PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Viktor Nova (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stanislov Verbukh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Nova
vs
Verbukh

190 cm
22
275 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

186 cm
18
230 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Demonic Drugs
Demonic Drugs

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Viktor Nova!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Stanislov Verbukh!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Fedor Mirinova and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nova circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nova scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Verbukh looks gassed!
Nova drops Verbukh with a right and a left! Nova comes rushing in but Verbukh regains his composure and manages to keep Nova in guard.

It looks like Stanislov Verbukh has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Verbukh being controlled here, momentarily.

Nova decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
A shot to de liver by Nova. Beautiful body shot.
Nova catches Verbukh with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Verbukh doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Nova scores with a body shot.

Nova rushes Verbukh and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A left hand lands to the body for Nova.
A body shot lands from Nova.
Nova stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Nova lands with a left to the head.
A right hand to the body from Nova.
Nice body punch from Nova - that landed with a thud.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nova is working Verbukh over against the cage.

Nova's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Verbukh takes one on the button.
Oooh a lovely combination from Nova sends Verbukh down but not out. Nova dives into side control looking to finish.

Verbukh is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nova taking a breather here.
Verbukh is still in real trouble! Can Nova finish him?
Verbukh seems to have recovered his senses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Viktor Nova just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Nice straight punches there by Nova. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Nova.
Verbukh shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Nova drops Verbukh with a left and a right! Oh, Verbukh is hurt - Nova dives into side control looking to finish!

Nova stands up and beckons Verbukh to his feet.
Nova connects with a nice looking jab.
Nova clobbers Verbukh with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nova lands a really nice looking cross but Verbukh seems unphased.
Nova scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Nice shot lands for Nova.
Viktor Nova is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Nova moves into the clinch.
Nova lands an uppercut.
Nova lands a left hand.
Nova leaning his opponent against the cage.
Nova lands a shot to the body.
Nova works on Verbukh's body with a couple of short punches.
Nova lands a body punch in the clinch.
Nova blocking some punches.
Nova blocks a punch to the side of the head.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Nova takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
A body shot lands from Nova.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nova lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Verbukh or not.
Nova cracks Verbukh with a nice body shot.
Nova scores with an uppercut up the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nova breaks from the clinch.
Left hook, right uppercut from Nova.
Verbukh takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
A nice combination there by Nova.
Verbukh misses with a double jab
and Nova counters with a two punch combo.
Nova lands a slapping body shot.
Nova lands with a nice combination. Verbukh backs away looking to recover.
Verbukh takes one to the chin there.
Nova cracks a nice hook into Verbukh's ribs.
Nova lands a nice hook to Verbukh's body. Verbukh takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Nova's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Nova duly obliges.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Nice shot by Nova.
Verbukh swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Nova counters with a nice uppercut.
Nova lands a jab-cross combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Viktor Nova dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Stanislov Verbukh's cut.
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.

Nova moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Nova is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Verbukh throws a lazy head kick

and Nova moves into the clinch.
Nova's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Nova cracks Verbukh with a nice body shot.
Nova content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Nova scores with a shot to the side of Verbukh's head.
Nova holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Nova lands a body punch in the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Nova breaks from the clinch.
Nova lands a lovely overhand right.
Nova scores with a body shot.
Stanislov Verbukh seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Good shot there by Nova.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nova lands with an overhand left.
Nova is working the combinations to good effect here.
Nova chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Nova works Verbukh's body with a nice hook.
Nova lands a nice hook to Verbukh's body. Verbukh takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Viktor Nova is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Left hook, right uppercut from Nova.
Verbukh throws a left and a right that both miss
and Nova connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Nova moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Verbukh swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Nova counters with a nice uppercut.
Nice uppercut there from Nova.

Nova has managed to clinch.
The referee calls for Nova to work.
Nova digs a right hand underneath Verbukh's ribcage. Verbukh let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Nova working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Nova lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Verbukh backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Verbukh tries to circle away but Nova has him pinned against the cage.
Nova is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Verbukh can do to turn this around?
Verbukh misses with the head strike.
Nova lands with a light punch inside.
Nova lands a shot to the body.
Verbukh can't get the takedown.
A nice left hand lands by Nova.
Nova stalling against the cage.
Nova lands with a left to the head.
Good body shot from Nova.
Nova holding his opponent close, against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Verbukh.
Viktor Nova has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Nova scores with a hook to the body.
Nova working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Nova throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Come on Nova - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Verbukh is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A right hook to the body lands for Nova.

Nova escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nova lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Nova throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Verbukh stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Verbukh darts in trying to clinch

and Nova counters by moving into the clinch.
Verbukh has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Nova is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Nice body punch from Nova.
Nova stalling in the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Nova as the two fighters clinch.

Nova breaks the clinch.
Nova moves into range and connects with a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nova dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Nova lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Nova works over Verbukh's head and body with a nice combination.
Nova connects with a body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nova lands with a shot to the body.
Verbukh has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Verbukh throws a left and a right that both miss
and Nova counters with a three punch combo that has Verbukh backing up. Verbukh nods at Nova to acknowledge the strikes.
Nova swinging wilding here.
Nova lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Nova lands a slapping body shot.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nova lands a jab to the nose.
Verbukh throws a combination that misses
and Nova counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Nova scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Verbukh throws a head kick but Nova moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Viktor Nova dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Stanislov Verbukh's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. 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.

Nova moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Nova lands a jab to Verbukh's midsection.
Verbukh has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Verbukh there as he acknowledges the shot.
Nova thuds a left hand into Verbukh's body.
Nova cracks Verbukh with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Nova cracks Verbukh with a hook to the temple - Verbukh is on wobbly legs here! Nova swarms him with hook after hook, landing with each one! Verbukh falls to the canvas face first and the referee dives in to stop the fight! Nova wins by TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:25 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Viktor Nova!