PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Alexandre Nieto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Haji Muakbar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nieto comes into the arena with Bullet the Blue Sky blaring out of the sound system. Muakbar has chosen That Punjabi Jay-Z song as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Haji Muakbar told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Nieto
vs
Muakbar

170 cm
29
162 lbs
19 - 4 - 1

171 cm
29
163 lbs
17 - 9 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 19 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alexandre Nieto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Haji Muakbar!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Columbo Gatti and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A good leg kick by Nieto.
Nieto with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A clash of legs there as Muakbar blocks the low kick.
Muakbar lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Nieto at a distance.
Nieto gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Nice uppercut lands for Muakbar. That snapped Nieto's head back.
Nieto steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Muakbar.
Muakbar has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Nieto.
Nieto turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Nieto tried to score with a low kick but Muakbar checks it.

Nieto rushes Muakbar and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Muakbar breaks from the clinch.
Muakbar misses with a low kick as Nieto jumps back.
Muakbar misses with a two punch combination.
Nieto takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Nieto chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Muakbar on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nieto displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Muakbar throws out the jab.
Muakbar checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Muakbar checks the leg kick nicely there.
Nieto ducks under a wild hook from Muakbar.
Nieto fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Muakbar avoids it really well and circles away.
Nieto dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Muakbar. That did some damage!
Muakbar throws a lazy uppercut
and Muakbar takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Muakbar tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Nieto tries to score with a low kick but Muakbar moves his leg out of the way.
Nieto moves in looking to clinch but Muakbar pushes him off.
Muakbar bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Nieto with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Nieto tries to work over Muakbar's front leg with a kick but Muakbar checks it.
Muakbar's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
An inside leg kick from Nieto misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Muakbar takes a kick to the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nieto looks for the body kick but Muakbar saw that one coming.
Nieto slips under a jab from Muakbar.
Nieto keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Muakbar uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Nieto doesn't manage to clinch there - Muakbar circles away.
Haji Muakbar is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nieto throws a body punch but Muakbar moves out of range.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Nieto lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Muakbar has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Muakbar and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Nieto buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Muakbar throws a right and a left that Nieto avoids nicely.
A clash of legs there as Muakbar blocks the low kick.
Muakbar connects with the punch.
Muakbar keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nieto uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Muakbar.
Nieto uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Muakbar.
Nieto throws a low kick but Muakbar avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nieto is looking to land body kicks.
Muakbar looks to land a left hand but Nieto moved out of range nicely.
Nieto fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Muakbar checks it well.
Nieto fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nieto dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Muakbar. That did some damage!
A looping hook to the body misses from Muakbar. Nieto does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nieto connects with a looping right hand.
Nieto showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Muakbar.
The fighters circling - Muakbar throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Muakbar throws a big shot that misses.
Muakbar uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nieto.
Nieto cracks Muakbar with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Muakbar throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Muakbar throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Nieto.
Muakbar connects with the punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nieto feints and then cracks Muakbar's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Muakbar down.
A decent looking cross lands there for Muakbar.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Muakbar lands a jab to the nose.
Nieto throws a low kick, looking for Muakbar's leg but Muakbar calmly moves out of range.
Nieto tried to score with a low kick but Muakbar checks it.
Nieto will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Muakbar tries a low kick but Nieto avoids it.
Nieto throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Nieto ducks right into an uppercut from Muakbar.
Jab from Muakbar.
A lazy left from Muakbar finds it's target.
Nieto misses with a low kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Muakbar throws a half hearted mid kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Nieto.
A shot to the body from Nieto misses
and Muakbar counters with a nice body shot.
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 Alexandre Nieto will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Nieto misses with a leg kick.
Muakbar throws a right hand that misses
and Nieto counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Nieto misses with a hook. Muakbar ducked under it nicely.
Nieto will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Nieto misses with a leg kick.
Nieto plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Muakbar keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nieto needs to keep his hands up - Muakbar had a free shot at his head there.
Muakbar misses the jab.
Nieto takes a jab right on the kisser.
Nieto misses with a head kick.
Nieto with a jab.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nieto swings for the body but Muakbar moves out of range.
Muakbar lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Nieto misses with a wild body shot.
Muakbar bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Nieto's head backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nieto looks to land a combination but Muakbar avoids it well.
Muakbar looks to throw the jab but Nieto is out of range.
Muakbar attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Muakbar fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Nieto manages to avoid it.
Muakbar takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Muakbar keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nieto throws a nice outside leg kick.
Muakbar thows a body shot but no joy.
Muakbar lands a nice shot that snaps Nieto's head back.
Muakbar scores with a hook.
Nieto misses with a series of wild punches.
Nieto keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Nieto wants to clinch.
Muakbar avoids the body shot from Nieto.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nieto throws a low kick but it's checked well by Muakbar.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Muakbar moves away from the strike by Nieto.
Nieto throws the left hand but Muakbar avoids the punch easily.
Nieto throws a head kick that half lands.
Muakbar misses with a hook. Nieto ducked under it nicely.
Nieto looks to score with a jab to the body but Muakbar is just out of range.
Nieto scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Muakbar lands a jab to the nose.
Nieto tries a low kick but Muakbar avoids it.
Nieto scores with a nice strike.
That kick from Nieto tenderised Muakbar's leg. Muakbar is trying to keep his angry face on.
Nieto throws a leg kick but Muakbar moved away.
Muakbar scores with a jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nieto. Muakbar does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muakbar lands a jab-cross combination.

