PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bud Spencer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikita Cherkasky (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Spencer
vs
Cherkasky

192 cm
20
231 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

190 cm
25
245 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bud Spencer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nikita Cherkasky!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Edson Gomes and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Spencer tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Cherkasky manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Spencer tries to clinch but Cherkasky moves out of range.
Spencer fails in his attempt to clinch.
Spencer tries to bum rush Cherkasky with a series of wild strikes but Cherkasky uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cherkasky misses with a takedown attempt - Spencer sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Cherkasky avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Spencer fails to land with a series of punches.
Cherkasky is trying hard to land a takedown here. Spencer sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Spencer fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Cherkasky to the ground. Spencer is now in Cherkasky's guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Cherkasky is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Cherkasky 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cherkasky is controlling the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Spencer trying to control from the bottom.
Spencer is looking to improve his position.
Cherkasky lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cherkasky working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Cherkasky wants to get back to his feet.
Cherkasky wants to take a breather but Spencer is having none of it.
Spencer has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Cherkasky is working away from the top position though.
Cherkasky uses his free foot to push down on Spencer's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Spencer.

Cherkasky wants to finish this one by submission but Spencer is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Cherkasky.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cherkasky cracks Spencer with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Spencer on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Spencer tries to get out of the position.
Cherkasky working away from the top, dropping strikes.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Cherkasky with a couple of short strikes.
Cherkasky cracks Spencer with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Cherkasky lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Spencer hang on?
Spencer tries to buck Cherkasky off but Cherkasky takes his back!
This has been an exciting period of action!

Spencer fending off the submission attempt from Cherkasky.
Cherkasky trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cherkasky is riding his opponent, not letting Spencer buck him off.
Cherkasky punches Spencer on the ear.

Cherkasky working for a choke but Spencer is defending well.
Cherkasky has Spencer flattened out and is raining down punches.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Cherkasky is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Spencer knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Spencer for a finish.
Cherkasky lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Spencer hold on?!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikita Cherkasky 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.

A head kick misses from Spencer.
Spencer tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cherkasky paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cherkasky misses with a takedown attempt
and Spencer counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Spencer throws a half hearted mid kick.
Spencer shoots in but no luck this time.

Spencer darts in and clinches Cherkasky up against the cage.

Spencer pulls Cherkasky into guard.
Cherkasky tries to free his leg and advance position but Spencer is retaining full guard.
Cherkasky wants to get up but he can't break Spencer's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Spencer is looking for a triangle but Cherkasky pushes his legs off easily.
Cherkasky controlling from the top position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cherkasky wants to control from the top but Spencer keeps moving.
Cherkasky distracts Spencer with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Cherkasky is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Cherkasky advances position into side control!
Cherkasky has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Cherkasky grinds an elbow into Spencer's temple.
Cherkasky lands a decent elbow from side control.
We've been hearing good reports from Spencer's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

Cherkasky is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Spencer is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spencer looks to move to half guard but instead Cherkasky has passed into mount! Damn!
Cherkasky with a couple of short strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Spencer is desperately trying to improve his position but Cherkasky has a good base and remains in mount.
Cherkasky tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Cherkasky pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cherkasky swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Spencer is now in Cherkasky's guard. A big mistake from Cherkasky there, giving up the dominant position!
Cherkasky tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Cherkasky trying to keep a closed guard but Spencer is proving a slippery customer.
Nikita Cherkasky has got the better of the ground game so far.
Spencer trying to control but Cherkasky is working from the bottom.
Cherkasky has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cherkasky not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Cherkasky looking for a sweep. Not yet Cherkasky, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cherkasky trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Cherkasky 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.
Cherkasky has his hands on Spencer's head, controlling the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Spencer leaves Cherkasky with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Cherkasky closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Cherkasky looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikita Cherkasky showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Spencer tries to clinch up
and Cherkasky counters with a series of strikes. Spencer will be more careful next time no doubt.
Cherkasky darts in looking for a takedown but Spencer gets double underhooks and turns Cherkasky into the cage.

Cherkasky breaks from the clinch.
Spencer shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Cherkasky defends it nicely.
Spencer shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cherkasky as he jumps to the side.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Spencer misses with a takedown attempt - Cherkasky sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bud Spencer. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spencer fails to land with a series of punches.
Cherkasky shoots in for a takedown but Spencer shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Cherkasky scores with a takedown into Spencer's guard.
Cherkasky trying to control the position from guard on top but Spencer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cherkasky is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Spencer knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cherkasky on the ground.
Cherkasky makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Cherkasky scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spencer is trying to keep Cherkasky in close.

Cherkasky drops back looking for a leg! Spencer is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Spencer manages to kick Cherkasky off! Cherkasky jumps back into Spencer's guard.
Cherkasky is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Spencer wants to sweep here but Cherkasky controlling him for the moment.
Cherkasky lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Cherkasky works over Spencer with some ground and pound from guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cherkasky lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Cherkasky cracks Spencer with a solid left hand.

Cherkasky drops back looking for a leg! Spencer is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Spencer manages to kick Cherkasky off! Cherkasky jumps back into Spencer's guard.
Cherkasky trying to stand up but can't free himself from Spencer's guard.
Cherkasky working some strikes from top position.
Spencer keeping moving, preventing Cherkasky from controlling successfully.
Cherkasky landing with the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spencer looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cherkasky is one step ahead there.
Cherkasky content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Cherkasky sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Spencer's guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Cherkasky connects with a nice short shot to Spencer's temple.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Cherkasky is working for a submission here. He's got hold of the far side arm and he's looking for a kimura. He's cranking on the arm and he's got it! Spencer is tapping out! Ouch, that looked like it hurt!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Nikita Cherkasky!