PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nikolai Radev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Surfer Dude (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Dude's choice of entrance music: The Trashmen - Surfin' Bird. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Radev
vs
Dude

184 cm
36
175 lbs
26 - 15 - 0

184 cm
44
175 lbs
20 - 7 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 26 - 15 - 0, fighting out of London, Nikolai Radev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Surfer Dude!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Albert Achterberg and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dude moves away from the strike by Radev.
Radev throws a head kick that misses
and Dude counters with a slapping leg kick.
Dude shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
A bone on bone clash there as Radev blocks the leg kick.
Dude throws out a loose jab but Radev uses good head movement to avoid it.
Radev fires out a quick counter leg kick but Dude just manages to avoid it.
Radev has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Dude lands with a thumping leg kick.
Radev connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Dude's hands.
Dude misses with a leg kick
and Radev counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A punch combination from Dude misses.
Dude has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Radev.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Radev shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Dude's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Radev throwing strikes but missing.
Dude wants to sweep but no luck.
Dude pulls Radev in close to his closed guard and prevents Radev from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Radev postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Radev showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Dude working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Radev.
Radev trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Radev lands a couple of elbows.
Radev not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Radev looking to sit in guard and control but Dude gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Dude trying to control the position from guard on top but Radev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Radev is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Dude stopping the sweep attempt from Radev.
Dude trying to control but Radev is working from the bottom.
Radev 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.
Radev managing to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Radev trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Dude trying to control the position from guard on top but Radev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Radev throws a body punch but Dude moves out of range.
Dude throws out a counter right but Radev avoids it with no problem.
Radev misses with a straight right.
Radev scores with a shot to the body.
Radev throws out a leg kick but Dude moves out of range and Radev only half commits.
Radev takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Dude scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Radev looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Dude swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Radev tries to counter by clinching up but Dude breaks away and moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Radev will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A nice leg kick lands there from Radev.
Radev misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Dude throws out a loose jab but Radev uses good head movement to avoid it.
Radev throws a jab when Dude was well out of range.
Dude cracks Radev with an open hand slap.
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!
Radev fails with a takedown attempt.
Dude lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Radev bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Dude's head backwards.
Dude throws a body punch but Radev moves out of range.
Dude throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Radev.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Nikolai Radev will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Dude lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Radev circles away quickly and effectively.
Radev smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Dude scores with a jab to the jaw.
Dude scores with a punch to the head.
Radev throws a hook but Dude blocks it.
Radev rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Dude counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Radev moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Radev keeps the fight on the outside.
Radev throws a leg kick that misses.
Radev checks the leg kick nicely there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Radev on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Dude. Dude obviously looking to wear him down.
Radev looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Dude throws a head kick that Radev semi-blocks.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Radev buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Radev.
Dude unleashes a big counter combination but Radev bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Radev lands a glancing blow to the side of Dude's head.
Radev jabs Dude right on the nose. Dude blinks but takes it well.
Radev throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Radev uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Radev looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Dude fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Radev on the side of the head.
Radev throws a leg kick that is checked
and Dude counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Radev listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Radev with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Nikolai Radev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Radev chopping away at his opponent's legs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Dude connects with a looping right hand.
Dude walks into a left hand.
Radev walks into a jab.

Radev is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Radev throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Dude throws a shot from downtown. Radev moves away and avoids it.
Radev throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Radev throws a shot from downtown. Dude moves away and avoids it.

Radev looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Radev controls from within his opponent's guard.
Dude keeping moving, preventing Radev from controlling successfully.
Radev content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Dude keeping moving, preventing Radev from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Radev stopping the sweep attempt from Dude.
Dude utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Radev is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Radev throws an elbow that misses. Dude uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Radev's guard. Nice move by Dude!

Radev keeping moving, preventing Dude from controlling successfully.
Nikolai Radev overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Radev has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Dude has passed into side control.
Radev is looking to reverse the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dude working away.
Dude sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Radev is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Dude throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Radev wants to control but Dude postures up.
Dude wants to control but Radev is keeping him busy.
Radev tries to improve position but can't.
Radev is working hard here to advance position.
Radev struggling a bit here.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
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 Nikolai Radev will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Dude thows a body kick. Radev tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Dude misses with a leg kick.
Radev throws a sloppy head kick and Dude moves out of range easily.
Dude tries to counter with a clinch but Radev shakes him off and moves away.
Dude throws an off balance right hand
enabling Radev to counter with a crisp jab.
Radev misses with the combination.
Radev ducks under a wild hook from Dude.
Dude takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Radev throws a big shot that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dude uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Radev.
Dude looks to land a left hand but Radev moved out of range nicely.
Radev fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Dude checks it well.
Radev thuds a left hand into Dude's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Radev thuds a left hand into Dude's body.
Dude takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Dude misses with a looping right.
Radev looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Dude throws a leg kick but Radev checks it.
Dude walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Dude scores with a spinning back kick!
Radev throws a leg kick but Dude checks it.
Dude avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Dude throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Radev throws a chopping leg kick but Dude manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Crunch! Dude slams his shin into Radev's torso.
Dude misses with a jab to the body

and Radev holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Dude lands an uppercut.
Dude blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Surfer Dude has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Radev is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Dude pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Dude's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Radev lands an uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Radev digs a right hand into Dude's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Dude's gas tank.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Radev.
Radev is looking to control Dude's arms but Dude gets an underhook and turns him. Now Radev has his back to the cage.
Dude connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Nikolai Radev has been cut.
Dude tries to work over Radev's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Dude is struggling to control the position.
Radev managing to block the knees to the body from Dude.
Radev throws a head punch that misses.
Radev throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Dude blocks an uppercut.
Radev blocks a body shot from Dude.
Dude tries to work over Radev's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Radev has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Dude is trying to keep an underhook but Radev manages to get the takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dude tries to roll over but Radev keeps him under control.

Radev is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Radev missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Radev content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Radev throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Dude regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Radev.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dude avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Radev is fighting to break Dude's control of his arms but Dude is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Radev pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Dude is keeping the position for now.
Radev working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Dude's head.
Nikolai Radev is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Dude trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Radev distracts Dude with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Radev lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Radev trying to control the position from guard on top but Dude is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Radev scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nikolai Radev showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Radev 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikolai Radev!
An out of breath Nikolai Radev thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.