PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nolan Millner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Axel Rose (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rose has chosen Sweet Child O Mine as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Millner
vs
Rose

178 cm
23
165 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

180 cm
22
159 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nolan Millner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Axel Rose!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Ivan Kurochkin and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Millner has managed to clinch.
Rose is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Millner gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Millner drags the fight down to the ground.

Millner looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Millner is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Millner 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.

Millner pushes Rose off and scrambles back to his feet.

Rose gets caught flat footed, as Millner shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Millner drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Millner jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Rose has an active guard here but Millner has managed to pass into half guard.
Rose wants to control but Millner is keeping busy.
Rose is pressing down on Millner's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Millner postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Rose is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Millner, into his guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Millner is breathing heavily.
Rose wanted to stand there but Millner had control of the position.
Rose trying to control but Millner is working from the bottom.

Millner is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Millner will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

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.
Millner 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.
Rose is pushing down on Millner's leg trying to pass to half guard. Millner is fighting to maintain full guard but Rose has managed to sneak the leg through.
Millner trying to control from the bottom.
Rose moves into full mount! Millner won't be happy about that!

Millner defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Rose.
Millner is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Rose pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Millner is in all sorts of trouble here.
Millner is trying to stand.
Rose avoids the attempt from Millner to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Millner is looking to improve his position but Rose isn't that keen on the idea.
Millner regains half guard.
Rose is thwarting Millner's attempts to control the position.
Millner manages to get to full guard.

Millner had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Rose is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Millner Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Rose's back instead.
Millner gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Millner biding his time, looking for the opening.

Millner is looking for the choke from the back position but Rose is controlling his hands well.
Millner lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Rose tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Millner is in the full mount, landing strikes.

Millner stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Rose gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Millner decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rose's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Millner drops back looking for a leg! Rose is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rose manages to kick Millner off! Millner jumps back into Rose's guard.
Rose is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nolan Millner 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.

Millner closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Rose gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Millner is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rose is just riding it out for now. Millner eventually gives up the hold.
Rose gets full guard.
Rose has momentary wrist control but Millner slips an elbow through the middle.
Millner trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Rose throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Millner preventing the sweep.
Millner working some strikes from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose keeping moving, preventing Millner from controlling successfully.
Millner connects with a couple of short punches.
Rose keeping moving, preventing Millner from controlling successfully.
Millner is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Rose is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Rose keeping full guard, as Millner tries to pass.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Millner wants to control from the top but Rose keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rose fails with the takedown

and Millner counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rose won't be happy with that.
Millner trying to control the position but Rose is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Millner goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Rose has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Millner but great work by Rose.

Rose is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Millner knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Millner gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Millner looking for submissions off his back.
Millner gets full guard.
Millner lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Rose!
Millner content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Millner looking to control but Rose is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Millner prevents Rose from getting the reversal.

Millner looking to secure an arm triangle but Rose defends it well.
Millner tries to control but Rose wriggling away.
Millner controlling from mount.

Millner looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Rose really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Millner working for a guillotine from mount but Rose is in no mood to give up.

Millner stands up from mount. Strange move.

Rose looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Millner moves into full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Rose drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Millner manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Rose has Millner in his guard.
Rose is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Millner is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nolan Millner dominated that second round.
That's time! Millner's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Millner.
Millner tries to move into full mount but can't pass Rose's legs.
Rose tries to bench press Millner off him but Millner keeps the position.

Millner stands up.
Nolan Millner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Millner moves into the clinch successfully.
Rose misses with the head strike.

Millner gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Rose won't allow Millner to pass to mount.

Millner is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rose defends it well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rose avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Millner.
Nolan Millner overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Millner wants to pass to mount but Rose is defending the position.
Rose trying to control here.
Rose is refusing to be controlled, as Millner sits in half guard.
Millner blocks the strikes from Rose.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Millner clinches up against the cage.
Millner is pressed up against the cage. Rose has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Millner down to the mat. Millner avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Millner shoots in and bounces Rose off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rose keeping full guard, as Millner tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Millner works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Millner is trying to work for a kimura but Rose is defending well.
Millner is looking to take a break and control but Rose is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Millner is working for a kimura but Rose is defending it quite comfortably.
Millner takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Rose is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Millner's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Millner's back!
Millner breaks Rose's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Millner slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Rose is working an open guard so Millner takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Some wild striking there from Millner.

Rose gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Millner trying to control but Rose is working from the bottom.

Millner drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Millner jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Millner trying to control the position from guard on top but Rose is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Rose has his foot on Millner's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Millner works his way back into a safe position though.
Millner missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Millner wants to control from the top but Rose keeps moving.
Millner controls from within his opponent's guard.
Rose 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.
Millner lands a couple of digs.

Millner stands up and waves to Rose to follow him.
Axel Rose has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Millner scores with a takedown into Rose's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rose utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rose is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Millner actively working from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nolan Millner showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Millner has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nolan Millner!