PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Volya Nikolaev (ranked 40 p4p, 5 weight class) and Koh Ibu (ranked 41 p4p, 6 weight class). Nikolaev's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Fever . 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.

Nikolaev
vs
Ibu

170 cm
39
165 lbs
42 - 28 - 0

175 cm
27
154 lbs
16 - 5 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing

Urban Fighter
Aspire Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 42 - 28 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Volya Nikolaev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Koh Ibu!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ibu uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Nikolaev throws a poor cross that misses
and Ibu counters with a stiff right hand.
Nikolaev throws a shot from downtown. Ibu moves away and avoids it.
Nikolaev throws a poor cross that misses
and Ibu counters with a leg kick.
Ibu throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Nikolaev looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ibu is fending him off so far but Nikolaev persists. Nope, Ibu circles away and we're back to standing.

Ibu gets caught napping as Nikolaev dives in and scores a takedown. Ibu manages to retain guard.
Ibu seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Nikolaev preventing the sweep.
Ibu is pulling down on Nikolaev's head. It's preventing any offense from Nikolaev, at least for the moment.

Ibu manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nikolaev. Ibu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nikolaev misses with a looping right.
Nikolaev misses with a few strikes there.
Koh Ibu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Nikolaev shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ibu working a defensive guard here.
Ibu has control of Nikolaev's left arm, preventing Nikolaev from doing any damage.
Nikolaev throwing strikes but missing.
Nikolaev throwing strikes but missing.
Ibu is controlling Nikolaev's posture.
Nikolaev 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikolaev trying to control the position from guard on top but Ibu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nikolaev working some strikes from top position.
Ibu 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.
Nikolaev stops Ibu from standing up.
Ibu is pulling down on Nikolaev's head to control his posture.
Nikolaev wants to control from the top but Ibu keeps moving.
Nikolaev throwing strikes from guard but Ibu blocks nicely.
Ibu preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ibu controls Nikolaev momentarily but Nikolaev frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikolaev is looking to work some ground and pound but Ibu has wrist control.
Nikolaev working some strikes from top position.
Nikolaev controlling from the top position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ibu is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Ibu keeping moving, preventing Nikolaev from controlling successfully.
Ibu wants to get back to his feet but Nikolaev is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Ibu lands a jab to Nikolaev's midsection.
Ibu throws a solid leg kick but Nikolaev takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Ibu.
Ibu throws a solid leg kick but Nikolaev takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Ibu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Nikolaev misses.
Nikolaev misses with a body shot.

Ibu tries to sprawl but Nikolaev drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Ibu is trying to maintain the position but Nikolaev is very close to passing his half guard.
Ibu is trying to get back to full guard.
Nikolaev is thwarting Ibu's attempts to control the position.
Ibu is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Nikolaev is staying active.
Nikolaev tries to pass to full mount but Ibu defends it.
Nikolaev throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
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 Volya Nikolaev will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Nikolaev fails to land with a series of punches.
Nikolaev misses with a hook. Ibu ducked under it nicely.
Nikolaev misses with a looping left.
Nikolaev throws a body shot but no joy.
Nikolaev throws a right hand that misses
and Ibu counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Nikolaev missing with a left hand there. Ibu was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Nikolaev backing away here, and Ibu unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Nikolaev throws an off balance right hand
and Ibu counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Ibu moves away from the strike by Nikolaev.
Ibu stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ibu wants it to stay on the feet.
Nikolaev has his takedown stuffed
letting Ibu counter with a right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nikolaev throws a left and a right that both miss
and Ibu connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Ibu throws a jab but it's blocked by Nikolaev.
Nice takedown defense from Ibu. No joy for Nikolaev on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Volya Nikolaev. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ibu scores with a head kick.

Nikolaev is rocked!
Nikolaev connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Ibu moves out of range of the strikes.
Ibu tries a quick counter leg kick but Nikolaev is wise to it.
Nikolaev missing with a left hand there. Ibu was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Ibu comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Nikolaev throws a jab when Ibu was well out of range.
Nikolaev lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Nikolaev with a poor takedown
and Ibu counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Oh Nikolaev is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Ibu throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Nikolaev seems to have got his legs back now.
Ibu throws a low kick but it's checked well by Nikolaev.
Nikolaev looks to land a combination. Ibu sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
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!
Nikolaev throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Ibu counters with a straight right hand.
Ibu wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Ibu.
Ibu seems to be stalking Nikolaev here. He circles momentarily and then unleashes a devastating head kick! Nikolaev drops like a stone, out cold! WOW! Are you kidding me!? What a knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:13 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Koh Ibu!
Koh Ibu decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.