PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sergey Sabanov (ranked 3046 p4p, 2720 weight class) and Nico Campbell (ranked 365 p4p, 333 weight class). Nico Campbell has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sabanov
vs
Campbell

168 cm
26
163
3 - 2 - 0

175 cm
19
165
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sergey Sabanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nico Campbell!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Illya Tyunina and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sabanov shoots for a double leg takedown but Campbell sprawls well. He's pushed Sabanov's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Campbell thuds his right hand into Sabanov's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Sabanov throws a hook to the side of Campbell's head but Campbell sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
An inside leg kick lands from Campbell.
Nico Campbell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sabanov ducks right into an uppercut from Campbell.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sabanov.
Campbell takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Sabanov looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Campbell looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Sabanov drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Campbell stuffs the takedown attempt from Sabanov. Sabanov gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sergey Sabanov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sabanov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Campbell manages to avoid it.
Sabanov looks for a takedown but Campbell sprawls well.
Campbell connects with the punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sabanov shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Campbell but Campbell pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sabanov dives in for a single leg takedown but Campbell sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Campbell is working Sabanov over against the cage.
Campbell is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Campbell manages to break the clinch.
A head kick from Campbell lands but Sabanov takes it in his stride.
Sabanov shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Campbell as he jumps to the side.
Campbell scores with a leg kick.
Campbell fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Sabanov takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Campbell scores with a punch to the head.
Sabanov shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Campbell sprawls well. Campbell wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sabanov gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice combination there by Campbell.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sabanov takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Campbell misses with a double jab.
Sabanov has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Sabanov there as he acknowledges the shot.
Campbell goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Sabanov is rocked!

Sabanov shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Campbell is trying to defend but Sabanov finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Oh Sabanov is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Sabanov wants to free his trapped foot but Campbell is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Campbell is looking for a sweep. Sabanov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sabanov seems to have got his legs back now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Campbell won't allow Sabanov to pass to mount.
Sabanov is thwarting Campbell's attempts to control the position.
Campbell is trying to get back to full guard.
Campbell is looking to get back to full guard here but Sabanov has managed to pass to side control instead.
Campbell looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Campbell is looking for a sweep.
Sabanov lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Campbell is not content to let Sabanov control the position.
Sabanov throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sabanov is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Campbell takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Campbell tries to buck Sabanov off but Sabanov is having none of it.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Campbell is trying to control Sabanov's posture but Sabanov avoids it.
Sabanov scores with a couple of short elbows.
Campbell trying to remain calm as Sabanov controls from the top position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nico Campbell 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.

Sabanov slips a jab and a cross from Campbell.
Sabanov half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Campbell has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Sabanov shoots in for a takedown but Campbell shows good takedown defense.
Campbell buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Sabanov misses with a takedown attempt - Campbell sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Campbell scores with a jab.
Campbell pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A slapping leg kick lands for Campbell.
Sabanov shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Campbell defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sergey Sabanov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sabanov with a lazy takedown attempt
and Campbell counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Sabanov fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Campbell avoids it really well and circles away.
Sabanov shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Campbell throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sabanov misses with a takedown
and Campbell counters with an outside leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sabanov with a lazy takedown attempt
and Campbell connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Campbell lands with a shot to the body.
Campbell scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Campbell scores with a leg kick.
Campbell lands a head shot.
Nico Campbell is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Campbell lands a big uppercut and Sabanov crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Sabanov looks OK. Campbell waves Sabanov back to his feet!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sabanov takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Sabanov get stunned by a cross and takes another one on the button. Sabanov stumbles backwards and tries to bounce back off the cage but Campbell runs in and jumps on him with a leaping lead hook that puts him out! Wow, that was highlight reel stuff! Awesome finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:46 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Nico Campbell!