PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Vadim Nazarov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bai Yu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nazarov comes into the arena with "Fade to Black" by Metallica blaring out of the sound system. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Nazarov
vs
Yu

187 cm
29
195 lbs
17 - 8 - 2

180 cm
27
195 lbs
10 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Spartan Nutrition
GREEN!160

Spartan Nutrition

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 17 - 8 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vadim Nazarov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bai Yu!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yu finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Nazarov misses with a left hand
and Yu counters with a nice leg kick.
Nazarov ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Good work by Nazarov as he checks the leg kick.
Yu moves out of range of the strikes.
Nazarov just misses with a punch to the body.
Yu is looking for the big counter here.
Nazarov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Yu was well out of range. Poor timing from Nazarov.

Nazarov shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Nazarov trying to control the position from guard on top but Yu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yu pulls Nazarov in close to prevent any damage.
Nazarov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nazarov postures up in Yu's guard and throws a big left but Yu blocks it.
Yu looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Nazarov is in close to Yu's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Nazarov throwing strikes but missing.
Yu tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Yu has control of Nazarov's left arm, preventing Nazarov from doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nazarov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Nazarov stopping the sweep attempt from Yu.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Yu is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Nazarov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nazarov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nazarov shoots in looking for a takedown. Yu tries to sprawl out of it but Nazarov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Yu manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A solid leg kick lands there for Yu.
Nazarov misses with a right hand
and Yu counters with a straight right hand.
Yu throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nazarov missing with a left hand there. Yu was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yu on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Nazarov lands a jab to Yu's midsection.
Nazarov swings for the body but Yu moves out of range.
Nazarov looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Nazarov throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Yu is looking to slow Nazarov down with leg kicks.
Yu shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Nazarov uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Yu has time to react.
Nazarov has a takedown stuffed.

Nazarov feints and as Yu raises his hands in defense, Nazarov changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Yu holds on and takes a little breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nazarov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Nazarov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yu is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
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!
Nazarov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nazarov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nazarov loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Yu working a defensive guard here.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nazarov with a flurry of punches that miss.
Nazarov with a nice head shot there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vadim Nazarov dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Yu takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

It looks like Bai Yu has been cut.
Yu lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Nazarov crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Yu - the referee stops the clock and Nazarov gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Yu. Nazarov manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
The fighters circle momentarily. Nazarov darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nazarov. Yu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Yu flicks out a counter leg kick but Nazarov steps away.
Nazarov cracks Yu with an open hand slap.
Nazarov waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Yu.
Yu avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Yu only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Nazarov throws a lazy right hand but Yu sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yu connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Yu throws a push kick but Nazarov slaps the foot to one side.
Nazarov attempts a counter takedown but Yu avoids it well and moves away.
Yu takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Yu uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Nazarov.
Nazarov backing away here, and Yu unleashes a leg kick that just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nazarov ducks under a wild hook from Yu.
Yu throws a leg kick but Nazarov checks it.
Yu misses with a low kick.
Yu slips a jab from Nazarov.
A shot to the body from Nazarov misses
and Yu counters with a leg kick.
Nazarov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Yu swivels and escapes.
It seemed like Yu was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Nazarov looks to throw the jab but Yu is out of range.
Yu throws a low kick but it's checked well by Nazarov.
Nazarov attempts a counter takedown but Yu avoids it well and moves away.
Vadim Nazarov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yu chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Nazarov looks to land a left hand but Yu moved out of range nicely.
Bai Yu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Yu stuffs the takedown attempt from Nazarov. Nazarov gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Yu. No joy for Nazarov on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vadim Nazarov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nazarov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Yu manages to avoid it.
Nazarov throws a lazy uppercut
and Yu counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Nazarov on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Yu with a jab.
Nazarov is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Yu wants to slow Nazarov down by chopping away at his legs.
Vadim Nazarov is winning the standup battle so far.
Yu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nazarov.
Nazarov throws a body punch but Yu moves out of range.
Yu shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Yu misses with a low kick.
Nazarov feinted with a counter takedown.
Nazarov fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nazarov misses with an uppercut
and Yu counters with a nice low kick that buckles Nazarov's knee momentarily.
Yu dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Nazarov. That did some damage!
Nazarov looks to score with a jab to the body but Yu is just out of range.
Nazarov cracks Yu with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Nazarov shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Yu staying out of range there.
Yu scores with a push kick.
Nazarov fails with a takedown attempt.
Yu throws a big counter head kick but Nazarov avoids it with no problem.
Yu misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nazarov checks the leg kick nicely there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yu with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Yu feints and then cracks Nazarov's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Nazarov down.
Yu misses with a body kick.
Yu pivots, looking for a leg kick but Nazarov is out of range and Yu settles back down.
Nazarov misses with a takedown attempt - Yu sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Nazarov crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Yu - the referee stops the clock and Nazarov gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Yu. Nazarov manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nazarov connects with a good right hand that stumbles Yu. Yu circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Nice defenses there by Yu.
An inside leg kick lands from Yu.
Yu avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bai Yu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Bai Yu's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Nazarov rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Yu counters with a nice leg kick.
Yu throws a front kick aimed at Nazarov's knee but Nazarov avoids it well.
Yu buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Nazarov.
Yu tries a quick counter leg kick but Nazarov is wise to it.
Yu feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Nazarov's calf.
Yu avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nazarov misses with a straight right.
Yu walks into a straight right hand from Nazarov.
Nazarov gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Yu counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yu gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Nazarov to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Yu tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Yu is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Nazarov throwing strikes but missing.
Nazarov is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Nazarov postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Nazarov is looking to work some ground and pound but Yu has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nazarov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Nazarov throwing strikes from guard but Yu blocks nicely.
Yu tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Nazarov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nazarov in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nazarov scores with a nice right hand.
Nazarov lands a jab to the nose.
Nazarov looks to throw the jab but Yu is out of range.
Yu throws a chopping leg kick but Nazarov manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Nazarov changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nazarov shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Nazarov showed some decent athleticism there.
Nazarov looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Yu with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Nazarov sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Yu defending well though.
Nazarov throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Yu is pressing down on Nazarov's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nazarov accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Nazarov with a flurry of punches that miss.
Nazarov throws a strike but Yu rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nazarov managing to control the position.
Yu trying to control the position from guard on top but Nazarov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yu slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Yu won't allow Nazarov to sweep him here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vadim Nazarov showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Nazarov has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vadim Nazarov!
Our winner, Vadim Nazarov, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.