PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nurlan Mustafin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Goa Pep (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Mustafin
vs
Pep

183 cm
22
255 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

211 cm
21
280 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nurlan Mustafin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Goa Pep!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yuuki Gou and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mustafin darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Mustafin wants to control but Pep is keeping him busy.

Pep kicks Mustafin off and gets back to his feet.
Mustafin blocks a head kick by Pep.
Pep misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Pep lands with a kick to the temple. Mustafin shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

It looks like Nurlan Mustafin has been cut.
Pep goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pep shoots in looking for a takedown but Mustafin manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Pep's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That kick from Mustafin tenderised Pep's leg. Pep is trying to keep his angry face on.
Pep misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Goa Pep seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

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

Mustafin gets to his feet. Pep looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Sloppy strikes from Mustafin. Those never looked like landing.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Mustafin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pep is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Mustafin's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Pep looks gassed!
Pep wants to get back to full guard.

Pep looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

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

Mustafin postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Pep to stand up.

Pep clinches with his opponent.
Pep struggles to land a body shot inside as Mustafin controls his hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pep manages to break the clinch.
Pep tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mustafin tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Pep manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Mustafin shoots in and gets a takedown into Pep's guard.

Mustafin decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Mustafin shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Mustafin was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Mustafin looking to control but Pep is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Pep wants to control but Mustafin is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mustafin lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Mustafin trying to control but Pep is having none of it.
Pep is wriggling around trying to escape.
Mustafin in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Pep is trying desperately to improve position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mustafin lands a big elbow.
Mustafin breaks from Pep's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Mustafin tries to control but Pep wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pep throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Mustafin with a couple of short strikes.

It looks like Goa Pep has been cut.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Mustafin trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Pep is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Mustafin is landing with some decent strikes but Pep is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Mustafin pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Pep tries to hold on but Mustafin postures up.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Mustafin looking to secure an arm triangle but Pep defends it well.
Mustafin dominating with strikes here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nurlan Mustafin dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Mustafin throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Pep tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Mustafin scores a takedown into full mount!
Mustafin trying to control but Pep is having none of it.
Pep avoids a series of strikes thrown by Mustafin.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Mustafin here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Mustafin wants to control the pace but Pep is squirming around nicely.
Pep is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Pep is desperately trying to improve his position but Mustafin has a good base and remains in mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pep is squirming around, avoiding Mustafin's attempts to control the action.
Pep is trying desperately to improve position.
Mustafin scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Mustafin controlling from the full mount.
Mustafin postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Pep looks a forlorn figure.
Mustafin can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Pep is looking to escape.
Pep is trying desperately to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mustafin can't control as he wanted to and Pep manages to get the fight back to his half guard.

Pep looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Mustafin pushes past his half guard into mount!
Mustafin scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Pep?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
You get the feeling that Pep really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Pep tries to reverse the position but Mustafin maintains control.
Mustafin can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Pep is looking to escape.
Mustafin thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mustafin trying to control but Pep is having none of it.
Pep is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Mustafin trying to control but Pep is having none of it.
Mustafin putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Mustafin looking to control but Pep is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Pep is desperately trying to improve his position but Mustafin has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mustafin trying to control but Pep is having none of it.
Mustafin working the ground and pound effectively.

That has opened up Goa Pep's cut even more.
Pep is trying to stand up.
Pep is in all sorts of trouble here.
Mustafin content just to control the position here.
Nurlan Mustafin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pep is squirming around, avoiding Mustafin's attempts to control the action.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pep is looking to improve his position but Mustafin isn't that keen on the idea.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nurlan Mustafin dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Mustafin feints and as Pep raises his hands in defense, Mustafin changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Mustafin slips nicely into half guard.
Pep wants to control but Mustafin is keeping busy.
Pep is refusing to be controlled, as Mustafin sits in half guard.
Mustafin prevents Pep from standing back up.
Mustafin thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Pep is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Pep kicks Mustafin off and gets back to his feet.
Pep avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mustafin fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Pep sprawls well initially but Mustafin persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Mustafin is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Pep defends it well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Mustafin postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Pep to stand up.
Pep misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mustafin dodges the punch combination from Pep.

Mustafin instigates a clinch.

Mustafin manages to pull guard.
Mustafin can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Pep controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pep drops back, looking for a kneebar! Mustafin looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Mustafin looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Mustafin!
Mustafin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pep keeps working.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pep wants to get back to his feet.
Mustafin trying to control the position but Pep is working away.
Mustafin moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Pep is pushing Mustafin's head away, looking to escape. Mustafin manages to hold on to the position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mustafin trying to control the position but Pep is working away.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Pep takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Mustafin in side control, throwing shots but Pep defends.
Pep is not content to let Mustafin control the position.

Mustafin is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Pep knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mustafin throws a strike aimed at the side of Pep's head but Pep avoids it well.
Mustafin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pep can do to turn this around?
Pep defending against the ground and pound.
Mustafin tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Goa Pep has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Mustafin decides to stand up, so the ref orders Pep to his feet.
Nurlan Mustafin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pep tries a head kick but it misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pep tries to clinch but Mustafin moves out of range.

Pep fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mustafin, pushing him back against the cage.
Nurlan Mustafin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pep letting Mustafin take a breather here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nurlan Mustafin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Mustafin, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nurlan Mustafin!