PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Arttil Nikav (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mamed Ahmed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nikav comes to the cage accompanied by Godsmack - Cryin' Like A Bitch!!. Ahmed has chosen Pamiętaj as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Nikav
vs
Ahmed

178 cm
20
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
22
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Arttil Nikav!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mamed Ahmed!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Matti Vanhoillinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ahmed moves out of range of the body kick.
Nikav circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ahmed closes this distance looking for a takedown but Nikav circles away.

Nikav clinches up with Ahmed and pushes him back against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Nikav.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Ahmed.
Ahmed tries to pull guard but Nikav holds him up against the cage and eventually Ahmed drops back down to his feet.
Nikav'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.

Nikav ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Nikav no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Nikav holds on and takes a little breather.
Nikav really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Nikav 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.
Ahmed stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nikav swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ahmed postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Nikav is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Ahmed, into his guard.
Ahmed wants to stand and escape but Nikav is having none of it.
Nikav thows a big elbow that misses.

Nikav avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nikav accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Nikav wants to control from the top but Ahmed keeps moving.
Nikav working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Ahmed's head.
Ahmed looking to control.
Nikav passes into half guard.
Nikav wants to stand up but Ahmed has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Ahmed trying to control but Nikav postures up.
Nikav is stalling here. Ahmed is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Nikav seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Ahmed has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Nikav is trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ground and pound from Ahmed seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Nikav knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ahmed on the ground.

Ahmed tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Ahmed looks gassed!
Nikav stops Ahmed from passing to mount.
Nikav being controlled for a moment.

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

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Nikav has taken the fight to the clinch.

Nikav escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ahmed closes this distance looking for a takedown but Nikav circles away.
Arttil Nikav has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mamed Ahmed.

Nikav shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Ahmed napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Nikav misses with the ground and pound.
Nikav slows the pace down.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nikav scores with a couple of short elbows.
Ahmed is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ahmed wants to clinch but Nikav slips to the side

and Nikav moves into the clinch.

Nikav's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Nikav pulls Ahmed into guard.
Ahmed is looking to stand up but Nikav won't let him.
Ahmed postures up and lands a big shot to Nikav's brow.
Nikav tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ahmed trying to control but Nikav is working from the bottom.
Ahmed is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikav is trying to control the position from the bottom.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Nikav holds on and takes a little breather.
Ahmed passes Nikav's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Ahmed is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Nikav is trying to escape back to his feet but Ahmed uses the scramble to pass into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Ahmed has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Nikav rushes Ahmed and presses him up against the cage.
Nikav is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Nikav unloads a knee to the mid-section. Ahmed lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Nikav landing knees to the head.
Ahmed misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ahmed jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Nikav walks away with a smile on his face. Ahmed gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Nikav shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ahmed manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Nikav wanted to stand there but Ahmed had control of the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nikav accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ahmed tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Nikav postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Ahmed wants to sweep but no luck.
Ahmed keeping moving, preventing Nikav from controlling successfully.

Ahmed is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Nikav is aware though and is defending well.
Ahmed throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Nikav clinches up against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Nikav gets control of Ahmed's arms and successfully pulls guard. Nikav will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

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.
Nikav has his hands on Ahmed's head, controlling the position.

Ahmed drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ahmed jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ahmed content to stall in guard here.
Ahmed trying to stand up but can't free himself from Nikav's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arttil Nikav 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. This is the final round!

Nikav has Ahmed up against the cage in a clinch.
Nikav gets through Ahmed's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ahmed tries for a takedown. No joy.
Ahmed tries to pull guard but Nikav holds him up against the cage and eventually Ahmed drops back down to his feet.
Ahmed has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Nikav avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Arttil Nikav has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mamed Ahmed.

Nikav manages to pull guard.

Nikav has his foot on Ahmed's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ahmed works his way back into a safe position though.

Nikav had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ahmed defends it easily.
Nikav working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ahmed.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ahmed is pushing down on Nikav's leg trying to pass to half guard. Nikav is fighting to maintain full guard but Ahmed has managed to sneak the leg through.
Ahmed is keen to just control but Nikav is a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ahmed missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Nikav fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ahmed, pushing him back against the cage.
Ahmed is trying to force a seperation but Nikav has the dominant position.

Nikav's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ahmed clinches but Nikav breaks the clinch

and Nikav counters with a takedown into side control.
Nikav lands a few punches from side control.
Ahmed is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Ahmed is trying to get back to full guard.
Ahmed wants to control but Nikav is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ahmed flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Nikav is trying to control the action in half guard but Ahmed is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Nikav shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Nikav won't let Ahmed get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Nikav with a couple of short strikes.
Ahmed really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Nikav landing strikes from the mount.
Arttil Nikav is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikav prevents Ahmed from getting the reversal.
Ahmed wants to hold on but Nikav pushes him away.
Ahmed is wriggling around trying to escape.
Arttil Nikav overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nikav connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Mamed Ahmed has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nikav controlling from mount.
Ahmed is squirming around, avoiding Nikav's attempts to control the action.
Nikav controlling from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arttil Nikav showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nikav 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arttil Nikav!