PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nikolai Tupolev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jon Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Tupolev
vs
Jones

183 cm
19
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nikolai Tupolev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jon Jones!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Fedor Mirinova and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tupolev looks for the body kick but Jones saw that one coming.
A head kick misses from Jones.
Jones tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Jones has a takedown stuffed.
Tupolev slaps away a takedown attempt from Jones, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Tupolev shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Jones as he avoids it easily.
Jones tries to clinch but Tupolev moves out of range.
Jones tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Tupolev swivels and escapes.
Nikolai Tupolev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jon Jones.
Tupolev moves in looking to clinch but Jones pushes him off.
Tupolev is looking to clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Jones is defended easily by Tupolev.

Jones pushes Tupolev up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones is pushing Tupolev up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Tupolev manages to pull guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Jones is pushing down on Tupolev's leg trying to pass to half guard. Tupolev is fighting to maintain full guard but Jones has managed to sneak the leg through.
Tupolev has his hands clasped together around Jones's back. He's all about the action.
Tupolev is looking to control Jones's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Tupolev avoid being mounted?
Tupolev tries to kick Jones off but Jones keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tupolev trying to hold on to Jones's head to control him but Jones postures up.
Jones thows a huge punch but Tupolev dodges it nicely.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Nikolai Tupolev.
Jones tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Tupolev.
Tupolev shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Jones moves out of range of the body kick from Tupolev.
Jones fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Jones misses with a takedown attempt - Tupolev sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Some bone on bone action there as Jones checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tupolev throws a sloppy head kick and Jones moves out of range easily.
Jones tries a head kick but it misses.

Tupolev shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Jones manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Tupolev postures up.
Jones seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Tupolev knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Jones on the ground.
Tupolev trying to control but Jones is working from the bottom.
Tupolev slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nice body punch from Jones.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones tries to close the distance and clinch but Tupolev swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tupolev tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Jones paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Tupolev tries to clinch but Jones is having none of it.
Tupolev swats away the attempt to clinch by Jones.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Jones.

Jones gets tackled into the cage by Tupolev. Tupolev maintains the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jones is trying to stall.

Tupolev pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Nikolai Tupolev will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Jones throws a leg kick that misses.
Tupolev wants to clinch.
Jones changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Tupolev tries to avoid it but Jones manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Tupolev to the ground. Tupolev escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Tupolev throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Jones counters with a left and a right that stings Tupolev.
Tupolev fails to land the takedown.

Tupolev gets a clinch.
Tupolev is trying to drag Jones to the mat but Jones just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Tupolev is looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nikolai Tupolev. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tupolev tries to pull guard but Jones won't allow it.
Tupolev is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Tupolev breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Jones misses with a takedown attempt

and Tupolev counters with a takedown into side control.

Tupolev tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Jones can't do much from the bottom here.
Jones sneaks back into half guard.
Tupolev is trying to control the action in half guard but Jones is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tupolev wanted to stand there but Jones had control of the position.
Jones is pulling down on Tupolev's head. It's preventing any offense from Tupolev, at least for the moment.
Tupolev looking to sit in guard and control but Jones gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tupolev has control of Jones's left arm, preventing Jones from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tupolev wants to sweep here but Jones controlling him for the moment.
Jones showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Tupolev not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Nikolai Tupolev overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Jones tries to clinch there but Tupolev circles away.
Jones displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Tupolev.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tupolev shoots in for a takedown but Jones shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Tupolev is trying hard to land a takedown here. Jones sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Jones has closed the distance and engaged Tupolev in a clinch.

Jones breaks the clinch.
Jones shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tupolev defends it nicely.
Jones is trying hard to land a takedown here. Tupolev sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tupolev tries for a takedown but Jones sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Tupolev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Jones tries to score a power double leg takedown but Tupolev sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Jones somewhat.
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 Nikolai Tupolev will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Tupolev closes the distance and pushes Jones back into the cage.

Jones jumps guard.
Jones manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Tupolev manages to get himself to full guard.

Tupolev looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Jones passes into side control.
Jones advances to mount.

Jones is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Jones will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Jones closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Jones successfully pulls guard.
Jones keeping moving, preventing Tupolev from controlling successfully.
Tupolev wants to get up but he can't break Jones's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Jones is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Jones has his foot on Tupolev's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Tupolev works his way back into a safe position though.
Jones takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Tupolev trying to control but Jones is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Jones is on top in guard.
Jones trying to control the position from guard on top but Tupolev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tupolev managing to control the position.
Tupolev looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Jones puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Tupolev trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Jones manages to pass to mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tupolev is working to get back to half guard.
Tupolev tries to hold on but Jones postures up.

Jones stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Jones shoots in for a double leg but Tupolev sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Tupolev closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Jones did well to prevent Tupolev getting side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones is pressing down on Tupolev's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Jones keeping moving, preventing Tupolev from controlling successfully.
Jones bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Tupolev's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Jones decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Tupolev misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Jones closes the distance and clinches.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Jones ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Jones no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Jon Jones has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nikolai Tupolev is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Tupolev working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jon Jones comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Tupolev has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Jon Jones!