PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nikolai Nuzhnenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Efraim Barkbit (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nikolai Nuzhnenko is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Nuzhnenko
vs
Barkbit

195 cm
25
209 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
23
206 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nikolai Nuzhnenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Efraim Barkbit!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Aleksandr Martynov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barkbit shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Nuzhnenko defends it nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nuzhnenko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nuzhnenko misses with a two punch combination.

Nuzhnenko darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Nuzhnenko stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nuzhnenko pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nuzhnenko buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Barkbit throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Barkbit tests Nuzhnenko's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nuzhnenko lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Barkbit keeps the fight on the outside.
Barkbit shoots in for a takedown but Nuzhnenko shows good takedown defense.

Nuzhnenko clinches with his opponent.
Barkbit is trying to drag Nuzhnenko to the mat but Nuzhnenko just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Nikolai Nuzhnenko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Efraim Barkbit.

Nuzhnenko gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Nuzhnenko landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Barkbit is trying to stand back up but Nuzhnenko is controlling him
Barkbit tries to get to full guard but Nuzhnenko has control of the leg.
Nuzhnenko with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barkbit keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Nuzhnenko sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Barkbit wants to control but Nuzhnenko is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Barkbit really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Nuzhnenko. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Nuzhnenko looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Barkbit with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nuzhnenko sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Barkbit defending well though.
Nuzhnenko is looking to take a break and control but Barkbit is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Nuzhnenko is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Barkbit has managed to free his arm - good work.

Nuzhnenko stands up and beckons Barkbit to join him on the feet.
Nuzhnenko will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nuzhnenko stuffs the takedown.
Nuzhnenko appears to be looking for a big counter.
Barkbit looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Barkbit throws a sloppy head kick and Nuzhnenko moves out of range easily.
It looked like Nuzhnenko was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Barkbit.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Barkbit has taken the fight to the clinch.
A short right from Nuzhnenko.
Barkbit tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Nuzhnenko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nuzhnenko looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Barkbit pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nuzhnenko appears to be looking for a big counter.
Nuzhnenko avoids the head kick by Barkbit.
Nuzhnenko tries to close the distance and clinch but Barkbit swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nuzhnenko misses with a wild combination.

Barkbit shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolai Nuzhnenko dominated that round.
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.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Nuzhnenko drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Nuzhnenko is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Nuzhnenko has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Nuzhnenko wants to pass the guard but Barkbit is keeping the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barkbit is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Nuzhnenko is controlling him.
Nuzhnenko controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barkbit wants to control but Nuzhnenko passes easily into half guard.
Ground and pound from Nuzhnenko.

Nuzhnenko 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.
Nuzhnenko perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Nuzhnenko seems to be working for a kimura but Barkbit defends the submission attempt.
Barkbit is trying to get back to full guard.
Barkbit trying to hold on to Nuzhnenko's head to control him but Nuzhnenko postures up.
Nuzhnenko scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nuzhnenko with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Nuzhnenko lands with a punch from half guard.
Still in half guard, Nuzhnenko seems content to control.
Nuzhnenko is keen to just control but Barkbit is a slippery customer.
Nuzhnenko trying to control the pace.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Barkbit shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Nuzhnenko as he jumps to the side.
Barkbit keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Nuzhnenko drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nuzhnenko keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Barkbit's head.
Nuzhnenko seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Barkbit trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Barkbit throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Nuzhnenko escapes and throws Barkbit's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Barkbit manages to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Barkbit wants to control but Nuzhnenko is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolai Nuzhnenko dominated that second round.
That's time! Nuzhnenko's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nuzhnenko stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Nuzhnenko wants it to stay on the feet.

Barkbit moves into the clinch.
Barkbit is trying to break free.

Barkbit breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nikolai Nuzhnenko is winning the standup battle so far.
Barkbit fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Nuzhnenko feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Nuzhnenko looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Barkbit is fending him off so far but Nuzhnenko persists. Nope, Barkbit circles away and we're back to standing.
Barkbit tries to counter with a clinch but Nuzhnenko shakes him off and moves away.
Nuzhnenko jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Barkbit tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Barkbit shoots in looking for a takedown but Nuzhnenko manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Barkbit's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Barkbit has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Nikolai Nuzhnenko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Efraim Barkbit.
Barkbit throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barkbit tries to close the distance and clinch but Nuzhnenko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Nuzhnenko pulls Barkbit into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nuzhnenko 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.
Nuzhnenko manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Barkbit manages to get himself to full guard.

Nuzhnenko trying to control but Barkbit is working from the bottom.
Barkbit being controlled here, momentarily.
Nuzhnenko advances to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nuzhnenko drops an elbow to the side of Barkbit's head.
Nuzhnenko thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Barkbit's head.
Nuzhnenko controlling the action here.
Nuzhnenko is trying to control the action in half guard but Barkbit is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Nuzhnenko perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Barkbit tries to get to full guard but Nuzhnenko has control of the leg.
Nuzhnenko stalling.
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.
Nuzhnenko's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Nuzhnenko works his foot free and advances to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barkbit is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Barkbit tries to hold on but Nuzhnenko postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Nuzhnenko landing strikes from the mount.
Nikolai Nuzhnenko overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Barkbit throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Nuzhnenko fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Nuzhnenko sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nuzhnenko avoids the attempt from Barkbit to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nikolai Nuzhnenko showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nuzhnenko has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikolai Nuzhnenko!
Nikolai Nuzhnenko bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.