PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vect Nokru (ranked 5755 p4p, 3355 weight class) and Aleksandr Zuev (ranked 561 p4p, 405 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Nokru
vs
Zuev

195 cm
25
212
0 - 1 - 0

201 cm
18
215
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Vect Nokru!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aleksandr Zuev!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zuev swings widly with a right hand
and Nokru counters with a straight right hand.

Zuev fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nokru, pushing him back against the cage.
Zuev misses with some punches.
Zuev throws a knee to the head but misses.
Nokru is trying to break free.

Nokru manages to break the clinch.
Zuev pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Zuev showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Nokru.
Nokru moves out of range as Zuev strikes.
A counter left hand to the body from Nokru misses its target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zuev lands a head kick. Nokru smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

It looks like Vect Nokru has been cut.
Zuev throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Zuev closes the distance looking to clinch
enabling Nokru to counter with a crisp jab.

It looks like Aleksandr Zuev has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nokru scores with a decent looking hook.

Nokru throws a big overhand right that connects, sending Zuev tumbling to the canvas!

Zuev is rocked!
Nokru slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Zuev is still in real trouble! Can Nokru finish him?
Zuev keeping moving, preventing Nokru from controlling successfully.
Zuev seems to have recovered his senses.
Zuev looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zuev controls Nokru momentarily but Nokru frees himself.
Nokru is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Zuev looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Nokru won't allow Zuev to get back to his feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zuev wants to clinch.
Nokru swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Zuev with a nice cross.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zuev closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Zuev with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Zuev with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Nokru breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zuev looks to score with a jab to the body but Nokru is just out of range.
Nokru circles away from the clinch attempt
enabling Nokru to counter with a crisp jab.
Zuev lands a nice looking kick to the body. Nokru takes a step back to recover.
Nokru misses with a wild body shot.
Zuev throws a body shot but no joy.
Nokru slips a jab from Zuev.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Zuev misses.

Zuev has taken the fight to the clinch.
Nokru has Zuev pushed against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nokru.
Zuev looking to throw knees to the head but Nokru is blocking nicely.
Zuev looking to slow down the pace here.

Nokru pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Aleksandr Zuev is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Zuev wants to clinch up but Nokru keeps it at a distance.
Zuev slaps away a takedown attempt from Nokru, before circling back to the center of the mat.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zuev tries to clinch but Nokru is having none of it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Vect Nokru will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Nokru moves away from the strike by Zuev.
Zuev connects with a crisp jab.
Zuev connects with the punch.
Nokru scores with a jab. Zuev acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Nokru throws a series of punches but Zuev moves out of range.
It looks like Nokru has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Zuev connects with a right hand. Nokru shakes it off.
Nokru uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Zuev.
Zuev moves out of range as Nokru strikes.
Zuev uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Nokru has time to react.
Nokru takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Vect Nokru is winning the standup battle so far.
Zuev pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nokru is looking for a counter combo.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Zuev clinches with his opponent.
Zuev tries to land a knee to the head but Nokru blocks with his arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nokru drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Zuev gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Nokru managing to block the knees to the body from Zuev.
Nokru doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Zuev tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Zuev working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Nokru tries to score a body lock takedown but Zuev shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
A head punch on the inside from Zuev fails to land.
Zuev scores with a knee to the head.
Zuev lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Nokru is rocked!
Zuev lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Nokru backwards.
Oh Nokru is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Zuev misses with a knee to the head.
Zuev throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nokru blocks it with crossed arms.
Zuev tries a knee to the head but Nokru blocks it.
Zuev lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Zuev jerks Nokru's head down, straight into the path of a devastating knee! Nokru drops to the floor in a crumpled heap! Zuev goes to throw a finishing haymaker but pulls out - good sportsmanship from Zuev because Nokru was completely out of it. That was a nice finish - just the right level of brutality to send everyone home happy.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knee). Aleksandr Zuev!
After winning the bout, Aleksandr Zuev thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.