PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Norwegian Nougat (ranked 1639 p4p, 172 weight class) and Ilya Yaj (ranked 2890 p4p, 257 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Nougat
vs
Yaj

160 cm
26
140 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

170 cm
26
146 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

ZZ POPS

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Norwegian Nougat!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ilya Yaj!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Santiago Holmes and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yaj lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Yaj moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Yaj looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Yaj scores with a jab to the body.

Yaj closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Nougat lands a right hand.
Nougat definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Nougat effectively controlling the action here.
Nougat lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short uppercut from Nougat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nougat lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Yaj or not.
Yaj blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Still in the clinch, Yaj scores with a nice short uppercut.
Yaj digs a right hand into Nougat's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Nougat's gas tank.
A left hand lands to the body for Yaj.
Yaj tries a body shot but Nougat blocks it.
Nougat lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Nougat.
Yaj blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nougat scores with a nice hook to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nougat tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Yaj.
Nougat misses with a punch to the body.
A right hook to the body lands for Yaj.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Yaj.
Nougat lands an uppercut.
Nougat blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Yaj throws a punch but it's blocked by Nougat.
Nougat blocking some punches.
Nougat misses with a short punch on the inside.
Nougat misses with the head strike.
Nougat has a couple of punches blocked by Yaj.
A head punch on the inside from Nougat fails to land.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Yaj.
Nougat lands a hook to the side of the head.
Yaj throws a punch but it's blocked by Nougat.
Nougat tries a body shot but Yaj blocks it.
Nougat can't find room to land a body shot as Yaj controls the action.
Nougat has a couple of punches blocked by Yaj.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yaj goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Nougat fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Nougat throws a punch but it's blocked by Yaj.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Yaj.
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!
Yaj can't find room to land a body shot as Nougat controls the action.
Yaj tries a body shot but Nougat blocks it.
Nougat throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Yajs head.
Yaj lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Nougat.
Yaj swings wildly with an uppercut but Nougat uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nougat lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Yaj backwards.
Nougat working aggressively here.
Nougat misses with a short punch on the inside.
Nougat tries to work over Yaj's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Yaj makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Nougat tries to work over Yaj's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A head punch on the inside from Nougat fails to land.
Yaj digs a right hand underneath Nougat's ribcage. Nougat let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Yaj blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Yaj misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nougat misses with a punch on the inside.
Yaj struggles to land a body shot inside as Nougat controls his hands.
Yaj tries to throw a body punch but Nougat avoids it by throwing Yaj back against the cage.
Nougat swings wildly with an uppercut but Yaj uses good head movement to avoid it.
Yaj tries a body shot but Nougat blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Nougat.
Nougat misses with a hook from the clinch.
Yaj working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Nougat throws a head punch that misses.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Yaj.
Nougat misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nougat prevents a body shot from Yaj.
Nougat scores with a nice hook to the head.
Stalling in the clinch from Nougat.
Yaj works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Yaj blocking some punches.
Yaj working aggressively here.
Yaj lands a hook to the side of the head.
Yaj misses with some punches.
Nougat lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Yaj.
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!
Nougat misses with a short punch on the inside.
Yaj tries a body shot but Nougat blocks it.
Nougat working aggressively here.
Yaj throws a punch but it's blocked by Nougat.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Yaj.
Nougat trying to control the position but instead, Yaj has worked for underhooks and has pushed Nougat into the cage.

Yaj escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nougat connects with a body shot.
Yaj tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Nougat connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Ilya Yaj seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nougat throws a shot from downtown. Yaj moves away and avoids it.
Yaj tries to counter by closing the distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yaj keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Nougat circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nougat swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
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 Norwegian Nougat will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nougat throws a looping overhand right but Yaj ducks down to avoid it.
Yaj looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nougat was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Nougat throws a looping overhand right but Yaj ducks down to avoid it.
Nougat ducks under a wild hook from Yaj.
Yaj tries to clinch but Nougat is having none of it.
Yaj misses with a straight left.
Yaj looks to clinch
and Yaj takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Nougat scores with a jab to the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yaj fails with an attempt to clinch.
As Yaj looks to move away, Nougat throws a big counter combo but Yaj just gets out of the way.
Nougat fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Nice cross by Nougat.
Yaj uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Nougat.
Yaj thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nougat throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Yaj on the side of the head.
Yaj tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nougat was well out of range. Poor timing from Yaj.
Yaj tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nougat swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nice cross by Yaj.

