PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Dario Nitiguchi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leon Staszewski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dario Nitiguchi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Nitiguchi
vs
Staszewski

180 cm
21
160 lbs
1 - 10 - 0

175 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dario Nitiguchi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Leon Staszewski!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from Staszewski. No joy for Nitiguchi on that attempt.
Staszewski swats away the attempt to clinch by Nitiguchi.
Nitiguchi looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Nitiguchi darts in and clinches Staszewski up against the cage.

Nitiguchi decides to pull guard.
Staszewski looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Staszewski drops back, looking for a kneebar! Nitiguchi looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Nitiguchi looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Nitiguchi!
The strikes coming from Nitiguchi are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staszewski wants to control but Nitiguchi postures up.
Staszewski is looking for a sweep.
Staszewski holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.
Staszewski manages to get back to half guard.
Staszewski makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Staszewski.
Staszewski trying to control the position here.
Staszewski bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nitiguchi's guard.
Nitiguchi being controlled here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
I looks like Staszewski might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Nitiguchi keeping full guard, as Staszewski tries to pass.
Staszewski is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nitiguchi keeping moving, preventing Staszewski from controlling successfully.
Staszewski slips nicely into half guard.
Staszewski looks gassed!
Nitiguchi is looking for a sweep. Staszewski is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Staszewski wants to pass to mount but Nitiguchi is defending the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nitiguchi pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Nitiguchi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Staszewski swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nitiguchi tries to clinch but Staszewski is having none of it.
Staszewski shoots in for a takedown but Nitiguchi shows good takedown defense.

Staszewski has closed the distance and engaged Nitiguchi in a clinch.
Nitiguchi gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Staszewski.
Nitiguchi is working for takedown but Staszewski is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dario Nitiguchi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nitiguchi tries to land knees in the clinch but Staszewski avoids the damage to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Nitiguchi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nitiguchi takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Nitiguchi tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Staszewski counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leon Staszewski dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Staszewski scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Nitiguchi tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Staszewski counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Staszewski seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staszewski is trying to control the action in half guard but Nitiguchi is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Staszewski is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Despite being in the dominant position, Leon Staszewski just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Staszewski fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Nitiguchi clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Nitiguchi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nitiguchi tries to clinch up

and Staszewski moves into the clinch.
Nitiguchi landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Nitiguchi goes for a takedown attempt but Staszewski pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Nitiguchi doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Staszewski counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Nitiguchi is in trouble now - Staszewski has advanced to mount!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nitiguchi throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staszewski sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Nitiguchi tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Staszewski looking to control and managing it successfully.

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.

Staszewski is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Nitiguchi has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Nitiguchi!
Staszewski is looking to stand up but Nitiguchi isn't so interested in that idea.
Staszewski is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Nitiguchi has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Staszewski avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leon Staszewski showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nitiguchi wants to clinch but Staszewski slips to the side

and Staszewski counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Staszewski looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Nitiguchi wants to stand but Staszewski is controlling the position.
Staszewski showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leon Staszewski has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nitiguchi is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Nitiguchi is working an open guard so Staszewski takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Dario Nitiguchi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Nitiguchi tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Staszewski counters with a single leg into guard. Nitiguchi didn't expect that.
Staszewski lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Staszewski controls from within his opponent's guard.
Staszewski passes into half guard.
Staszewski is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Staszewski seems content to control.

Staszewski stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Nitiguchi to get to his feet.
Nitiguchi digs a good hook to Staszewski's body.

Nitiguchi gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Staszewski sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Nitiguchi's guard.
Staszewski is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Staszewski's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Leon Staszewski just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nitiguchi darts in trying to clinch

and Staszewski counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Staszewski controlling the pace.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Staszewski decides to return to a standing position.
Dario Nitiguchi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Leon Staszewski is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A punch combination from Nitiguchi misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leon Staszewski comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Staszewski 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 26:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 26:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leon Staszewski!