PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nicolai Demikovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pedro Cavaco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Demikovic comes to the cage accompanied by Russian National Anthem. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Demikovic
vs
Cavaco

191 cm
18
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
22
235 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Nicolai Demikovic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Pedro Cavaco!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, James Glass and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Demikovic will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Cavaco shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Cavaco was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Demikovic tries to lock up and control but Cavaco gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Cavaco goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Demikovic turns into him and now he's in Cavaco's guard.

Cavaco working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Demikovic doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Demikovic manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Demikovic trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Demikovic wants to control from the top but Cavaco keeps moving.

Demikovic avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Demikovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Cavaco is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cavaco had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Demikovic is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Cavaco Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Demikovic's back instead.
Demikovic can't escape the position.
Demikovic looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Demikovic manages to reverse the position and now he's in Cavaco's guard. Nice work there by Demikovic.

That's two 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.
Demikovic makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Demikovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Cavaco is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Demikovic looking to sit in guard and control but Cavaco gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Demikovic not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Cavaco with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Cavaco prevents Demikovic from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Demikovic is trying to control the position but Cavaco postures up.
Demikovic keeping moving, preventing Cavaco from controlling successfully.
Demikovic throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Demikovic looking for a sweep. Not yet Demikovic, not yet.

Cavaco drops back, looking for a kneebar! Demikovic looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Demikovic looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Demikovic!
Demikovic scoring with punches and elbows.
Cavaco is not content to let Demikovic control the position.
Cavaco is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Demikovic scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Cavaco to see if he's OK.
Demikovic is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Cavaco is trying to work for a sweep but Demikovic has mounted him!
Cavaco is in all sorts of trouble here.
Demikovic can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cavaco is looking to escape.
Cavaco is in a horrible position here. Demikovic smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Demikovic working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Demikovic looking to control but Cavaco is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Pedro Cavaco will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Demikovic doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Cavaco counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Demikovic's guard now.
Demikovic is trying to control the position but Cavaco postures up.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Nicolai Demikovic just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Demikovic tries to clinch but Cavaco is having none of it.
Demikovic fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Demikovic tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Cavaco scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Cavaco sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Demikovic defending well though.
Demikovic is trying to control but can't.
Cavaco tries to pass to full mount but Demikovic defends it.

Demikovic manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Demikovic fails in his attempt to clinch.
Demikovic could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cavaco rushes Demikovic and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Cavaco gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Demikovic regains guard.

Demikovic working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Cavaco doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Cavaco manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Cavaco preventing the sweep.
Cavaco wants to control from the top but Demikovic keeps moving.
Cavaco wants to stand but Demikovic has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Demikovic is on top in guard.

Demikovic stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Demikovic shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Demikovic was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
A nice elbow there by Demikovic.
Cavaco taking shots to the head.
Demikovic looking to control but Cavaco is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Cavaco in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Cavaco is trying desperately to improve position.
Cavaco is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Demikovic has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Cavaco is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Demikovic has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Cavaco's face.
Demikovic landing strikes from the mount.
Demikovic controlling the position easily from mount.
Demikovic with the ground and pound from mount.
Demikovic scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Demikovic is landing with some decent strikes but Cavaco is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Demikovic landing shots from mount.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Cavaco can do anything to dispel that myth.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Demikovic cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

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.
Demikovic wants to control the pace but Cavaco is squirming around nicely.
Demikovic pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Demikovic tries to control but Cavaco wriggling away.
Cavaco is in all sorts of trouble here.
Demikovic lands a heavy elbow.
Cavaco is desperately trying to improve his position but Demikovic has a good base and remains in mount.

Demikovic looking for a guillotine from mount but Cavaco is having none of it.
Cavaco can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Pedro Cavaco will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Demikovic'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!

Cavaco with a poor takedown

and Demikovic counters with a takedown into side control.
Cavaco prevents Demikovic from improving position.
Nicolai Demikovic overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cavaco gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Cavaco looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Demikovic sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Cavaco is trying to stand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Demikovic with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Demikovic lands with a punch from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Demikovic prevents Cavaco from improving his position.
Demikovic looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Demikovic looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Cavaco is refusing to be controlled, as Demikovic sits in half guard.

Demikovic stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Cavaco shoots and misses

and Demikovic counters with a shoot takedown. Cavaco fights it but they end up in guard.
Demikovic trying to control but Cavaco is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cavaco looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Demikovic has picked Cavaco up and slammed him! Cavaco can't keep hold of the triangle and Demikovic manages to pass to side control!
You can see the frustration on Cavaco's face as Demikovic controls the position.
Cavaco is trying to get back to half guard.
Demikovic landing a few strikes.
Demikovic in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Cavaco is looking for a sweep.

Demikovic decides to stand up, so the ref orders Cavaco to his feet.
Cavaco with a lazy takedown attempt

and Demikovic counters with a takedown into side control.
Nicolai Demikovic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pedro Cavaco.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cavaco takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Cavaco tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Demikovic presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Demikovic trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Cavaco is trying to escape the mount.
Demikovic tries to control but Cavaco wriggling away.
A nice elbow there by Demikovic.
Demikovic breaks from Cavaco's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Cavaco is in all sorts of trouble here.
Cavaco wants to control but Demikovic is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Demikovic landing strikes from the mount and Cavaco is in trouble!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cavaco is looking to get to half guard.
Demikovic is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Demikovic landing strikes from the mount.
Demikovic scores with a couple of good head shots there.

Demikovic looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Cavaco regains half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Demikovic slips a nice elbow through Cavaco's hands, connecting with Cavaco's forehead.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nicolai Demikovic showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cavaco has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 James Atkins scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 29:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!