PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sanzhar Nurpulaev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jet Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Nurpulaev
vs
Lee

188 cm
21
256 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
201 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sanzhar Nurpulaev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jet Lee!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Arvi Lind and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nurpulaev throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A punch lands to the side of Nurpulaev 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Nurpulaev throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Lee cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Lee lunges at Nurpulaev with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Nurpulaev's hand.
Nurpulaev could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Nurpulaev shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Lee manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Nurpulaev pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lee is keeping the position for now.
Nurpulaev is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Nurpulaev pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lee is keeping the position for now.
Lee tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Nurpulaev is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Nurpulaev decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Lee, up you get!

Nurpulaev fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Lee to the ground. Nurpulaev is now in Lee's guard.

Nurpulaev stands up and waves to Lee to follow him.
Nurpulaev moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Lee connects with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee jabs at Nurpulaev's body.
Nurpulaev tries to clinch but Lee moves away
and Lee counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Nurpulaev feints and as Lee raises his hands in defense, Nurpulaev changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nurpulaev controlling from the top position.
Nurpulaev stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lee swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nurpulaev engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Nurpulaev slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nurpulaev decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Nurpulaev on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Lee digs a good body shot into Nurpulaev's ribs.

Nurpulaev drives through with a takedown into Lee's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Nurpulaev postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nurpulaev not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Nurpulaev trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nurpulaev throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lee works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Nurpulaev trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nurpulaev slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Lee!
Nurpulaev drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jet Lee will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Nurpulaev fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Lee looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Nurpulaev takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Lee lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Lee.
Lee scores with a jab.
Lee changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Lee thuds a left hand into Nurpulaev's body.
Lee connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Nurpulaev's hands.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Nurpulaev.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lee tries to buck Nurpulaev off but Nurpulaev is having none of it.
Nurpulaev throws a strike aimed at the side of Lee's head but Lee avoids it well.
Lee dodges the ground and pound from Nurpulaev.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurpulaev scoring with punches from side control.
Nurpulaev controls the position.
Nurpulaev working away.
Lee trying to remain calm as Nurpulaev controls from the top position.
Lee is breathing heavily.
Nurpulaev has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Nurpulaev stands up and beckons Lee to his feet.
Nurpulaev misses with a looping right.

Nurpulaev bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Nurpulaev looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nurpulaev working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Nurpulaev takes a little break here. Lee wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Nurpulaev tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Nurpulaev working the ground and pound.

Nurpulaev decides to stand back up. Nurpulaev steps back and let's Lee get back to his feet.
Lee misses with a looping right.
It looked like Nurpulaev was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Lee loads up on a big right hand but Nurpulaev slips the punch.
Nurpulaev misses with a hook to the body
and Lee counters with a straight right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lee throws a hook to the side of Nurpulaev's head but Nurpulaev sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Nurpulaev feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Nurpulaev throwing strikes from guard but Lee blocks nicely.
Lee 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.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nurpulaev accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Nurpulaev decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Lee, up you get!
Nurpulaev gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Lee.
No luck for Nurpulaev with that takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Sanzhar Nurpulaev will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Lee just misses with a punch to the body.
Nurpulaev throws a quick counter head kick but Lee was just out of range.
Jab from Lee.

Nurpulaev fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Lee to the ground. Nurpulaev is now in Lee's guard.
Lee is trying to keep Nurpulaev in close.
Nurpulaev stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lee swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nurpulaev lands a couple of digs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nurpulaev throwing strikes but missing.
Nurpulaev sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Lee takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee keeping full guard, as Nurpulaev tries to pass.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Nurpulaev is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Nice sprawl there from Lee as Nurpulaev shoots in.
Nurpulaev closes the distance but Lee moves to the side
and Lee counters with a nice uppercut.
Lee jabs Nurpulaev to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Nurpulaev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lee swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nurpulaev tries to close the distance and clinch but Lee swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nurpulaev is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Lee now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

Nurpulaev looking to score a takedown here. Lee is defending well but Nurpulaev drives through and ends up in Lee's guard.
Nurpulaev postures up in Lee's guard and throws a big left but Lee blocks it.
Nurpulaev wants to pass the guard but Lee is keeping the position.
Nurpulaev working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Nurpulaev is stalling in the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Nurpulaev. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Nurpulaev'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.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Lee's corner calls for a 1-2. Lee obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Nurpulaev closes the distance looking to clinch
and Lee counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Nurpulaev dives in for a single leg takedown but Lee sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Lee throws out a powerful jab.

Nurpulaev scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nurpulaev seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Nurpulaev is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Sanzhar Nurpulaev.
I think Nurpulaev 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight for Sanzhar Nurpulaev!
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight for Sanzhar Nurpulaev!
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight for Sanzhar Nurpulaev!

Sanzhar Nurpulaev wins by unanimous decision!