PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nikita Chernuha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cain Dos Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cain Dos Santos has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Nikita Chernuha's chin.

Chernuha
vs
Dos Santos

177 cm
20
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
23
178 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nikita Chernuha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cain Dos Santos!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Sergei Dronov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dos Santos lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

It looks like Nikita Chernuha has been cut.
Chernuha misses with a takedown attempt - Dos Santos sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Chernuha fails with a takedown attempt.
Dos Santos scoring well with a low kick there.
Nikita Chernuha seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Chernuha looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Dos Santos is looking for a triangle but Chernuha pushes his legs off easily.

Dos Santos throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Dos Santos is trying to keep Chernuha in close.
Chernuha wants to pass the guard but Dos Santos is keeping the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Chernuha avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chernuha pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Dos Santos is keeping the position for now.

Chernuha drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Dos Santos dives on top into guard.
Dos Santos thows a big elbow that misses.
Dos Santos wants to control from the top but Chernuha keeps moving.
Dos Santos stopping the sweep attempt from Chernuha.
Dos Santos looking to pass the guard.

Chernuha working for a triangle but Dos Santos defends it easily.

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

Chernuha throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Chernuha keeping moving, preventing Dos Santos from controlling successfully.
Dos Santos controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Dos Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Chernuha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Chernuha has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Dos Santos is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Chernuha.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dos Santos is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Chernuha is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Dos Santos tries for a kimura but Chernuha is defending well.
Chernuha is looking to reverse the position.
Dos Santos working the ground and pound.
Chernuha is looking to regain half guard here but Dos Santos keeps moving and retains side control.
Dos Santos is chipping away with strikes.
Chernuha looking for a sweep but Dos Santos has passed into full mount! Oh no!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos landing strikes from the mount and Chernuha is in trouble!
Chernuha manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Dos Santos perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Dos Santos moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Chernuha.
Chernuha is breathing heavily.
Chernuha tries to improve position but can't.

Dos Santos is trying to get an arm triangle but Chernuha is defending well.

Dos Santos tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Dos Santos has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Dos Santos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Chernuha keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cain Dos Santos dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nikita Chernuha's cut.
That's time! Chernuha's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Chernuha shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Chernuha seems to be working for a kimura but Dos Santos defends the submission attempt.
Dos Santos wants to control but Chernuha is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Dos Santos is trying to stand up here but Chernuha is controlling him well.

Chernuha is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Dos Santos has managed to free his arm - good work.

Chernuha is working for a kimura here but Dos Santos manages to reverse the position and he's now in Chernuha's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Chernuha has an active guard here but Dos Santos has managed to pass into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos winds up and cracks Chernuha with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Dos Santos is trying to control the action in half guard but Chernuha is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Dos Santos is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Chernuha defends it well.

Dos Santos is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Chernuha looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Ground and pound from Dos Santos.

Chernuha looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Dos Santos pushes past his half guard into mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Chernuha wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Chernuha is keeping busy.
Cain Dos Santos has got the better of the ground game so far.
Chernuha turns into Dos Santos and is now in his guard.
Chernuha tries to free his leg and advance position but Dos Santos is retaining full guard.

Chernuha drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Dos Santos dives on top into guard.
Dos Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Chernuha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dos Santos controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Dos Santos wants to control from the top but Chernuha keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dos Santos avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Dos Santos got a little sloppy there for a moment and Chernuha has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Dos Santos has managed to get both his arms back between Chernuha's legs - danger averted.
Dos Santos distracts Chernuha with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Dos Santos sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Chernuha is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Dos Santos defends well.
Dos Santos passes Chernuha's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Dos Santos controlling the action here.
Dos Santos wants to control but Chernuha is keeping him busy.

Dos Santos moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Chernuha.
Dos Santos lands a decent elbow from side control.
Dos Santos grinds an elbow into Chernuha's temple.
Dos Santos scoring with punches from side control.
Dos Santos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Chernuha keeps working.
Dos Santos working the ground and pound from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cain Dos Santos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Nikita Chernuha'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!

Dos Santos tries to clinch there but Chernuha circles away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Chernuha.
Dos Santos lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Dos Santos scores with a sloppy right hand. Chernuha should have avoided that one.
Chernuha tries for a takedown but Dos Santos sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Chernuha gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Dos Santos drops back looking for a leg! Chernuha is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Chernuha manages to kick Dos Santos off! Dos Santos jumps back into Chernuha's guard.

Chernuha is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Chernuha looking to hit a scissor sweep but Dos Santos is one step ahead there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Dos Santos throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dos Santos drops back looking for a leg! Chernuha is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Chernuha manages to kick Dos Santos off! Dos Santos jumps back into Chernuha's guard.
Dos Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Chernuha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Chernuha working for a triangle but Dos Santos defends it easily.
Dos Santos is in close to Chernuha's body, working some short punches and elbows.

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.

Chernuha is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Dos Santos defends well.

Chernuha has an active guard here but Dos Santos has managed to pass into half guard.
Nice strikes from Dos Santos there.
Dos Santos looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Dos Santos is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Chernuha has hold of Dos Santos's hands but Dos Santos slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Dos Santos is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Dos Santos lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Chernuha actively working from the bottom here.
Dos Santos has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Chernuha is defending against the submission attempts here by Dos Santos.
Dos Santos seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Cain Dos Santos is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Dos Santos is controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Chernuha actively working from the bottom here.
Dos Santos controlling the pace.
Dos Santos tries to pass to full mount but Chernuha defends it.

Chernuha looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Chernuha is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Dos Santos pulls his head out easily.
Dos Santos content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cain Dos Santos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Dos Santos 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cain Dos Santos!