PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Khakim Khadzhimurad (ranked 1482 p4p, 1966 weight class) and Julian Gniewek (ranked 178 p4p, 226 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Khadzhimurad
vs
Gniewek

186 cm
28
157
10 - 5 - 0

181 cm
37
155
18 - 17 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Granite chin

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 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Khakim Khadzhimurad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Julian Gniewek!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Steven Brown and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gniewek misses with a combination
and Khadzhimurad makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Gniewek throws a right and a left that Khadzhimurad avoids nicely.
Khadzhimurad fires out a quick counter leg kick but Gniewek just manages to avoid it.
Khadzhimurad swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Gniewek throws a sloppy head kick and Khadzhimurad moves out of range easily.
Gniewek tries a head kick but it misses.
A low kick from Khadzhimurad misses
and Gniewek counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Khadzhimurad looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Khadzhimurad looks to land a body kick but Gniewek moved away.
Gniewek doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Gniewek tries a head kick but it misses.
Khadzhimurad throws a front kick aimed at Gniewek's knee but Gniewek avoids it well.
Khadzhimurad tries to close the distance and clinch but Gniewek swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Khadzhimurad avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gniewek on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Khadzhimurad looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Gniewek tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Khadzhimurad tries a low kick but Gniewek avoids it.
A head kick misses from Gniewek.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khadzhimurad misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Khakim Khadzhimurad seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gniewek throws a nice head kick!
Khadzhimurad throws a low kick but Gniewek avoids it.
Khadzhimurad throws a leg kick which misses Gniewek's front leg but catches the back leg as Gniewek tries to avoid it.
A jab from Khadzhimurad finds it's way through Gniewek's defenses.
A telegraphed right hand from Khadzhimurad misses the target.
Khadzhimurad misses with an uppercut
and Gniewek counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Khadzhimurad on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Gniewek fails to land with a series of punches.
Gniewek misses with a head kick.
Gniewek misses with a right hand

and Khadzhimurad counters by moving into the clinch.

Gniewek breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Khadzhimurad blocks a head kick by Gniewek.
Khadzhimurad really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Nice jab there from Gniewek.
A head kick misses from Khadzhimurad.
Khadzhimurad walks into a jab.
Khadzhimurad tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gniewek throws a head kick but Khadzhimurad moves out of range.
Gniewek throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Khadzhimurad sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Khadzhimurad lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Khadzhimurad blocks a head kick by Gniewek.
Gniewek wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Gniewek throws a hook but Khadzhimurad avoids it easily.
Khadzhimurad steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gniewek.
Khadzhimurad tries to move into range but Gniewek moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Gniewek misses with a looping right.
A thudding body kick lands there by Khadzhimurad!
Khadzhimurad connects with a leg kick.
Gniewek blocks a head kick by Khadzhimurad.
Khadzhimurad throws a sloppy head kick and Gniewek moves out of range easily.
Khadzhimurad bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Khadzhimurad staying out of range there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gniewek throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Khadzhimurad counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Khadzhimurad.
Gniewek with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A knee to the head by Gniewek.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gniewek.
Gniewek using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Khadzhimurad has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Khadzhimurad has a couple of punches blocked by Gniewek.

