PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Remedios Verzosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikolai Radev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Verzosa
vs
Radev

185 cm
36
190 lbs
41 - 15 - 0

184 cm
27
190 lbs
16 - 6 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Milwaukee's Best 160 (85% laundry)
Project Mayhem

Reaper Combatwear
Conquer

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 41 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Remedios Verzosa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nikolai Radev!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Donald Grub and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Verzosa lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Radev at a distance.

Verzosa shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Radev is trying to control but can't.
Radev is looking for a sweep. Verzosa is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Radev gets full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Verzosa preventing the sweep.

Verzosa thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Verzosa has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Radev is adopting a defensive guard.
Verzosa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Verzosa has gone for a leg lock! Radev slips out almost immediately though and dives into Verzosa's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Radev controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Radev sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Verzosa's guard.
Verzosa is looking to improve his position.
Radev keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Radev is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Radev missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Radev moves into full mount! Verzosa won't be happy about that!
Verzosa is squirming around, avoiding Radev's attempts to control the action.
Verzosa is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Radev misses with some ground and pound and Verzosa recovers position to half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Radev not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verzosa blocking the ground and pound attempt from Radev.
Radev is looking to advance position but Verzosa won't allow it.
Verzosa keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Radev wants to free his trapped foot but Verzosa is holding on for dear life with his legs.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Radev working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Verzosa is staying active underneath Radev, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Radev sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Verzosa defending well though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Radev thows a huge punch but Verzosa dodges it nicely.
Verzosa avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Radev.
Radev thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Verzosa's head.
Radev is taking a breather. Verzosa says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Verzosa is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Radev scores with a couple of nice shots.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Radev is trying to control the action in half guard but Verzosa is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Radev passes the guard and advances to mount!
Radev tries to control but Verzosa wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolai Radev dominated that round.
That's time! Verzosa's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A looping hook to the body misses from Radev. Verzosa does a little dance to reset his feet.
Radev throws a jab but it's blocked by Verzosa.
Verzosa shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Radev counters with a nice body shot.
Verzosa goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Radev throws a body shot but no joy.
Radev lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Verzosa takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Verzosa shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Radev tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Radev is still trying to improve position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Verzosa accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Radev wants to sweep here but Verzosa controlling him for the moment.
Verzosa postures up in Radev's guard and throws a big left but Radev blocks it.
Verzosa throws an elbow that misses. Radev uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Verzosa's guard. Nice move by Radev!
Verzosa has momentary wrist control but Radev slips an elbow through the middle.
Radev throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Radev trying to control but Verzosa is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Verzosa working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Radev.
Radev in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Radev trying to control but Verzosa is working from the bottom.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Radev pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Verzosa is keeping the position for now.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Nikolai Radev hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Verzosa checks a leg kick.
Radev throws a low kick but it's checked well by Verzosa.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verzosa misses with a body shot.
Radev scores with a jab to the head.
Verzosa throws a leg kick which misses Radev's front leg but catches the back leg as Radev tries to avoid it.
Verzosa throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Radev tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Verzosa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Verzosa is looking to clinch.
Verzosa uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Radev.

Verzosa darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Radev avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Verzosa.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Verzosa lands a nice short elbow.
Verzosa is pressing down on Radev's thigh, looking to free his foot. Radev is holding on for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Verzosa missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Radev moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Verzosa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Radev is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Radev bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Verzosa's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Radev wants to control from the top but Verzosa keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolai Radev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Verzosa changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Radev tries to avoid it but Verzosa manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Radev to the ground. Radev escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Radev takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Radev throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Radev takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Verzosa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Radev moves away.
Radev misses the jab.
Verzosa blocks a head kick by Radev.
Radev throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Verzosa missing with a left hand there. Radev was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Radev misses with a head kick.
Radev lands a nice looking kick to the body. Verzosa takes a step back to recover.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Verzosa throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Radev delivers a nice body kick.
Verzosa pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Radev avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Radev explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Verzosa fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Radev manages to avoid it.
Radev throws a body punch but Verzosa moves out of range.
Radev misses with a low kick as Verzosa jumps back.
Verzosa clobbers Radev with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
The fight stays on the outside here - Radev looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Radev moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Remedios Verzosa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Radev throws a front kick aimed at Verzosa's knee but Verzosa avoids it well.
Verzosa keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Verzosa moves out of range of the leg kick from Radev.
Radev throws a head kick that misses.
Radev scores with a push kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Radev lands a lovely overhand right.
Verzosa throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Radev throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A shot to the liver by Radev. Beautiful body shot.
Nikolai Radev is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Radev tries to clinch but Verzosa is having none of it.
Radev misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verzosa smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Radev digs a good hook to Verzosa's body.
Verzosa wants to clinch.

Radev forces Verzosa back against the cage and clinches.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Radev creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Radev blocks a body shot from Verzosa.
A short right from Radev on the inside.
Radev has a couple of punches blocked by Verzosa.

Verzosa gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Verzosa prevents Radev from improving his position.
Radev is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Verzosa's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Verzosa's back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Verzosa prevents Radev from getting a body triangle.
Verzosa is taking damage to the body and head.
Radev connects with a big shot to the side of Verzosa's head.
Nikolai Radev is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Radev is punishing Verzosa with some ground and pound.
Radev is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
I really don't envy Verzosa right now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nikolai Radev comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Radev has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Glass scores the fight 27:30

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