PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Nalaban (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kondzio Celka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Celka is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Sabaton - Birds of War. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Nalaban
vs
Celka

202 cm
25
280 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

171 cm
26
268 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ricardo Nalaban!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kondzio Celka!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Marco Blurström and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nalaban misses with a double jab
and Celka counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Celka takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Celka takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Nalaban tries to bum rush Celka with a series of wild strikes but Celka uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Celka showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Nalaban.
Celka misses with a few strikes there.
Celka lands the left hand.
Celka misses with a wild combination.
Celka throws a series of punches but Nalaban avoids them all with ease.
Nalaban takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Celka thows a body shot but no joy.
Nalaban misses with a wild combination.
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!
Nalaban looks for the body kick but Celka saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nalaban gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Celka to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Celka wants to control from the top but Nalaban keeps moving.
Celka throws an elbow that misses. Nalaban uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Celka's guard. Nice move by Nalaban!
Celka is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Nalaban stays in close to Celka's body and controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Celka looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Celka is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Nalaban slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Nalaban is defended easily by Celka.
Celka shoots in looking for a takedown. Nalaban tries to sprawl out of it but Celka keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Nalaban manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nalaban misses with a few strikes there.
Celka dodges the punch combination from Nalaban.
Nice defenses there by Nalaban.
A cross from Celka lands.

It looks like Ricardo Nalaban has been cut.
Celka slips a jab and a cross from Nalaban.
Nalaban lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Nalaban rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Celka moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Good exchange - Nalaban coming out on top.
Nalaban keeps the fight on the outside.
Nalaban avoids a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nalaban misses with a two punch combination.
Nalaban misses with a few strikes there.
Nalaban throws an overhand right that lands on Celka's shoulder, as Celka tries to avoid the shot.
Celka looks to score with a jab to the body but Nalaban is just out of range.
Nalaban scores with a jab to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nalaban throws a right and a left that Celka avoids nicely.
Celka lands with a good body shot.
Nalaban throws a right and a left that both miss.

Celka darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Celka throwing shots but Nalaban is blocking nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Celka is looking to stall here but Nalaban recovers full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kondzio Celka will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ricardo Nalaban's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Nalaban fails to land with a series of punches.
Nalaban misses with a wild body shot.
Celka shoots in but Nalaban avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nalaban. Celka does a little dance to reset his feet.
A jab lands there for Nalaban.
Nalaban throws a right and a left that Celka avoids nicely.

Celka shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Nalaban manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Celka throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nalaban works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Nalaban has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Celka off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Celka attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nalaban tries for a takedown but Celka sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Nalaban on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Celka fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Nalaban manages to avoid it.
Nalaban fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Celka looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nalaban uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Celka.
Celka throws a hook but Nalaban avoids it easily.
Celka showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Nalaban.
Ricardo Nalaban seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Celka will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Celka dodges the punch combination from Nalaban.
Ricardo Nalaban is winning the standup battle so far.
Nalaban misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Nalaban. Those never looked like landing.
Nalaban shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Celka sprawls well. Celka wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Nalaban gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricardo Nalaban. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Celka throws a body punch but Nalaban moves out of range.
Celka will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Celka misses with a few strikes there.
Nalaban throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Celka throws a series of punches but Nalaban moves out of range.
Celka misses with a body shot.
Celka throws a jab when Nalaban was well out of range.

Celka closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Nalaban quickly recovers to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
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!
Nalaban keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nalaban makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Celka throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nalaban wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Celka tries to score a power double leg takedown but Nalaban sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Celka somewhat.
Nalaban misses with a wild combination.

Nalaban decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Celka is looking to control Nalaban's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Celka avoid being mounted?
Celka is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nalaban sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Celka defending well though.
Kondzio Celka has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nalaban performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Celka is trying to maintain the position but Nalaban is very close to passing his half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nalaban is taking a breather. Celka says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ricardo Nalaban will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ricardo Nalaban's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Celka changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Nalaban looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Celka throws a strike aimed at the side of Nalaban's head but Nalaban avoids it well.
Nalaban gets back to half guard.
Nalaban wants to get back to full guard.
Celka throwing shots but Nalaban is blocking nicely.
Celka not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Celka wants to free his trapped foot but Nalaban is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Celka with the ground and pound but Nalaban uses the opportunity to regain guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Celka lands a couple of elbows.
Celka throws a strike but Nalaban rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Nalaban wants to get up but he can't break Celka's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Celka tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Celka is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Nalaban sitting in guard here, content to control.
Celka is trying to keep Nalaban in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Celka looking for a sweep. Not yet Celka, not yet.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Kondzio Celka wasn't active enough on the ground.
Nalaban lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Celka slips a jab and a cross from Nalaban.
Celka misses the shot to the body.
Celka rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Nalaban moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Celka avoids the head kick by Nalaban.
Celka throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A combination from Nalaban does no damage.
Nalaban swings for the body but Celka moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nalaban scores with a body shot.
Nalaban punishes Celka's body with a nice straight punch.
Nalaban is looking to wear down Celka with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
A punch combination from Nalaban misses.
Nalaban looks to land a combination but Celka avoids it well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Celka. Nalaban does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nalaban fails to land with a series of punches.
Celka ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Nalaban moves away.
Celka misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Nalaban.
Nalaban misses with a jab to the body
and Celka counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Nalaban swinging wildly here.
Nalaban misses with a combination
and Celka counters with a nice body shot.
Nice body punch from Celka.
Celka swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Celka dives in and scores a takedown into Nalaban's guard.
Celka throwing strikes from guard but Nalaban blocks nicely.
Celka working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Celka throwing strikes from guard but Nalaban blocks nicely.
Celka must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Celka throwing strikes from guard but Nalaban blocks nicely.
Nalaban preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nalaban keeping full guard, as Celka tries to pass.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kondzio Celka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Celka has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kondzio Celka!
A very excited looking Kondzio Celka made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.