Gniewek breaks the clinch.
A lazy body kick from Gniewek
and Khadzhimurad counters with a stiff right hand.
Gniewek throws a nice looking combination but Khadzhimurad bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Khadzhimurad with a nice calf kick.
Khadzhimurad moves away from the strike by Gniewek.
Gniewek throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Khadzhimurad wants to clinch up but Gniewek keeps it at a distance.
Khadzhimurad bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gniewek misses with a head kick.
Khadzhimurad connects with a solid leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gniewek throws a lazy right hand but Khadzhimurad sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gniewek misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Khadzhimurad misses with a right hand
and Gniewek counters with a stiff right hand.
Gniewek pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Khadzhimurad tries to clinch up.
Gniewek takes a swing at Khadzhimurad's ribcage but misses.
A lazy left from Khadzhimurad finds it's target.
Khadzhimurad looks to land a body kick but Gniewek moved away.
Khadzhimurad throws a nice outside leg kick.
Khadzhimurad lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Khadzhimurad.
Khadzhimurad avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nice defenses there by Gniewek.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Khadzhimurad wants to clinch but Gniewek slips to the side
and Gniewek counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Khadzhimurad pivots, looking for a leg kick but Gniewek is out of range and Khadzhimurad settles back down.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Gniewek! But no joy.
Khadzhimurad lands a nice looking body shot.
Gniewek shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Khadzhimurad eats them both and turns towards Gniewek to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Julian Gniewek dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Khadzhimurad throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Julian Gniewek seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gniewek throws a body punch but Khadzhimurad moves out of range.
Gniewek throws a sloppy head kick and Khadzhimurad moves out of range easily.
Khadzhimurad scores with a jab to the body.
Gniewek checks a low kick from Khadzhimurad.
A slapping leg kick lands for Khadzhimurad.
Gniewek throws a head kick but Khadzhimurad moves out of range.
Good shot there by Gniewek.
Gniewek missing with a left hand there. Khadzhimurad was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gniewek misses with a hook.
Gniewek misses with a body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Khadzhimurad drives through and clinches with Gniewek against the cage.
Gniewek with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Khadzhimurad breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gniewek avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Khadzhimurad tried to score with a low kick but Gniewek checks it.
Khadzhimurad works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gniewek scores with a body shot.
Gniewek takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Gniewek throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Gniewek moves out of range of the body kick from Khadzhimurad.
Khadzhimurad throws out a leg kick but Gniewek moves out of range and Khadzhimurad only half commits.
Khadzhimurad moves out of the way of the counter high kick from Gniewek.
Khadzhimurad blocks a head kick by Gniewek.
Khadzhimurad lands a nice looking body kick.
Khadzhimurad throws a sloppy head kick and Gniewek moves out of range easily.
Khadzhimurad misses with a hook. Gniewek ducked under it nicely.
A little jabbing left from Gniewek on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
A punch combination from Gniewek misses.
Gniewek moves out of range as Khadzhimurad throws a body kick.
Khadzhimurad throws a sloppy body shot
and Gniewek counters with a lovely shot to the body.
A jab from Khadzhimurad finds it's way through Gniewek's defenses.
A punch combination from Gniewek misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gniewek tries to bum rush Khadzhimurad with a series of wild strikes but Khadzhimurad uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Khadzhimurad feinted there with a counter leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A cross from Khadzhimurad lands.
Gniewek tries to move into range but Khadzhimurad moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Khadzhimurad connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Gniewek momentarily.
A combination from Gniewek does no damage.
Khadzhimurad scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Gniewek looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

Khadzhimurad has taken the fight to the clinch.
Khadzhimurad working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Khadzhimurad blocks a body shot from Gniewek.

Gniewek breaks from the clinch.
Khadzhimurad throws out a leg kick but Gniewek moves out of range and Khadzhimurad only half commits.
A slow jab from Gniewek misses its intended target.
Khadzhimurad connects with a solid leg kick.
Khadzhimurad misses with a kick to the body.
Khadzhimurad misses with a body shot.
Gniewek raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Khadzhimurad staying out of range there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gniewek's jab looks to have found its range, popping Khadzhimurad under the eye.
Khadzhimurad dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Gniewek. That did some damage!
Gniewek misses with a double jab
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Gniewek misses with an uppercut
and Khadzhimurad counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gniewek throws a sloppy head kick
and Khadzhimurad makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Gniewek throws a head kick that misses.
Khadzhimurad dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Gniewek. That did some damage!
Gniewek throws a sloppy head kick and Khadzhimurad moves out of range easily.