It looks like Alexandre Nieto has been cut.
Muakbar moves out of range of the leg kick from Nieto.
A nice leg kick lands there from Nieto.
Nieto's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Muakbar connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Nieto scrambles back to his feet.
Muakbar looks to land a combination but Nieto avoids it well.
Nieto misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Muakbar.
A solid leg kick lands there for Nieto.
Muakbar throws a shot from downtown. Nieto moves away and avoids it.
Nieto moves away from the strike by Muakbar.
Muakbar swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
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!
Muakbar lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Muakbar.
Muakbar scores with a jab to the body.
Nieto throws out a loose jab but Muakbar uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nieto is looking to wear down Muakbar with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Nieto scores with a nice body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nieto tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Nieto throws a nice outside leg kick.
Nieto throws a nice inside leg kick.
Muakbar has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Nieto.
Nieto has a takedown stuffed.
Nieto moves out of range as Muakbar strikes.
Muakbar throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Muakbar on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Muakbar tries to move into range but Nieto moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Nieto takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Alexandre Nieto is winning the standup battle so far.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Muakbar stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Nieto.
Nieto throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Nieto throws a solid leg kick but Muakbar takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Nieto.
Nieto displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Muakbar throws out the jab.
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 Alexandre Nieto will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Alexandre Nieto's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Muakbar goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Muakbar ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A clash of legs there as Muakbar blocks the low kick.
Muakbar throws a hook but Nieto blocks it.
Nieto ducks under a wild hook from Muakbar.
Muakbar misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nieto rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Muakbar moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Muakbar bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Nieto's head backwards.
Muakbar pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nieto connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Nieto bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Nieto wants to lay and pray for a moment but Muakbar keeps working.
Nieto fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Nieto working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nieto looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Muakbar is avoiding damage well.
Nieto wants to control but Muakbar is keeping him busy.
Muakbar is trying to improve his position.
Nieto creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Muakbar sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Nieto tries to score with some ground and pound. Muakbar controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Sloppy strikes there by Nieto.
Muakbar manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Muakbar wants to control but Nieto is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nieto trying to mount his opponent but Muakbar defends it.
Muakbar is looking for a sweep. Nieto is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nieto moves into full mount! Muakbar won't be happy about that!
Nieto cracks Muakbar with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Muakbar sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nieto not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Muakbar trying to hold on to Nieto's head to control him but Nieto postures up.
Nieto throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Nieto not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nieto seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Muakbar does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Muakbar is looking for a sweep. Nieto is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nieto is trying to control. Muakbar wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Nieto throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Nieto lands with a punch from half guard.
Alexandre Nieto overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nieto seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Muakbar does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Nieto not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Nieto thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Muakbar's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nieto throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Haji Muakbar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alexandre Nieto is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Nieto seems content to control.
Nieto wants to take a breather but Muakbar is having none of it.
Nieto throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Nieto wants to free his trapped foot but Muakbar is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Nieto is working hard here to advance position.
Nieto is looking to take a break and control but Muakbar is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexandre Nieto showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nieto 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexandre Nieto!
Post fight, an emotional Alexandre Nieto said 'I have lost, but I am not lost. '.