PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Riyadh Nawab (ranked 4671 p4p, 4727 weight class) and Duke Mook (ranked 0 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.

Nawab
vs
Mook

167 cm
25
185
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
25
190
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Riyadh Nawab!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Duke Mook!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Arvi Lind and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mook lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Nawab rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mook moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mook let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

Nawab throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Mook tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Nawab is in Mook's guard.
Nawab is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Nawab stands up from Mook's guard - Nawab perhaps looking for a knockout.

Nawab looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Nawab is looking for a kimura here.
Nawab with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nawab seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Mook for as long as he can get away with.
Mook is trying to get back to full guard.
Mook trying to control here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Mook can do anything to dispel that myth.

Nawab decides to stand and escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Mook cracks Nawab with a right hand to the side of the head.

Nawab shoots in and gets a takedown into Mook's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nawab throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mook works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Mook pulls Nawab in to control the position.
Mook wants to sweep but no luck.

Nawab stands up and waves to Mook to follow him.
Mook misses with a body kick.
Nawab fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nawab closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Mook did well to prevent Nawab getting side control.
Mook is not content to let Nawab control the position.
Mook wants to stand back up but Nawab manages to pass into side control.
Mook is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nawab looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Mook is trying to control Nawab's posture but Nawab avoids it.

Nawab decides to stand up, so the ref orders Mook to his feet.
Nice straight punches there by Mook. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Mook.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nawab will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mook misses with an attempted mid kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Riyadh Nawab dominated that round.
That's time! Nawab's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Nawab closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Mook doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Nawab's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A nice leg kick from Mook, right into the meat of the thigh.
Nice takedown defense from Mook. No joy for Nawab on that attempt.
It seemed like Mook was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A head kick misses from Nawab.
Some bone on bone action there as Nawab checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Nawab is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mook can do to turn this around?
Mook connects with a body shot that sends Nawab's belly button to the back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nawab on the wrong end of a nice jab.

It looks like Riyadh Nawab has been cut.
Nawab doesn't manage to clinch there - Mook circles away.
Nawab tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Mook defends well and Nawab ends up having to push Mook into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Nawab breaks the clinch.
Nawab tries to close the distance and clinch but Mook swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mook is looking for the big counter here.
Mook is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mook's jab looks to have found its range, popping Nawab under the eye.

Mook lands a big head kick that sends Nawab tumbling to the mat! Mook takes a step backwards and waves Nawab back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Nawab is rocked!
Nawab shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Mook counters with a beautiful right hand that knocks Nawab out cold! What a finish! Mook is going crazy, running around the mat, summersaulting off the corner posts and screaming into the cameras. Something tells me he's pretty happy!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:21 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Duke Mook!