Khadzhimurad gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Khadzhimurad misses with a hook to the ribs.
Gniewek tries a knee to the head but Khadzhimurad blocks it.
Gniewek with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Khadzhimurad swings wildly with an uppercut but Gniewek uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gniewek with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gniewek tries to land a knee to the head but Khadzhimurad blocks with his arms.
Khadzhimurad lands with a short head shot on the inside.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Khadzhimurad misses with a punch to the body.
Khakim Khadzhimurad has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Gniewek misses with a knee strike.
Gniewek doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Khadzhimurad lands with a right to the head.
Gniewek tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Gniewek is breathing heavily.
Khadzhimurad misses with the head strike.
Gniewek blocks a body shot from Khadzhimurad.
Khadzhimurad swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gniewek scores with a knee to the head.
Khadzhimurad misses with a hook to the ribs.
A knee to the head by Gniewek.
Good body shot from Khadzhimurad.
Gniewek with an attempt at a knee that misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gniewek tries a knee to the head but Khadzhimurad blocks it.
Gniewek blocks a body shot from Khadzhimurad.
Gniewek tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Gniewek tries a knee to the head but Khadzhimurad blocks it.
Gniewek misses with a knee strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Khakim Khadzhimurad dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Khadzhimurad misses with a low kick.
Nice jab there from Gniewek.
Khadzhimurad throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Gniewek throws a counter combo.
A jab from Gniewek misses.
Gniewek misses with an uppercut.
Gniewek connects with a jab.
Gniewek throws a head kick that misses.
Gniewek looks to land a right hand but Khadzhimurad moved out of range.
Khadzhimurad scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Gniewek doesn't seem bothered though.
Gniewek swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Khadzhimurad.
A looping hook to the body misses from Khadzhimurad. Gniewek does a little dance to reset his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khadzhimurad throws a nice outside leg kick.
Khadzhimurad dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Gniewek. That did some damage!
Gniewek might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Gniewek misses with a body shot.
Gniewek throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Nice straight punches there by Khadzhimurad. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Khadzhimurad.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khadzhimurad throws a hook to the side of Gniewek's head but Gniewek sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Gniewek loads up on a big right hand but Khadzhimurad slips the punch.
Gniewek throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gniewek sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Khadzhimurad blocks a jab.
Khadzhimurad throws a wild body kick that Gniewek sees coming a mile off.
Gniewek misses with a series of wild punches.
Khadzhimurad pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gniewek's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Gniewek tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A leg kick checked by Gniewek.
Gniewek throws a hook but Khadzhimurad blocks it.
Khadzhimurad throws a push kick but Gniewek slaps the foot to one side.
Khadzhimurad throws a leg kick which misses Gniewek's front leg but catches the back leg as Gniewek tries to avoid it.
Gniewek pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khadzhimurad fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Gniewek misses with a head kick.
Khadzhimurad is looking to counter with a body kick.
Gniewek on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Khadzhimurad avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gniewek fails with an attempt to clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gniewek blocks a head kick by Khadzhimurad.
Khadzhimurad lands with a kick to the ribs.
Gniewek ducks under a wild hook from Khadzhimurad.
Gniewek avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Khadzhimurad misses with an uppercut.
Khadzhimurad scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Gniewek doesn't seem bothered though.
Khadzhimurad tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Gniewek is able to avoid easily.
Khadzhimurad fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Gniewek is out of range.
Khadzhimurad scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gniewek tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Khadzhimurad was well out of range. Poor timing from Gniewek.
Khadzhimurad wants to slow Gniewek down by chopping away at his legs.
Khadzhimurad delivers a nice body kick.
Gniewek has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Khadzhimurad.
Gniewek throws a head kick that misses
and Khadzhimurad counters with an outside leg kick.
Khadzhimurad misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gniewek tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A chopping leg kick lands by Khadzhimurad.
Gniewek punishes Khadzhimurad's body with a nice straight punch.
Gniewek throws a nice head kick!
Khadzhimurad fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Gniewek.
Gniewek takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Khadzhimurad lands a nice leg kick that just misses Gniewek's sensitive parts.
Khadzhimurad throws a lazy head kick
and Gniewek counters with an outside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Khadzhimurad tries to clinch there but Gniewek circles away.
A decent looking cross lands there for Khadzhimurad.
Gniewek lands a nice shot that snaps Khadzhimurad's head back.
Gniewek throws a sloppy head kick
letting Khadzhimurad counter with a right hand.
Gniewek comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

Khadzhimurad rushes Gniewek and presses him up against the cage.
Khadzhimurad blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Gniewek with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Gniewek takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Khadzhimurad throws a head punch that misses.
Gniewek tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Khadzhimurad misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gniewek.
Khadzhimurad swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gniewek misses with a knee to the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Khadzhimurad creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Gniewek blocks a body shot from Khadzhimurad.
Gniewek using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Khadzhimurad has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Khakim Khadzhimurad showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Khadzhimurad has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 James Atkins scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Khakim Khadzhimurad!
A very excited looking Khakim Khadzhimurad made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.