PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alex Harden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikolai Bulkovich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Harden
vs
Bulkovich

185 cm
21
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Alex Harden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nikolai Bulkovich!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Harden feints and as Bulkovich raises his hands in defense, Harden changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Harden trying to control the position from guard on top but Bulkovich is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bulkovich looking to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Harden wants to control from the top but Bulkovich keeps moving.
Harden stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bulkovich swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Harden won't allow Bulkovich to sweep him here.
Bulkovich keeping moving, preventing Harden from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Bulkovich throws out a powerful jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bulkovich misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Bulkovich with a lazy takedown attempt

and Harden decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Bulkovich's guard.
Bulkovich trying to control the position.
Harden pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bulkovich is keeping the position for now.

Harden got a little sloppy there for a moment and Bulkovich has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Harden has managed to get both his arms back between Bulkovich's legs - danger averted.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Harden not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Harden wants to control from the top but Bulkovich keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harden wants to pass the guard but Bulkovich is keeping the position.

Bulkovich is looking for a triangle but Harden pushes his legs off easily.
Harden wants to control from the top but Bulkovich keeps moving.
Harden is really struggling to control Bulkovich but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bulkovich trying to control the position.
Harden thows a big elbow that misses.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Harden with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Bulkovich to score with a decent uppercut.
Bulkovich misses with a takedown

so Harden counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Alex Harden has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nikolai Bulkovich.
Bulkovich looks gassed!
Harden trying to control but Bulkovich is working from the bottom.
Bulkovich working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Harden.
Bulkovich is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harden trying to control the position from guard on top but Bulkovich is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bulkovich looking to control.
Harden wants to control from the top but Bulkovich keeps moving.
Harden wants to stand but Bulkovich is controlling his posture from full guard.
Bulkovich is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Harden dominated that round.
That's time! Harden's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Bulkovich fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Harden manages to avoid it.
Harden has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Harden throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Bulkovich counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Harden throws a leg kick which misses Bulkovich's front leg but catches the back leg as Bulkovich tries to avoid it.
Bulkovich tries for a takedown but Harden circles away easily

and Harden counters by clinching up.
Harden gets underhooks to prevent Bulkovich's takedown attempt.

Harden turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Harden manages to end up in side control.
Harden trying to control the position but Bulkovich is working away.
Bulkovich gets back to half guard.

Harden stands up from half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bulkovich lands a nice shot to the body.

Harden shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Bulkovich's guard.
Harden has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Bulkovich lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Harden!
Harden tries to lock up and control but Bulkovich gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Bulkovich tries to control but Harden wriggling away.
Harden tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bulkovich takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Bulkovich lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

Bulkovich working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Harden looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Bulkovich! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:45 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Nikolai Bulkovich!