PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kristof Nikitin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Tauno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nikitin's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Arch Enemy - My Apocalypse. Tauno has chosen Pelican - Dead Between The Walls as his entrance music. Kristof Nikitin has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Nikitin
vs
Tauno

192 cm
24
243 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

193 cm
24
273 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

ADCC Champion
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Hellbent, Inc.™

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Kristof Nikitin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tony Tauno!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tauno slaps away a takedown attempt from Nikitin, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Nikitin blocks a jab.
Tauno will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Tauno gets caught napping as Nikitin dives in and scores a takedown. Tauno manages to retain guard.
Tauno is controlling Nikitin's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nikitin drops back looking for a leg! Tauno is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Tauno manages to kick Nikitin off! Nikitin jumps back into Tauno's guard.
Tauno keeping full guard, as Nikitin tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nikitin won't allow Tauno to sweep him here.
Tauno managing to control the position.

Nikitin has gone for a leg lock! Tauno slips out almost immediately though and dives into Nikitin's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Tauno with a flurry of punches that miss.
Tauno throwing strikes from guard but Nikitin blocks nicely.
Nikitin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Tauno has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Nikitin is trying to control the position but Tauno postures up.
Nikitin doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Nikitin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Tauno trying to control the position from guard on top but Nikitin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tauno won't allow Nikitin to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tauno makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Tauno missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Nikitin can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tauno controls the pace.
Nikitin wants to control the position but Tauno says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Nikitin wants to control but Tauno is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Nikitin avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Tauno.
Tauno trying to control the action but Nikitin is working from the bottom.
Tauno thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Tauno looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Tauno wants to control but Nikitin is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin is trying to maintain the position but Tauno is very close to passing his half guard.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Tony Tauno wasn't active enough on the ground.
Tauno misses with a looping left.
Nikitin tries to clinch up
and Tauno counters with a nice uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Tauno dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Tauno misses with a straight right.
Nikitin wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Tauno throws a lazy uppercut
and Nikitin counters with a nice body shot.
Tauno stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Tauno wants it to stay on the feet.
Tony Tauno seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tauno misses with a combination
and Nikitin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikitin with a lazy takedown attempt
and Tauno cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Tauno defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Nikitin.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kristof Nikitin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tauno shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Nikitin pinned against the cage. Nikitin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Nikitin has Tauno up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tauno gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Nikitin.

Tauno has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Nikitin clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Nikitin rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Tauno is trying to control the action in half guard but Nikitin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Nikitin is holding on to half guard well.
Nikitin wants to control but Tauno is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tauno wants to pass the guard but Nikitin is defending well.
Nikitin keeping hold of Tauno's head, controlling as best he can.
Nikitin wants to improve his position but Tauno is controlling well.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Nikitin is trying to maintain the position but Tauno is very close to passing his half guard.

Kristof Nikitin has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Nikitin closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Tauno's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tauno pulls Nikitin in close to prevent any damage.
Tauno is trying to keep Nikitin in close.
Nikitin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tauno is keeping the position for now.
Nikitin is working hard here to advance position.
Tauno utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tony Tauno will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Tauno swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Nikitin.
Tauno misses the shot to the body.
Tauno thows a left - swing and a miss!
Donk. Tauno catches Nikitin right on the button with a cross.
Tauno misses with a hook. Nikitin ducked under it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikitin thows a left - swing and a miss!
Nikitin tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Tauno swivels and escapes.
Tauno misses with a right hand

and Nikitin counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Tauno avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Tauno keeping moving, preventing Nikitin from controlling successfully.
Tauno working a defensive guard here.
Nikitin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tauno is keeping the position for now.
Kristof Nikitin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tauno working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nikitin.
Nikitin advances position into side control!
Nikitin throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Nikitin working the body and head with strikes.
Nikitin looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Tauno is avoiding damage well.
Nikitin is looking to take a break and control but Tauno is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Nikitin is trying to get an arm triangle but Tauno is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tauno is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Nikitin is looking to take a break and control but Tauno is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Nikitin goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Tauno rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Nikitin's guard! Nice work there by Tauno!

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

Nikitin has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Tauno 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 Nikitin.
Nikitin takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Nikitin is looking for a sweep.
Tony Tauno is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nikitin is not content to let Tauno control the position.
Tauno controls the position.
Tauno trying to control the action but Nikitin is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tony Tauno.
I've got Tauno winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tony Tauno!