PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kalash Nikov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kelsey Curtis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nikov's entrance music is ILL BILL & VINNIE PAZ (HEAVY METAL KINGS) - "OATH OF THE GOAT" . A fine choice. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Nikov
vs
Curtis

174 cm
29
158 lbs
14 - 9 - 2

171 cm
29
155 lbs
12 - 8 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Red Belt
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 9 - 2, fighting out of Hilo, Kalash Nikov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Kelsey Curtis!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Curtis is defended easily by Nikov.
Nikov tries a head kick but it misses.
Nikov scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Nikov wants to clinch up but Curtis keeps it at a distance.
Nikov will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nikov lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Curtis circles away quickly and effectively.
Nikov keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Curtis looks for a takedown but Nikov sprawls well.
Curtis tries to score a power double leg takedown but Nikov sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Curtis somewhat.
Kalash Nikov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kelsey Curtis.

Nikov closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikov working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Nikov lands an uppercut.
Nikov with a knee to the head.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Nikov.
Nikov is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Curtis has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Nikov after a bit of a struggle.
Nikov landing knees to the head.
Nikov throws a knee to the head but misses.
Nikov makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Curtis being controlled against the cage.
A knee to the head by Nikov.
Nikov prevents the takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikov working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Nikov breaks the clinch.
Curtis ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Nikov moves away.
Nikov thows a body kick. Curtis tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nikov lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

Nikov rushes Curtis and presses him up against the cage.

Nikov manages to break the clinch.
Nikov misses with a low kick.
An inside leg kick from Nikov misses.
Nikov scores with a head kick. Curtis tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Nikov lets loose with a powerful body kick. Curtis will feel that in the morning.

Nikov moves into the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Nikov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Curtis tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Nikov smiles and moves away.
Curtis shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kalash Nikov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nikov tries to work over Curtis's front leg with a kick but Curtis checks it.
Nikov throws a solid leg kick but Curtis takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Nikov.
Nikov scoring well with a low kick there.
Nikov lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Nikov.
Nikov tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Curtis manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nikov doesn't manage to clinch there - Curtis circles away.

Nikov closes the distance and clinches.
Nikov scores with a nice hook to the head.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nikov breaks the clinch.
Nikov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Curtis paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nikov swinging wildly here.
Curtis shoots in but no luck this time.
Curtis takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Nikov throws a leg kick that misses.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Curtis swats away the attempt to clinch by Nikov.
Nikov misses with a body shot.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Nikov, right into the meat.
Nikov throws a right and a left that Curtis avoids nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kalash Nikov dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Nikov's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Nikov duly obliges.
Kalash Nikov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Curtis tries to keep at a distance but Nikov has taken the fight into the clinch.
Nikov gets underhooks to prevent Curtis's takedown attempt.
Curtis drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Curtis drops down looking for an ankle pick but Nikov pulls his leg out and moves away.
Kalash Nikov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kelsey Curtis.
Nikov looks to score with a jab to the body but Curtis is just out of range.
Curtis shoots for a takedown but Nikov saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Nikov will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nikov's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Nikov duly obliges.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikov misses with a looping left.
Kalash Nikov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nikov tries to clinch up but Curtis circles away and keeps his distance.
Nikov tries to close the distance and clinch up but Curtis swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nikov tries to clinch up but Curtis circles away and keeps his distance.
Nikov lands a leg kick that knocks Curtis off balance momentarily.
Curtis takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Nikov 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 Curtis has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Curtis and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Nikov misses with a head kick.
No luck for Curtis with that takedown attempt.
Curtis closes the distance and clinches up with Nikov, looking for a takedown. Curtis pushes Nikov against the cage but Nikov circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikov fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Curtis shoots for a takedown but Nikov saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Curtis shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Curtis showed some decent athleticism there.

Curtis is working for a submission of some sort.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nikov is trying to stand up here but Curtis is controlling him well.
Nikov avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Curtis.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nikov is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Nikov trying to control from the bottom.

Curtis seems to be looking for submissions.
Nikov looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikov is controlling Curtis's position as best he can from this difficult position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Curtis not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Nikov is trying to get back to full guard.

Curtis is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Nikov sees it coming and defends easily.
Nikov wants to get back to full guard.
Nikov wants to get back to his feet.
Nikov wants to control but Curtis is keeping busy.
Curtis throwing shots but Nikov is blocking nicely.
Nikov is trying to stand back up but Curtis is controlling him

Curtis is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Nikov wants to control but Curtis is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Curtis looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Curtis winds up and cracks Nikov with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Nikov is trying to control but can't.

Curtis is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Nikov looks like he's trying to stand up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nikov slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nikov wants to stand up but Curtis is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kalash Nikov dominated that second round.
That's time! Nikov's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Nikov with a nice cross.
Curtis tries for a takedown but Nikov sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Crunch! Nikov slams his shin into Curtis's torso.
Kalash Nikov is winning the standup battle so far.

Curtis scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
You can see the frustration on Nikov's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nikov tries to buck Curtis off but Curtis is having none of it.
Nikov is trying to buck Curtis off.

Curtis is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Nikov has escaped the position, nice work there.
Curtis working the head with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Curtis working the ground and pound.
Kelsey Curtis has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nikov is looking for a sweep.
Sloppy strikes there by Curtis.
Nikov is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Nikov can't do much from the bottom here.
Curtis in side control, throwing shots but Nikov defends.
Curtis scoring with punches and elbows.
Curtis in side control, throwing shots but Nikov defends.
Curtis working away.
Nikov tries to improve position but can't.
Curtis working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Nikov is working to avoid the ground and pound but Curtis connects with a decent elbow.
Nikov tries to escape but Curtis is in control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nikov tries to improve position but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikov sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Curtis is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Curtis thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Nikov's head.

Curtis is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Curtis throwing shots but Nikov is blocking nicely.
Curtis looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Nikov with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Nikov wants to get back to full guard.
Nikov keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Curtis lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Nikov is staying active underneath Curtis, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Curtis wants to free his trapped foot but Nikov is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Nikov keeping control of the position.
Curtis thows a huge punch but Nikov dodges it nicely.
Nikov wants to control but Curtis is keeping busy.
Kelsey Curtis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Curtis is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Nikov defends it well.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Nikov looks like he's trying to stand up.
Nikov trying to hold on to Curtis's head to control him but Curtis postures up.

Curtis is trying to work for a kimura but Nikov is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikov slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Nikov not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Curtis with a flurry of punches that miss.
Curtis works over Nikov with some ground and pound from guard.
Nikov wants to stand and escape but Curtis is having none of it.
Curtis wants to pass the guard but Nikov is keeping the position.
Curtis won't allow Nikov to sweep him here.
Kalash Nikov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nikov wants to stand up but Curtis is controlling him.
Nikov seems keen to control Curtis's posture.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nikov is trying to keep Curtis in close.

We're going to have a standup here because Kalash Nikov wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Nikov lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kelsey Curtis comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Nikov 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kalash Nikov!
An out of breath Kalash Nikov thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.