PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Joey Denato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrey Nazarov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joey Denato has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Denato
vs
Nazarov

182 cm
23
170 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

185 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight 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, Joey Denato!
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, Andrey Nazarov!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Viktor Lagutenko and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jab, jab by Nazarov - just one landing.

It looks like Joey Denato has been cut.
Denato shoots in but Nazarov avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Denato doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Andrey Nazarov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nazarov throws a right hand that Denato ducks under and follows up with a left that Denato also avoids with ease.

Nazarov darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Denato looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nazarov with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Denato taking some punishment here, with Nazarov in his half guard.

Denato actively working from the bottom here.
Nazarov takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Nazarov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nazarov lands with a punch from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nazarov works his way into full mount!

Nazarov is working for a guillotine from mount but Denato frees his head quite easily.

Nazarov looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Nazarov working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Nazarov looks gassed!
Denato in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Denato is working to get back to half guard.
Denato bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Denato trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nazarov looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Denato drops back, looking for a kneebar! Nazarov looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Nazarov looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Nazarov!
Nazarov landing strikes.
Denato taking punishment in the form of punches.

Nazarov thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Nazarov scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Denato to see if he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nazarov thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Nazarov trying to control the action but Denato is working from the bottom.

Nazarov is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Denato is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Denato tries to bench press Nazarov off him but Nazarov keeps the position.
Nazarov looks up at the clock and then as Denato takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Nazarov smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Nazarov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Denato keeps working.
Denato is trying to get back to half guard.
Nazarov scoring with punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Denato is trying to get back to half guard.
Nazarov in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Nazarov lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Nazarov is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Denato is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Nazarov wants to control but Denato is keeping him busy.
Denato is trying to improve his position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nazarov working the head with strikes.
Nazarov taking a breather here.
Nazarov cracks Denato with a big elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrey Nazarov dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joey Denato's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Nazarov fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Nazarov looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Nazarov lands with a cross.

Denato gets caught flat footed, as Nazarov shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Nazarov drops back looking for a leg! Denato is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Denato manages to kick Nazarov off! Nazarov jumps back into Denato's guard.
Nazarov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Denato is keeping the position for now.
Denato avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Denato has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Nazarov can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Denato looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Denato had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Nazarov defends it easily.
Nazarov pushes down on Denato's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Nazarov is nestled in close to Denato, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Nazarov looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Denato is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nazarov pulls his head out easily.
Nazarov is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Denato!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nazarov tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Denato taking shots to the head.
Denato can't escape the position.
Nazarov lands a heavy elbow.
Denato is wriggling around trying to escape.
Nazarov has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Denato's face.
Denato is in a horrible position here. Nazarov smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Nazarov lands a big elbow.
Nazarov has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Denato's face.
Denato takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Denato is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nazarov working Denato over with strikes here.
Nazarov landing strikes, looking to finish!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Nazarov with good strikes from the mount here!
Nazarov sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Nazarov cracks Denato with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Nazarov lands a big shot there that rocks Denato but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Denato is in a horrible position here. Nazarov smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Nazarov can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Denato is looking to escape.
Nazarov controlling from the full mount.

Nazarov is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Denato has managed to escape the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Denato keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Denato is squirming around, avoiding Nazarov's attempts to control the action.
Denato slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Denato is not content to let Nazarov control the position.

Denato actively working from the bottom here.

Nazarov wants to work for an arm triangle but Denato is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Denato with the active half guard here but Nazarov passes nicely into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrey Nazarov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Joey Denato's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Nazarov works Denato's body with a nice hook.
Denato avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Denato misses with a takedown
and Nazarov makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Nazarov lands a slapping body shot.

Nazarov gets the takedown into side control.

Nazarov tries for a kimura but Denato is defending well.
Denato sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nazarov scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Denato looking for submissions off his back.
Denato is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Nazarov scores with a couple of nice shots.

Nazarov is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Denato sees it coming and defends easily.
Nazarov has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Nazarov landing strikes from the mount.
Denato regains half guard.

Denato is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nazarov pulls his head out easily.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Nazarov lands a nice short elbow.
Denato is refusing to be controlled, as Nazarov sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nazarov landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Denato looking for submissions off his back.
Nazarov is nestled in close to Denato, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Nazarov content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Nazarov is working for a submission of some sort.
Nazarov wants to pass to mount but Denato is defending the position.

Denato actively working from the bottom here.
Andrey Nazarov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nazarov is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Denato actively working from the bottom here.
Nazarov not doing much here.
Nazarov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nazarov's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Denato looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Nazarov is working for a submission of some sort.

That's four 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.

Denato looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Nazarov controlling the pace.

Denato looking for submissions off his back.
Joey Denato has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nazarov is taking a breather. Denato says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andrey Nazarov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nazarov has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 26:30
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 26:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andrey Nazarov!