PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Chase Travis (ranked 4859 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anatoly Nurmagomedov (ranked 4767 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Travis
vs
Nurmagomedov

173 cm
24
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Chase Travis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Anatoly Nurmagomedov !
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Dmitry Maklakov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nurmagomedov drives through with a takedown into guard.
Nurmagomedov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Nurmagomedov trying to control but Travis is working from the bottom.
Travis is looking to stand back up but Nurmagomedov counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Travis.

Nurmagomedov is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Nurmagomedov is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Travis is looking to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nurmagomedov working over Travis with some ground and pound. Travis looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Travis regains full guard. Nicely done.
Travis looking to control.
Travis lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Nurmagomedov really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Travis. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Nurmagomedov tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Travis trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Travis with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Travis working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Nurmagomedov lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
Nurmagomedov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Travis.
Nurmagomedov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Nurmagomedov controls Travis momentarily but Travis frees himself.
Nurmagomedov utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nurmagomedov tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Nurmagomedov working a defensive guard here.
Travis is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Travis 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.
Nurmagomedov throwing rabbit punches from the bottom - showing the judges that he's keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov trying to control the position.
Travis throws a strike but Nurmagomedov rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Travis is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Travis is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Travis missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Travis thows a huge punch but Nurmagomedov dodges it nicely.
Nurmagomedov on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Nurmagomedov is trying to control but can't.
Travis landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Travis scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
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!
Travis throwing shots but Nurmagomedov is blocking nicely.
Nurmagomedov is trying to stand.
Travis missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Travis looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Nurmagomedov with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Nurmagomedov looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Nurmagomedov tries to get to full guard but Travis has control of the leg.
Travis scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Travis looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Nurmagomedov with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Nurmagomedov is pressing down on Travis's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Travis is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Travis working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Nurmagomedov 's head.
Nurmagomedov throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Nurmagomedov can do anything to dispel that myth.
Travis postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nurmagomedov working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Travis stands up over Nurmagomedov , holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Travis working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Nurmagomedov 's head.
Travis lands a couple of digs.
Nurmagomedov has momentary wrist control but Travis slips an elbow through the middle.
Nurmagomedov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Travis is one step ahead there.
Travis is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Travis throws an elbow that misses. Nurmagomedov uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Travis's guard. Nice move by Nurmagomedov !

Nurmagomedov wanted to stand there but Travis had control of the position.
Nurmagomedov stopping the sweep attempt from Travis.
Nurmagomedov trying to control the position from guard on top but Travis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Travis keeping busy, throwing shots from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chase Travis dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Nurmagomedov shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Travis is trying to defend but Nurmagomedov finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Nurmagomedov is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Travis trying to hold on to Nurmagomedov 's head to control him but Nurmagomedov postures up.
Travis is pressing down on Nurmagomedov 's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Travis is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nurmagomedov can do to turn this around?
Nurmagomedov trying to control the position from guard on top but Travis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Travis looking for a sweep. Not yet Travis, not yet.
Travis is working hard here to advance position.
Travis wants to stand up but Nurmagomedov is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov controls from within his opponent's guard.
Travis throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Nurmagomedov with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Nurmagomedov content to stall in guard here.
Travis keeping full guard, as Nurmagomedov tries to pass.

Travis pushes Nurmagomedov off and gets back to his feet.
Nurmagomedov lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Travis circles away quickly and effectively.
Some wild striking there from Nurmagomedov .

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Travis slips under a jab.

Nurmagomedov gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Nurmagomedov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Travis tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nurmagomedov paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Travis clinches up with Nurmagomedov and pushes him back against the cage.
Nurmagomedov leaning against his opponent.
Travis tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Nurmagomedov smiles and moves away.

Nurmagomedov forces Travis back against the cage and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov misses with a knee strike.
Travis tries to pull guard but Nurmagomedov holds him up against the cage and eventually Travis drops back down to his feet.
Nurmagomedov has Travis pushed against the cage.

Nurmagomedov breaks from the clinch.

Nurmagomedov moves into the clinch.

Nurmagomedov breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov misses the shot to the body.
Travis tries to counter with a takedown but Nurmagomedov is quick to defend against it.

Nurmagomedov throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Travis tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Nurmagomedov is in Travis's guard.
Nurmagomedov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Travis keeping moving, preventing Nurmagomedov from controlling successfully.
Travis looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Travis not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Nurmagomedov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Travis swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nurmagomedov trying to control but Travis is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Travis wants to sweep here but Nurmagomedov controlling him for the moment.
Nurmagomedov wants to get up but he can't break Travis's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anatoly Nurmagomedov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Travis dodges the punch combination from Nurmagomedov .
Nurmagomedov throws a head kick that misses.

Nurmagomedov feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Travis looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Travis keeping full guard, as Nurmagomedov tries to pass.
Travis has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Nurmagomedov has passed into side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nurmagomedov working the ground and pound from side control.
Travis is looking to regain half guard here but Nurmagomedov keeps moving and retains side control.
Nurmagomedov wants to control but Travis is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Travis is trying to get back to half guard.
Nurmagomedov tries to advance to mount but can't.
Nurmagomedov taking a breather here.
Travis is working to avoid the ground and pound but Nurmagomedov connects with a decent elbow.

Nurmagomedov stands up.

Nurmagomedov looking to score a takedown here. Travis is defending well but Nurmagomedov drives through and ends up in Travis's guard.
Chase Travis overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov trying to control but Travis is working from the bottom.
Nurmagomedov wanted to stand there but Travis had control of the position.
Nurmagomedov wants to control from the top but Travis keeps moving.
Travis is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Nurmagomedov pushes Travis off looking to stand but Travis dives back in and keeps control.

Travis looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov wants to control but Travis is keeping busy.
Travis working Nurmagomedov over with strikes.
Travis is nestled in close to Nurmagomedov , controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Travis lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Nurmagomedov tries to roll over but Travis keeps him under control.
Nurmagomedov has hold of Travis's hands but Travis slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Travis.
Travis tries to stand and escape but Nurmagomedov is controlling the position.

Travis is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Travis takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Travis stands up and beckons Nurmagomedov to join him on the feet.

Nurmagomedov shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Nurmagomedov was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nurmagomedov wants to stand but Travis is controlling his arm.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Travis takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
You can see the frustration on Travis's face as Nurmagomedov controls the position.
Travis is looking for a sweep.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Anatoly Nurmagomedov .
I think Nurmagomedov has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Anatoly Nurmagomedov !