PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Juha Niska (ranked 1207 p4p, 779 weight class) and Husein Magomaevaboff (ranked 155 p4p, 106 weight class). Magomaevaboff is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Shaolin of Dagestan. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Niska
vs
Magomaevaboff

193 cm
33
212
22 - 13 - 0

183 cm
28
199
16 - 15 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition
Kore Fight Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Juha Niska!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Husein Magomaevaboff!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Sam Margolis and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Niska throws a front kick that sends Magomaevaboff stumbling back into the cage.
Niska fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Magomaevaboff on the side of the head.
Niska throws an ugly left hook that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
A big right from Niska misses.
Nice straight punches there by Niska. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Niska.
Niska digs a good hook to Magomaevaboff's body.
Niska defending well as Magomaevaboff loads up on a big left hand.
Niska throws a right hand that misses
and Magomaevaboff counters with a stiff right hand.
Niska rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Magomaevaboff counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Niska thinking.
Niska throws a right hand that misses
and Magomaevaboff counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
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!
Niska throws a body kick that misses.
Magomaevaboff throws a jab but it's blocked by Niska.
Magomaevaboff lands with a kick to the ribs.
Magomaevaboff jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Magomaevaboff has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niska misses with a body shot.
Niska scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Magomaevaboff doesn't seem bothered though.
Niska looks to land a right hand but Magomaevaboff moved out of range.
Magomaevaboff throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Niska sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Niska throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Niska missing with a left hand there. Magomaevaboff was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Magomaevaboff! But no joy.
Magomaevaboff throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Niska throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Magomaevaboff looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Niska fails to land with a series of punches.
A decent looking cross lands there for Niska.
Niska misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
It seemed like Magomaevaboff was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Magomaevaboff thows a left - swing and a miss!
A little feinted left hand from Niska on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Magomaevaboff goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Magomaevaboff throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Niska connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Magomaevaboff throws a shot to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Niska lands a nice leg kick that just misses Magomaevaboff's sensitive parts.
Nice uppercut there from Magomaevaboff.

It looks like Juha Niska has been cut.
Niska throws a half hearted mid kick.
Magomaevaboff throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Niska fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Niska throws a wild body kick that Magomaevaboff sees coming a mile off.
Magomaevaboff throws a leg kick that misses.
Niska misses with a hook.
Niska takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Magomaevaboff misses with a head kick.
Magomaevaboff sizes up Niska with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Magomaevaboff uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Niska.
Magomaevaboff turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Magomaevaboff tries to work over Niska's front leg with a kick but Niska checks it.
Niska throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Niska misses with a hook to the body
and Magomaevaboff counters with a leg kick.

Magomaevaboff takes the fight into the clinch.
Magomaevaboff misses with a punch on the inside.
Magomaevaboff blocking some punches.
A shot in the inside from Magomaevaboff.
Magomaevaboff softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A hook to the body from Magomaevaboff.
Magomaevaboff misses with a punch to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Magomaevaboff stalling the fight.
Magomaevaboff can't find room to land a body shot as Niska controls the action.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Magomaevaboff.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Niska scores with a shot to the side of Magomaevaboff's head.
Magomaevaboff misses with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Magomaevaboff.
Niska fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Niska misses with the head strike.
Magomaevaboff lands with a light punch inside.
Good body shot from Magomaevaboff.
Magomaevaboff digs a right hand into Niska's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Niska's gas tank.
Niska misses with a punch on the inside.
Magomaevaboff lands an uppercut.
Magomaevaboff tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Magomaevaboff misses with a hook from the clinch.
Magomaevaboff prevents a body shot from Niska.
Niska can't find room to land a body shot as Magomaevaboff controls the action.
A body shot lands from Magomaevaboff.
Magomaevaboff tries to throw a body punch but Niska avoids it by throwing Magomaevaboff back against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Husein Magomaevaboff dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Juha Niska's cut.
That's time! Niska's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Niska pivots, looking for a leg kick but Magomaevaboff is out of range and Niska settles back down.
Niska takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Magomaevaboff swings widly with a right hand
enabling Niska to counter with a crisp jab.
Magomaevaboff moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Niska lands a lovely overhand right.
Niska throws a body punch but Magomaevaboff moves out of range.
Niska lunges at Magomaevaboff with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Magomaevaboff's hand.
Niska bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Magomaevaboff takes one on the chin but seems OK.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Magomaevaboff will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Juha Niska is winning the standup battle so far.
Magomaevaboff throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Magomaevaboff lands a nice looking kick to the body. Niska takes a step back to recover.
Niska misses the shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niska catches Magomaevaboff with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Niska tries to land a front kick but Magomaevaboff steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Magomaevaboff ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
And Magomaevaboff responds with a good body kick, but Niska manages to step out the way in time.
Magomaevaboff uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Niska.
Niska takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Niska jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Niska attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Magomaevaboff doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Magomaevaboff scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Magomaevaboff lunges at Niska with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Niska's hand.
Some wild striking there from Niska.
Magomaevaboff checks a low kick from Niska.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Magomaevaboff lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Magomaevaboff just misses with a punch to the body.
Magomaevaboff scores with a nice right hand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Niska looks to score with a jab to the body but Magomaevaboff is just out of range.
Niska throws a body shot but no joy.
Niska with the inside leg kick.
Magomaevaboff scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Niska doesn't seem bothered though.
Niska tries a low kick but Magomaevaboff avoids it.
Niska misses with a looping left.
Magomaevaboff flicks out a counter leg kick but Niska steps away.
Magomaevaboff wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Niska misses with a body punch
and Magomaevaboff counters with a body kick that stops Niska in his tracks momentarily.
Magomaevaboff paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Magomaevaboff digs a good hook to Niska's body.
Niska takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Magomaevaboff scores with a hook to the body. Niska takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Magomaevaboff throws a nice inside leg kick.
Niska throws a right hand that misses
and Magomaevaboff counters with a straight right hand.
Niska gets hit by the mother of all head kicks and drops to the canvas in a crumpled heap! Woooow, the Internet is going to be talking about this one for weeks!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:31 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Husein Magomaevaboff!
Husein Magomaevaboff seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.