PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mark Gilles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ilia Nazarkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gilles
vs
Nazarkin

195 cm
20
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
18
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 Helsinki, Mark Gilles!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ilia Nazarkin!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gilles throws a nice looking combination but Nazarkin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Nazarkin fails to land the takedown.
Gilles just misses with a punch to the body.
Gilles misses with a two punch combination.
Gilles misses with a body shot.
Gilles misses with the combination.

Nazarkin drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Gilles working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Nazarkin doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Nazarkin manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nazarkin tries to free his leg and advance position but Gilles is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gilles had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Nazarkin defends it easily.
Gilles pulls Nazarkin in close to his closed guard and prevents Nazarkin from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nazarkin is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Gilles is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nazarkin controlling from the top position.

Ilia Nazarkin has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Nazarkin avoids a punch combination nicely.
A right-left combo lands from Gilles.
Gilles displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Nazarkin.
Gilles looks to land a combination but Nazarkin avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nazarkin shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gilles as he avoids it easily.
Mark Gilles has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ilia Nazarkin.
Gilles rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Nazarkin moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gilles throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gilles lands a nice hook to Nazarkin's body. Nazarkin takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Gilles misses with a series of wild punches.
Gilles lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Gilles throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gilles throws a series of punches but Nazarkin avoids them all with ease.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Gilles dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Nazarkin avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gilles with a jab.
Nazarkin moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Gilles stuns Nazarkin with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Nazarkin takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Gilles throws a right and a left that Nazarkin avoids nicely.
Gilles looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gilles jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Gilles throws a nice looking combination but Nazarkin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gilles lands a right hook to the body.
Gilles throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Nazarkin is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Gilles.

It looks like Ilia Nazarkin has been cut.
Gilles throws a right hand that Nazarkin ducks under and follows up with a left that Nazarkin also avoids with ease.
Mark Gilles is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gilles swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Nazarkin scores with a takedown into Gilles's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nazarkin showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Gilles has an active guard here but Nazarkin has managed to pass into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nazarkin is pressing down on Gilles's thigh, looking to free his foot. Gilles is holding on for now.
Nazarkin is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gilles looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Gilles is looking for a sweep. Nazarkin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gilles wants to control but Nazarkin is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Gilles is trying to stand up here but Nazarkin is controlling him well.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Gilles misses with a few strikes there.
Gilles misses with a two punch combination.
Nazarkin closes the distance and clinches up with Gilles, looking for a takedown. Nazarkin pushes Gilles against the cage but Gilles circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Mark Gilles is winning the standup battle so far.
Nazarkin has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Nazarkin shoots in and bounces Gilles off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Nazarkin controlling from the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Gilles dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ilia Nazarkin's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Gilles scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Gilles lands a nice hook to Nazarkin's body. Nazarkin takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Mark Gilles is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nazarkin shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gilles pinned against the cage. Gilles gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Gilles connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Nazarkin momentarily.
Nazarkin fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Nazarkin takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Gilles is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nazarkin avoids the body shot from Gilles.
Sloppy strikes from Nazarkin. Those never looked like landing.
Gilles throws a right and a left that both miss.
Nazarkin slips a jab and a cross from Gilles.
Gilles misses with a wild combination.
Horrible takedown by Nazarkin or perhaps it was just good defense by Gilles which made him look bad.
Mark Gilles has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ilia Nazarkin.
Gilles fails to land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gilles misses with the combination.
Gilles moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Gilles misses with a wild combination.

Nazarkin closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Gilles quickly recovers to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Gilles looking for a kimura from the bottom but Nazarkin passes into side control!
The referee asks Nazarkin politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Nazarkin prefers to stall for the moment though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gilles looking for a sweep but Nazarkin has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Nazarkin really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gilles. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Nazarkin avoids the attempt from Gilles to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nazarkin content just to control the position here.
Mark Gilles is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mark Gilles.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gilles, 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Gilles!