PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tarkhan Naranbaatar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Clayton Atkinson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Naranbaatar comes to the cage accompanied by Batzorig Vaanchig. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Naranbaatar
vs
Atkinson

178 cm
24
176 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

183 cm
23
172 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition
KAISER Nutrition - Q160/$250

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 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Tarkhan Naranbaatar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Clayton Atkinson!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Paul Tew and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Naranbaatar throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Naranbaatar moves out of range as Atkinson strikes.

Naranbaatar closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Atkinson wants to control but Naranbaatar postures up.
Naranbaatar is staying tight to Atkinson's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Atkinson wants to control but Naranbaatar postures up.
Naranbaatar controlling the position from side mount.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Naranbaatar postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Naranbaatar 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naranbaatar remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Atkinson looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Naranbaatar is trying to get an arm triangle but Atkinson is defending well.

Naranbaatar tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Naranbaatar has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

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.
Atkinson is trying to control Naranbaatar's posture but Naranbaatar avoids it.
Naranbaatar tries to advance to mount but can't.

Naranbaatar wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Atkinson, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naranbaatar tries to move to mount but Atkinson blocks the move with his legs.
Naranbaatar remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Atkinson tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Naranbaatar wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Atkinson is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Naranbaatar is one step ahead and moves to full mount!

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.
Naranbaatar tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Naranbaatar is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Atkinson to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Atkinson shrugs it off.
Naranbaatar takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Naranbaatar'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.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tarkhan Naranbaatar dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Naranbaatar slips under a jab from Atkinson.
Atkinson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Naranbaatar lands a nice shot to the body.
Naranbaatar takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Naranbaatar lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Naranbaatar moves out of range of the strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Atkinson throws a nice outside leg kick.
Atkinson misses with a low kick as Naranbaatar jumps back.
Atkinson scores with a jab to the jaw.
Atkinson throws an overhand right that lands on Naranbaatar's shoulder, as Naranbaatar tries to avoid the shot.
A counter left hand to the body from Naranbaatar misses its target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Atkinson takes a swing at Naranbaatar's ribcage but misses.
Atkinson misses with a head kick.
Atkinson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Naranbaatar throws out the jab.
Atkinson thows a leg kick but Naranbaatar checks it
letting Naranbaatar counter with a right hand.
A slapping leg kick lands for Atkinson.
Naranbaatar checks the leg kick nicely there.
Atkinson misses with a low kick.
Naranbaatar appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Naranbaatar looks to throw a body kick
and Atkinson counters with a low kick, right behind Naranbaatar 's knee.
Atkinson gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Naranbaatar looks to land a left hand but Atkinson moved out of range nicely.
Atkinson looking to land some kicks to the body here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Atkinson throws a head kick that misses.
Naranbaatar scores with a spinning back kick!
Atkinson tries to land a leg kick but Naranbaatar saw it coming and moves away.
Atkinson throws a leg kick but Naranbaatar sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Naranbaatar is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Atkinson throws a leg kick
and Naranbaatar counters with a nice uppercut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Atkinson takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Naranbaatar avoids the body shot from Atkinson.
Clayton Atkinson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Atkinson looks to land a left hand but Naranbaatar moved out of range nicely.
Atkinson gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Atkinson throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
A nice leg kick lands there from Atkinson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naranbaatar scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Atkinson doesn't seem bothered though.
Naranbaatar scores with a nice right hand.
Naranbaatar connects with a crisp jab.

Atkinson is rocked!
Atkinson misses with a jab to the body
and Naranbaatar counters with a massive hook, right on the button! He's out cold! Damn, that was naaaaaasty! Hopefully he'll be OK.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:26 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Tarkhan Naranbaatar!
Tarkhan Naranbaatar decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.