PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Vladimir Nikolaev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Cole (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alex Cole will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Nikolaev
vs
Cole

179 cm
19
190 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

195 cm
34
193 lbs
11 - 8 - 1

Good wrestling
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Vladimir Nikolaev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 1, fighting out of New York, Alex Cole!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Steve Montenegro and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nikolaev throws a series of punches but Cole avoids them all with ease.
Nikolaev misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cole.
Horrible takedown by Cole or perhaps it was just good defense by Nikolaev which made him look bad.
Nikolaev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cole misses with a two punch combination.
Cole scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Cole works the jab nicely.
A combination from Cole does no damage.

Cole clinches up with Nikolaev and pushes him back against the cage.
Cole lands an elbow just above Nikolaev 's eye.
Nikolaev stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cole is trying to push Nikolaev away but Nikolaev has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Nikolaev is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Cole is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Nikolaev just leaning against Cole, taking a breather.
Cole lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Cole lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Nikolaev backwards.

Cole breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cole throws a right hand that Nikolaev ducks under and follows up with a left that Nikolaev also avoids with ease.
Nikolaev walks into a jab.
Nikolaev misses with a takedown attempt - Cole sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cole cracks Nikolaev with a good jab.
Nikolaev throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cole misses with a two punch combination.
Nikolaev misses with a body shot
and Nikolaev takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Vladimir Nikolaev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nikolaev. Cole does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cole thuds a left hand into Nikolaev's body.
Cole scores with a jab to the body.
Cole cracks Nikolaev with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikolaev scores with a jab to the body.
Cole throws a series of punches but Nikolaev moves out of range.
Nikolaev misses with a shot to the body
and Cole counters with a two punch combo.
Nikolaev misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Cole counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Cole throwing shots but Nikolaev is blocking nicely.
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!

Nikolaev looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nikolaev trying to control but Cole postures up.
Nikolaev keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikolaev is trying to control but Cole manages to pass to mount!
Nikolaev is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Nikolaev is in a horrible position here. Cole smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Nikolaev working to try and regain half guard.
Nikolaev has given up his back here.
Nikolaev tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Nikolaev is in all sorts of trouble here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Nikolaev is working hard here to advance position.
Cole really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Nikolaev. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Nikolaev wants to control but Cole is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Cole dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cole has closed the distance and engaged Nikolaev in a clinch.
Cole throws an elbow that misses.
Come on Nikolaev - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Cole wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Nikolaev has him pressed against the cage.

Nikolaev works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Nikolaev missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Nikolaev postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Cole working a defensive guard here.
Nikolaev trying to control the position from guard on top but Cole is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cole controls Nikolaev momentarily but Nikolaev frees himself.
Nikolaev works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Nikolaev missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nikolaev not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Nikolaev is looking to stall here but Cole recovers full guard.
Nikolaev passes Cole's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cole is refusing to be controlled, as Nikolaev sits in half guard.
Cole is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Nikolaev is trying for a kimura here. Cole looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Nikolaev wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:48 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Vladimir Nikolaev!