PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Egidiusz Nowakowski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hugo Churchill (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Nowakowski
vs
Churchill

185 cm
24
155 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

173 cm
21
177 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Determined

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 Rio de Janeiro, Egidiusz Nowakowski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hugo Churchill !
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Thiago Cunha and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nowakowski drives through with a takedown into Churchill 's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nowakowski working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Nowakowski won't allow Churchill to sweep him here.
Nowakowski with a flurry of punches that miss.

Nowakowski thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Nowakowski with a flurry of punches that miss.
Churchill 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.
Churchill controls Nowakowski momentarily but Nowakowski frees himself.
Nowakowski has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Nowakowski postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Churchill is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Nowakowski, into his guard.
Churchill stays in close to Nowakowski's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Churchill got a little sloppy there for a moment and Nowakowski has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Churchill has managed to get both his arms back between Nowakowski's legs - danger averted.
Nowakowski looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Churchill trying to control but Nowakowski is working from the bottom.
Nowakowski is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Churchill won't allow Nowakowski to sweep him here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nowakowski working a defensive guard but Churchill passes into half guard.
Churchill keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Nowakowski moves into full guard.
Nowakowski looking for a sweep. Not yet Nowakowski, not yet.
Nowakowski keeping moving, preventing Churchill from controlling successfully.
Churchill throws a big right hand that misses.
Churchill trying to control but Nowakowski is working from the bottom.
Nowakowski working a defensive guard here.
Churchill with a flurry of punches that miss.
Churchill throws a big elbow that misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nowakowski trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nowakowski 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.
Churchill is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Nowakowski working for a triangle but Churchill defends it easily.
Nowakowski keeping moving, preventing Churchill from controlling successfully.
Nowakowski being controlled here, momentarily.
Churchill trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Churchill trying to control but Nowakowski is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Churchill controls from within his opponent's guard.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Hugo Churchill hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Churchill drives through with a takedown into guard.
Nowakowski keeping full guard, as Churchill tries to pass.
Churchill controlling from the top position.
We've been informed that Churchill has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Nowakowski trying to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Churchill not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Churchill throws a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hugo Churchill will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Nowakowski drives through with a takedown into guard.
Nowakowski preventing the sweep.
Nowakowski trying to control the position from guard on top but Churchill is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Churchill working a defensive guard here.
Churchill keeping moving, preventing Nowakowski from controlling successfully.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Nowakowski content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Churchill keeping moving, preventing Nowakowski from controlling successfully.
Nowakowski tries to free his leg and advance position but Churchill is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nowakowski trying to control the position from guard on top but Churchill is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nowakowski really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

We're going to have a standup here because Egidiusz Nowakowski wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Nowakowski doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Churchill counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Nowakowski's guard now.
Churchill stopping the sweep attempt from Nowakowski.

Nowakowski is looking for a triangle but Churchill pushes his legs off easily.
Nowakowski will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Churchill passes Nowakowski's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Churchill trying to mount his opponent but Nowakowski defends it.
Nowakowski blocking the ground and pound attempt from Churchill .

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Churchill controlling the action here.
Churchill is looking to take a break and control but Nowakowski is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Nowakowski wants to get back to full guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nowakowski is looking to control Churchill 's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Nowakowski avoid being mounted?
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Nowakowski manages to get to full guard.
Nowakowski trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Churchill leaves Nowakowski with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Nowakowski tries to clinch there but Churchill circles away.
Nowakowski gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Churchill counters with a single leg into guard. Nowakowski didn't expect that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Egidiusz Nowakowski. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nowakowski keeping moving, preventing Churchill from controlling successfully.
Churchill wants to pass the guard but Nowakowski is keeping the position.
Churchill trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nowakowski wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Churchill slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Nowakowski keeping full guard, as Churchill tries to pass.
Nowakowski wants to sweep but no luck.
Nowakowski controls Churchill momentarily but Churchill frees himself.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nowakowski darts in trying to clinch

and Churchill counters with a shoot takedown. Nowakowski fights it but they end up in guard.
Hugo Churchill has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Churchill looking to pass the guard.
Churchill looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Hugo Churchill will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Nowakowski misses with a takedown

and Churchill counters with a nice double leg into side control. Nowakowski won't be happy with that.
Nowakowski is looking to reverse the position.
Nowakowski managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Churchill .
Nowakowski is looking for a sweep.
Churchill trying to control the position but Nowakowski is working away.
Churchill might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Nowakowski haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Nowakowski manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
The fighters are battling for position here. Churchill manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Nowakowski trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Churchill keeping moving, preventing Nowakowski from controlling successfully.
Nowakowski is really struggling to control Churchill but he's trying to hold on to the position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Churchill looking for a sweep. Not yet Churchill , not yet.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Egidiusz Nowakowski just wasn't active enough.
Nowakowski with a lazy takedown attempt

so Churchill counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Nowakowski throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Churchill won't allow Nowakowski to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nowakowski looking for subs off his back but Churchill has passed one foot through into half guard.
Nowakowski has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Churchill is working away from the top position though.
Churchill has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nowakowski is working to get back to half guard.
Churchill scoring with strikes but Nowakowski is staying in there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nowakowski tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Churchill can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Nowakowski is looking to escape.
Nowakowski is working to get back to half guard.
Churchill working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Nowakowski keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Nowakowski wants to hold on but Churchill pushes him away.
Nowakowski is trying desperately to improve position.
Churchill sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nowakowski gets back to half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Churchill in particular looking to stall.
Egidiusz Nowakowski has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Let's hope that Churchill has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
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!

The ref stands the fighters back up. Hugo Churchill was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Churchill drives through with a takedown into Nowakowski's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hugo Churchill comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Churchill 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hugo Churchill !