PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Artur Nowak (ranked 4152 p4p, 5417 weight class) and Roman Borisov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nowak's entrance music is BFG Division - Mick Gordon. A fine choice. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Nowak
vs
Borisov

199 cm
25
240
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
18
242
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Artur Nowak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Roman Borisov!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Borisov lands a nice looking body shot.
Borisov uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Nowak closes the distance but Borisov moves to the side
and Borisov counters with a right hand to the body.
Borisov swats away the attempt to clinch by Nowak.

Nowak closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Borisov quickly recovers to half guard.
Nowak content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Nowak escapes and gets back to his feet.
Borisov lunges at Nowak with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Nowak's hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Borisov circles away from the clinch attempt
and Borisov counters with a three punch combo that has Nowak backing up. Nowak nods at Borisov to acknowledge the strikes.
Borisov keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Nice straight punches there by Borisov. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Borisov.
Nowak looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Borisov is fending him off so far but Nowak persists. Nope, Borisov circles away and we're back to standing.
Nowak looks for the body kick but Borisov saw that one coming.
Borisov connects with a crisp jab.
Nowak is looking to clinch.
Borisov fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Nowak closes the distance but Borisov moves to the side
and Borisov counters with a stiff right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nowak looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Borisov!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Nowak decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Nowak closes the distance but Borisov moves to the side
and Borisov counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Borisov's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Borisov duly obliges.
Borisov should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Nowak displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

It looks like Roman Borisov has been cut.
Artur Nowak seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nowak tries to clinch up.
Nowak throws a head kick that misses
and Borisov counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Nowak doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Borisov lands a jab to Nowak's midsection.
Roman Borisov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nowak throws a sloppy head kick and Borisov moves out of range easily.
Nowak dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Borisov throws a series of strikes that have Nowak backpedaling.
Nowak throws a head kick but Borisov moves out of range.
Borisov is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Nowak had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Nowak is breathing heavily.
A left lands for Borisov.
Borisov throws a shot to the body.
Nowak throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Borisov counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Nowak wants to clinch
and Borisov counters with a left to the body.
Borisov connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Nowak fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Borisov tests Nowak's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Borisov connects with a right hand. Nowak shakes it off.
Borisov feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Nowaks jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Borisov lands with a hook. Nowak tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Nowak tries to clinch there but Borisov circles away.
A head kick by Nowak misses
letting Borisov counter with a right hand.
Borisov wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
No luck for Nowak with that takedown attempt.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Borisov dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Roman Borisov's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Nowak on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Borisov scores with a nice head shot.
Nowak wants to clinch up but Borisov keeps it at a distance.
Borisov bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Nowak's head backwards.

Nowak rushes Borisov and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Nowak pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nowak takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nowak takes a jab right on the kisser.
Nowak tries to clinch
and Borisov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Borisov connects with a body shot that sends Nowak's belly button to the back.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Borisov lands a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Borisov lands a nice shot that snaps Nowak's head back.
Roman Borisov seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Nowak is defended easily by Borisov.
Some bone on bone action there as Borisov checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
A decent looking cross lands there for Borisov.
Nowak has his takedown stuffed
and Borisov makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Nowak looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nowak on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Borisov stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Nice straight punches there by Nowak. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Nowak.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nowak misses with a head kick.
Borisov doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Borisov wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Nowak wants to clinch but Borisov slips to the side
and Borisov counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Borisov fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Borisov lands a slapping body shot.
Borisov connects with a body shot that sends Nowak's belly button to the back.
Borisov blocks a head kick by Nowak.
Borisov swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Borisov bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Nowak's head backwards.
Borisov ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Borisov scores with a nice head shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Borisov scores with a body shot.
Nowak has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Nowak there as he acknowledges the shot.

Nowak clinches with his opponent.

Nowak escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nowak moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Artur Nowak is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Borisov throws a shot to the body.
Nowak throws a head kick that misses.
Nowak gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Borisov fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Borisov dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Nowak takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Nowak misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Borisov takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Borisov lands with a shot to the body.
Borisov stuffs the takedown attempt from Nowak. Nowak gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Artur Nowak. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Borisov lands a body shot.
Nowak has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Nowak there as he acknowledges the shot.
Borisov jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Borisov scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Borisov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Roman Borisov's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A decent looking cross lands there for Borisov.

Nowak moves into the clinch.
Nowak lands an elbow inside.
Borisov misses with a short punch on the inside.
Nowak blocking some punches.

Nowak breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Borisov lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Nowak throws a head kick that misses.
It seemed like Borisov was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Borisov lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Borisov jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Nowak tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Borisov counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Borisov keeps the fight on the outside.
Borisov fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Nowak on the side of the head.
Nowak tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nowak tries to clinch up but Borisov circles away and keeps his distance.
Borisov now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Nowak is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Borisov, as that shot connected.
Borisov dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Borisov lunges at Nowak with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Nowak's hand.
Borisov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Borisov lands with a straight right. Nowak didn't see that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Borisov lands a lovely overhand right.
Nowak tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Borisov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Borisov works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nowak tries for a takedown but Borisov circles away easily
and Borisov counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nowak gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Borisov counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Nowak thinking.
Borisov scores with a punch to the head.
Nowak is looking to clinch.
Borisov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nowak with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Borisov to score with a decent uppercut.
Nowak moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Borisov fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Borisov's corner calls for a 1-2. Borisov obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Nowak closes the distance but Borisov moves to the side
letting Borisov counter with a right hand.
Nowak throws a left and a right that both miss
and Borisov counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Nowak thinking.
Nowak tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Borisov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Nowak on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Borisov scores with a nice strike.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Borisov works the jab nicely.
Nowak looks to clinch
and Borisov counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Borisov moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Nowak takes one to the side of the head.
Nowak moves forwards but Borisov connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Borisov lands with a right hand.
Borisov with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Borisov catches Nowak with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Artur Nowak has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Borisov scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

And that's the end of the fight!
Roman Borisov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Borisov winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 26:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 26:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roman Borisov!