PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Alexandr Nikitin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and The Murican (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Murican is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Murica, Fuck Yeah!. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Nikitin
vs
Murican

170 cm
23
145 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

179 cm
22
156 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alexandr Nikitin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, The Murican!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nikitin looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Murican is fending him off so far but Nikitin persists. Nope, Murican circles away and we're back to standing.
Nikitin tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Murican counters with a straight right hand.
Nikitin keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Murican.
Nikitin changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Nikitin fails with an attempt to clinch.
Murican lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nikitin closes the distance and clinches up with Murican, looking for a takedown. Nikitin pushes Murican against the cage but Murican circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nikitin misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexandr Nikitin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikitin tries to clinch up but Murican circles away and keeps his distance.
It seemed like Murican was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Murican displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Nikitin.
Murican let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
The Murican is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Murican connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Nikitin's hands.
Nikitin darts in looking for a takedown but Murican gets double underhooks and turns Nikitin into the cage.
Nikitin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Murican.
Nikitin is looking to clinch but Murican is avoiding it.
Nikitin wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Murican tries to avoid it but Nikitin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Murican to the ground. Murican escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nikitin 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.
Murican misses with a looping left.
Nikitin tries to counter with a takedown but Murican is quick to defend against it.
Alexandr Nikitin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A lazy left from Murican finds it's target.
Nikitin tries to score a power double leg takedown but Murican sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Nikitin somewhat.
Nikitin drops his hands momentarily and Murican takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nikitin forces Murican back against the cage and clinches.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Nikitin as Murican tries to tie him up.
Nikitin tries to pull guard but Murican won't allow it.
Murican tries to break the clinch but Nikitin is controlling the position.
Murican lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Nikitin is looking to take this one to the mat.
Nikitin fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Nikitin blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nikitin prevents Murican from breaking the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murican stalling in the clinch.
Murican lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Nikitin backwards.

Nikitin has Murican pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Nikitin pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Murican tumbling to the mat - Nikitin dives into Murican's guard.
Murican has control of Nikitin's left arm, preventing Nikitin from doing any damage.
Nikitin trying to control the position from guard on top but Murican is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

The Murican 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.

Nikitin shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Murican as he avoids it easily.
Murican has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Nikitin fails with the takedown.
Murican fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
The Murican seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Murican clobbers Nikitin with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
A jab from Murican finds it's way through Nikitin's defenses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murican avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Nikitin darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Nikitin trying to control from Murican's half guard. Murican has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murican being controlled here, momentarily.
Nikitin wants to control from the top but Murican keeps moving.
Murican is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Nikitin trying to control but Murican is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Nikitin with a flurry of punches that miss.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nikitin is in close to Murican's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Murican avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Murican is controlling Nikitin's posture.
Murican is trying to control the position but Nikitin postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Nikitin with a poor takedown
and Murican counters with a nice body shot.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexandr Nikitin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nikitin shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Murican sprawls well. Murican wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Nikitin gets slowly back to his feet.
It seemed like Murican was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheers as Murican lands an impressive looking overhand right. Nikitin doesn't seem phased though.
Murican scores with a hook to the body. Nikitin takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Murican slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

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

Nikitin seems to be working for a kimura but Murican defends the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin is trying to control the action in half guard but Murican is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Nikitin is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Murican is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Nikitin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nikitin looks to land a strike but Murican avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Nikitin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

The Murican showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A looping hook to the body misses from Murican. Nikitin does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nikitin attempts a counter takedown but Murican avoids it well and moves away.
Nikitin closes the distance and clinches up with Murican, looking for a takedown. Nikitin pushes Murican against the cage but Murican circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nikitin tries to close the distance and clinch but Murican swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Murican cracks Nikitin with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Murican throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nikitin on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Nikitin has a takedown stuffed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nikitin fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Murican swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexandr Nikitin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nikitin closes the distance and clinches up with Murican, looking for a takedown. Nikitin pushes Murican against the cage but Murican circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikitin takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Nikitin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Murican looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Murican takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Murican defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Nikitin.
Murican throws out a counter right but Nikitin avoids it with no problem.
Nikitin tries to clinch up
and Murican cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nikitin is looking to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nikitin appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Nikitin moves to clinch but Murican breaks away
enabling Murican to counter with a crisp jab.
Murican sizes up Nikitin with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Nikitin shoots and misses
and Murican counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Murican throws a body punch but Nikitin moves out of range.
Nikitin attempts a counter takedown but Murican avoids it well and moves away.
Nikitin tries to score a power double leg takedown but Murican sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Nikitin somewhat.
A little jabbing left from Murican on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Alexandr Nikitin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murican displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Nikitin.
Murican swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Nikitin ducks right into an uppercut from Murican.
Murican has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Murican uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Murican thuds his right hand into Nikitin's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Nikitin gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
letting Murican counter with a right hand.
Murican catches Nikitin with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murican swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Murican 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.
Murican wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Nikitin throws a body shot but no joy.
Nikitin with a poor takedown
and Murican counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Murican stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Nikitin misses with a takedown
and Nikitin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Murican lands with an uppercut that bounces Nikitin off the cage and back into range.

And that's the end of the fight!
The Murican comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Murican 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 26:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 26:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... The Murican!
The Murican took some time post fight to say the following; 'MURICAAA Fuck Yeah!'.