PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vladimir Nikolaev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zeeb Delone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Nikolaev
vs
Delone

175 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Solid chin

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 Las Vegas, Vladimir Nikolaev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Zeeb Delone!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Delone is looking to clinch.
Delone fails with an attempt to clinch.
Delone moves in looking to clinch but Nikolaev pushes him off.
Delone is looking to clinch.
Nikolaev throws a jab but it's blocked by Delone.
Nikolaev swats away the attempt to clinch by Delone.
Delone is looking to clinch but Nikolaev is avoiding it.
Delone tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Nikolaev manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Delone is looking to clinch but Nikolaev is avoiding it.
Delone is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Delone tries to close the distance and clinch but Nikolaev swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nikolaev swats away the attempt to clinch by Delone.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Delone wants to clinch.
Delone is looking to clinch but Nikolaev is avoiding it.
Delone tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nikolaev swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Delone tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Nikolaev manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nikolaev misses with an uppercut.
Nikolaev avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Delone tries to clinch up but Nikolaev circles away and keeps his distance.
Zeeb Delone is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Delone fails with an attempt to clinch.
Delone tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Delone slips under a jab from Nikolaev.
Delone is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Delone tries to clinch but Nikolaev is having none of it.
Delone fails in his attempt to clinch.
Delone tries to clinch there but Nikolaev circles away.
Delone tries to clinch but Nikolaev moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Delone looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zeeb Delone seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Delone tries to clinch there but Nikolaev circles away.
Delone tries to clinch but Nikolaev moves out of range.
Delone slips a straight right by Nikolaev.

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.
Delone tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nikolaev swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Delone fails with an attempt to clinch.
Delone tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Nikolaev manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nikolaev circles away from the clinch attempt.
Delone tries to clinch there but Nikolaev circles away.
Delone ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Delone is looking to clinch but Nikolaev is avoiding it.
Delone is looking to clinch.
Nikolaev throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Nikolaev misses with a hook.

Nikolaev shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Delone manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Nikolaev working some strikes from top position.
Nikolaev landing some decent shots from guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nikolaev working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Nikolaev has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Delone wants to sweep here but Nikolaev controlling him for the moment.
Nikolaev controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Delone looking to control.
Nikolaev is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Delone not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Delone really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Nikolaev. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

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

Nikolaev closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Delone quickly recovers to half guard.
Nice strikes from Nikolaev there.
Delone on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Nikolaev is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Nikolaev passes the guard and advances to mount!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Nikolaev breaks from Delone's wrist control and lands an elbow.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The referee warns Delone that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Delone taking shots to the head.
Nikolaev content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikolaev with the ground and pound from mount.
Nikolaev has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Delone's face.
Nikolaev controlling from the full mount.

Nikolaev has hold of an arm here, looking to extend it. He's committed to the armbar attempt here! Will he get it?! Yes! Delone is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:35 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Vladimir Nikolaev!