PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rasul Mirzaev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lou Nahtic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mirzaev kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Natalie La Rose - Somebody ft. Jeremih. Nahtic has chosen Sleeping My Day Away as his entrance music. 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.

Mirzaev
vs
Nahtic

170 cm
28
157 lbs
13 - 9 - 0

180 cm
37
140 lbs
19 - 25 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Amped Performance

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rasul Mirzaev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Lou Nahtic!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Trevor Gratis and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nahtic tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mirzaev swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nahtic throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Mirzaev ducks right into an uppercut from Nahtic.
Mirzaev uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Nahtic has time to react.
Some wild striking there from Mirzaev.
Nahtic feints and then cracks Mirzaev's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Mirzaev down.
A slow jab from Mirzaev misses its intended target.
Nahtic scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Mirzaev moves in looking to clinch but Nahtic pushes him off.
Donk. Nahtic catches Mirzaev right on the button with a cross.
Nahtic tests Mirzaev's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Mirzaev moves away from the strike by Nahtic.
Rasul Mirzaev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mirzaev wants to clinch up but Nahtic keeps it at a distance.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mirzaev keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Nahtic.
Mirzaev moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Mirzaev is looking to clinch but Nahtic is avoiding it.
Mirzaev looks to land a left hand but Nahtic moved out of range nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nahtic connects with a looping right hand.
Nahtic throws a sloppy head kick and Mirzaev moves out of range easily.
Mirzaev swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
A bone on bone clash there as Nahtic blocks the leg kick.
Nahtic throws a head kick that half lands.

It looks like Rasul Mirzaev has been cut.
Mirzaev swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Nahtic swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Mirzaev fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Nahtic manages to avoid it.
It seemed like Nahtic was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Mirzaev digs a good hook to Nahtic's body.
Mirzaev misses with a hook
letting Nahtic counter with a right hand.
Nahtic cracks Mirzaev with an open hand slap.
A solid leg kick lands there for Nahtic.
Nahtic has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.

Mirzaev forces Nahtic back against the cage and clinches.

Mirzaev breaks the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nahtic slips under a jab from Mirzaev.
A little jabbing left from Nahtic on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Nahtic has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Mirzaev throws a combination that misses
and Nahtic counters with a straight right hand.
Nahtic tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Mirzaev misses with a few strikes there.
The crowd cheers as Nahtic lands an impressive looking overhand right. Mirzaev doesn't seem phased though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nahtic keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Nahtic gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Mirzaev working hard to break the clinch.
Mirzaev wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Nahtic has him pressed against the cage.
Nahtic looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Mirzaev working aggressively here.
Nahtic will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Mirzaev up against the cage.
Mirzaev is trying to force a seperation but Nahtic has the dominant position.
Mirzaev throws a head punch that misses.
Nahtic stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Mirzaev is looking to break free of the clinch but Nahtic has double underhooks.

Mirzaev escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nahtic is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Mirzaev had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Nahtic moves into range and connects with a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nahtic ducks under a wild hook from Mirzaev.
Mirzaev slips a jab from Nahtic.
Mirzaev dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Mirzaev throws a low kick but Nahtic moves out of range easily.
Nahtic is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Mirzaev dips to his left and cracks Nahtic with an uppercut!
Nahtic dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Nahtic lands with a nice combination. Mirzaev backs away looking to recover.
Mirzaev looks to throw the jab but Nahtic is out of range.
A slow jab from Mirzaev misses its intended target.
Nahtic throws a nice looking combination but Mirzaev bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A cross from Mirzaev lands.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mirzaev takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Mirzaev missing with a left hand there. Nahtic was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Nahtic lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Mirzaev avoids the head kick by Nahtic.
Mirzaev swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Good work by Mirzaev as he checks the leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mirzaev misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Mirzaev gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Mirzaev wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Nahtic throws an elbow that misses.
Nahtic slowing the pace effectively.
Nahtic has Mirzaev pressed against the cage.
Nahtic receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Nahtic is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Mirzaev has had enough of the clinch but Nahtic keeps him there for the moment.
Nahtic taking a breather.
A bit of stalling here from Mirzaev.
Mirzaev doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Nahtic keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Mirzaev's efforts to push away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lou Nahtic dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rasul Mirzaev's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Mirzaev misses with a hook
letting Nahtic counter with a right hand.
Mirzaev misses with a body shot.
Mirzaev rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Nahtic moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mirzaev has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Nahtic finds it's way round the side to connect with Mirzaev's head.
A solid leg kick lands there for Mirzaev.
Lou Nahtic seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Mirzaev avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Nahtic cracks Mirzaev with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Mirzaev throws a leg kick
and Nahtic counters with a straight right hand.
Mirzaev slips a straight right by Nahtic.
Nahtic moves away from the strike by Mirzaev.
Nahtic throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Nahtic lands a head kick!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nahtic paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Mirzaev has managed to clinch.
Nahtic stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Mirzaev is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nahtic misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mirzaev.

Mirzaev escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mirzaev missing with a left hand there. Nahtic was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A nice inside leg kick there by Nahtic. That's going to slow Mirzaev down.
Mirzaev fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Nahtic on the side of the head.
Mirzaev slips under a jab from Nahtic.
Nahtic throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Mirzaev.
Nahtic throws a right and a left that both miss.
Nice jab there from Nahtic.
Nahtic missing with a left hand there. Mirzaev was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Mirzaev's jab looks to have found its range, popping Nahtic under the eye.
Mirzaev slips a straight right by Nahtic.
Mirzaev appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Nahtic fails to land with a series of punches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mirzaev misses with a looping left.
Nahtic paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Mirzaev closes the distance and pushes Nahtic back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Mirzaev.

Nahtic is rocked!

Mirzaev manages to break the clinch.
Nahtic moves out of range as Mirzaev throws a body kick.
Nahtic slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Mirzaev drops a shoulder and throws an uppercut that cracks Nahtic right on the button. Nahtic goes down! Mirzaev follows him to the mat and finishes the job with more strikes! Mirzaev gets the win via TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:22 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rasul Mirzaev!
In his post fight interview, Rasul Mirzaev started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.