright prevents Davydov from improving his position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Wright dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Wright avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Wright gets the takedown into side control.
Davydov tries to bench press Wright off him but Wright keeps the position.
Wright working away.
Davydov tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Wright wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Wright connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Davydov some visible discomfort.

Wright working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Wright tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Davydov manages to work his way to half guard, despite Wright's best efforts.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Davydov trying to control here.

Wright is trying to work for a kimura but Davydov is defending well.
The fighters are battling for position here. Davydov manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Wright trying to stand up but can't free himself from Davydov's guard.
Davydov 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.
Davydov pulls Wright in close to his closed guard and prevents Wright from doing any damage or advancing position.
Wright 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.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Davydov is looking to stand back up but Wright counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Davydov.
Wright trying to control the action but Davydov is working from the bottom.
Davydov trying to control here.

Wright trying to work for an americana but Davydov has managed to regain full guard.
Wright slips nicely into half guard.
Davydov moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Davydov manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Wright manages to get himself to full guard.

Davydov is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Davydov must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Davydov drops back, looking for a kneebar! Wright looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Wright looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Wright!

Davydov tries to buck Wright off but Wright is having none of it.
Wright tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Davydov is looking to reverse the position.
Davydov sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Wright is looking for a kimura here.
Davydov regains full guard. Nicely done.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Davydov looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Wright won't allow Davydov to sweep him here.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Nick Wright.
I think Wright has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nick Wright!