PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Igor Nabokov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rocky Patterson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nabokov comes to the cage accompanied by Sparks - The Who. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Rocky Patterson enters the cage!

Nabokov
vs
Patterson

182 cm
25
185 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

175 cm
29
175 lbs
9 - 5 - 1

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
KO power

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Dragon

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Igor Nabokov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rocky Patterson!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Tarja Halkonen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from Nabokov. No joy for Patterson on that attempt.
Nabokov misses with a wild body shot.
Rocky Patterson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Patterson misses with a takedown attempt - Nabokov sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Nabokov clinches with his opponent.
Nabokov prevents a takedown attempt there.
Igor Nabokov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rocky Patterson.

Patterson has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Nabokov uses from the top position.
Nabokov wants to stand but Patterson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Patterson wants to sweep here but Nabokov controlling him for the moment.
Nabokov trying to control the position from guard on top but Patterson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Patterson wants to stand but Nabokov is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Patterson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Nabokov wanted to stand there but Patterson had control of the position.
Nabokov knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Patterson on the ground.
Patterson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Patterson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Nabokov is aware though and is defending well.
Nabokov wants to control from the top but Patterson keeps moving.
Nabokov preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nabokov wants to control from the top but Patterson keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Igor Nabokov just wasn't active enough.
Nabokov tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Patterson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Nabokov tries to sprawl but Patterson drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nabokov trying to control here.

Patterson wants to work for an arm triangle but Nabokov is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nabokov has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Patterson is working away from the top position though.

Nabokov looking for submissions off his back.

Patterson is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Nabokov is staying active underneath Patterson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nabokov is trying to get back to full guard.

Patterson is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Nabokov is just riding it out for now. Patterson eventually gives up the hold.
Patterson works his way into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nabokov is trying to improve his position.
Patterson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nabokov keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocky Patterson dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Patterson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nabokov wants to clinch.
Patterson tries to clinch there but Nabokov circles away.
Patterson tries to clinch up but Nabokov circles away and keeps his distance.
Patterson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Patterson fails to land the takedown.
The fight stays on the outside here - Patterson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Patterson wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nabokov tries to clinch but Patterson is having none of it.
Patterson uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Patterson closes the distance but Nabokov moves to the side

and Nabokov holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Nabokov is trying to break the clinch but Patterson is controlling him.
Nabokov lands with a left to the head.

Patterson has hold of one of Nabokov's legs. Nabokov is fighting the takedown attempt but Patterson gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Patterson stands and throws Nabokov's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Patterson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Patterson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nabokov is looking for a sweep.
Patterson cracks Nabokov with a big right hand but Nabokov just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nabokov throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.

Patterson working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Patterson wants to stand but Nabokov has his arm trapped.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nabokov wants to control but Patterson postures up.
Patterson lands a decent elbow from side control.

It looks like Igor Nabokov has been cut.

Patterson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Nabokov wants to control but Patterson postures up.
Patterson misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Patterson trying to control the position but Nabokov is working away.

Patterson wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Nabokov, who protects the arm well.
Rocky Patterson has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Patterson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nabokov keeps working.
Patterson passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Nabokov!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Patterson fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Patterson lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Nabokov hang on?
Patterson landing shots from mount.
Nabokov is trying desperately to improve position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Patterson scoring with strikes but Nabokov is staying in there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocky Patterson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Igor Nabokov's cut.
That's time! Nabokov's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Patterson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Patterson throws a lazy uppercut
and Nabokov counters with a left and a right that stings Patterson.
Patterson is looking to clinch but Nabokov is avoiding it.
Patterson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nabokov paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Patterson gets the takedown into side control.
Patterson wants to stand but Nabokov is controlling his arm.
Sloppy strikes there by Patterson.
Nabokov is not content to let Patterson control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Patterson throws an elbow but Nabokov slips to the side and avoids it well.

Patterson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Nabokov knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Patterson scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Nabokov to see if he's OK.
Patterson throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Nabokov tries to bench press Patterson off him but Patterson keeps the position.
Patterson is looking to take a break and control but Nabokov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Nabokov is looking to reverse the position.

Patterson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Patterson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Igor Nabokov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Patterson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Nabokov knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Nabokov is looking for a sweep.
Nabokov is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Patterson is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Patterson scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Patterson looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Nabokov with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Nabokov is refusing to be controlled, as Patterson sits in half guard.
Patterson trying to control from Nabokov's half guard. Nabokov has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Patterson wants to control from the top but Nabokov keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Patterson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Nabokov is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Patterson is in close to Nabokov's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Patterson trying to control but Nabokov is working from the bottom.

Nabokov looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Patterson is looking to stand up but Nabokov won't let him.
Rocky Patterson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Patterson stays in close to Nabokov's body and controls the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rocky Patterson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Patterson winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rocky Patterson!
Rocky Patterson took to the mic after the fight and begged the organizational hierarchy for a shot at the title.