Yaj instigates a clinch.
Yaj goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Yaj can't find room to land a body shot as Nougat controls the action.
Yaj goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Nougat tries to work over Yaj's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Nougat lands a right hand.
Yaj lands a hook to the side of the head.
Nougat misses with the head strike.
Yaj swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Yaj misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Nougat fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Yaj blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yaj goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Nougat tries a body shot but Yaj blocks it.
Yaj lands a right hand.
Nougat misses with a punch on the inside.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nougat fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Norwegian Nougat has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A right hand to the body from Nougat.
Nougat misses with a punch on the inside.
Yaj misses with the head strike.
Yaj blocks a body shot from Nougat.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Yaj.
Still in the clinch, Nougat scores with a nice short uppercut.
Yaj doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Nougat prevents a body shot from Yaj.
Nougat goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Yaj misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Nougat misses with a hook from the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Yaj.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Yaj.
Yaj lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nougat misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Yaj wants to break the clinch but can't.
Nougat blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nougat lands a left hand.
A short left from Nougat.
Yaj lands a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Yaj.
Nougat throws a head punch that misses.
Yaj softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Yaj pushes Nougat back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Nougat misses with some punches.
Nougat tries to throw a body punch but Yaj avoids it by throwing Nougat back against the cage.
Yaj blocking some punches.
A head punch on the inside from Yaj fails to land.
Nougat misses with the head strike.
Yaj blocking some punches.
A head punch on the inside from Nougat fails to land.
Yaj working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Nougat throws a head punch that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Yaj scores with a nice short uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Nougat creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Nougat gets through Yaj's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A right hand to the body from Yaj.
Yaj blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Nougat blocking some punches.
Nougat tries to work over Yaj's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Yaj lands a hook that snaps the head of Nougat backwards.
Nougat misses with a punch on the inside.
Yaj lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Yaj throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A shot in the inside from Nougat.
Nougat prevents a body shot from Yaj.
Nougat misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Nougat throws a punch but it's blocked by Yaj.
Yaj makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Yaj swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nougat can't find room to land a body shot as Yaj controls the action.
Yaj blocks an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Norwegian Nougat dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Nougat throws a jab but it's blocked by Yaj.
Nougat throws a jab when Yaj was well out of range.
Nougat misses the jab.
Yaj works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

Yaj clinches.
Yaj misses with the head strike.
Yaj lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Nice body punch from Nougat - that landed with a thud.
Nougat struggles to land a body shot inside as Yaj controls his hands.
A head punch on the inside from Yaj fails to land.
Nougat scores with a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nougat is trying to stall.
Nougat misses with a body punch.
Nougat tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Nougat tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Yaj's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yaj effectively controlling the action here.
Nougat tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Nougat.
Nougat tries to throw a body punch but Yaj avoids it by throwing Nougat back against the cage.
Yaj blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Yaj lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Nougat backwards.
Nougat misses with a hook from the clinch.

Yaj breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Yaj connects with a jab.

Nougat is rocked!
Yaj scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Oh Nougat is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Ilya Yaj seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Yaj clinches up against the cage.
Yaj blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Yaj lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Yaj.
Nougat fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Nougat looking to stall.
Yaj pushes Nougat back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Yaj dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Yaj lands a shoulder strike.
Yaj lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Yaj pushes Nougat against the cage. Yaj is working some dirty boxing. Yaj pushes off with a quick right hook! Nougat goes down! Nougat tries to stand but stumbles back to his kness! Yaj moves in to finish and the ref steps in to prevent any more damage!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ilya Yaj!
During a confident post fight interview, Ilya Yaj thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.