PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ardahan Battuga (ranked 193 p4p, 529 weight class) and Azad Bekzod (ranked 27 p4p, 75 weight class). Bekzod has chosen "Weird" Al Yankovic - Amish Paradise as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Battuga
vs
Bekzod

183 cm
23
174
11 - 1 - 0

183 cm
23
174
9 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

NARCOS
Shadow Realm Apparel

Black Lab Clothing
Groove Gear

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 11 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ardahan Battuga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Azad Bekzod!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Konstantin Menshow and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Battuga scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Battuga throws out a loose jab but Bekzod uses good head movement to avoid it.
Battuga throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Bekzod sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Bekzod pushes Battuga up against the cage in a clinch.
Battuga misses with some punches.
Bekzod lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Bekzod lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Battuga.
Battuga struggles to land a body shot inside as Bekzod controls his hands.
Battuga misses with a hook from the clinch.
Bekzod softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Bekzod working aggressively here.
Battuga throws a punch but it's blocked by Bekzod.
A short body shot lands from Bekzod as the two fighters clinch.
Bekzod tries to work over Battuga's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Bekzod blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Bekzod misses with a hook to the ribs.
Bekzod blocks a body shot from Battuga.
A nice left hand lands by Bekzod.
Battuga lands a nice uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bekzod working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Battuga tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Bekzod lands a hook that snaps the head of Battuga backwards.
Battuga misses with a body punch.
Bekzod misses with some punches.
Bekzod misses with a punch to the body.
Bekzod misses with a punch to the body.
Bekzod tries to throw a body punch but Battuga avoids it by throwing Bekzod back against the cage.
Bekzod lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Battuga.
Bekzod swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Battuga softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Bekzod lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Battuga.
Battuga is breathing heavily.
Bekzod misses with a hook to the ribs.
Battuga struggles to land a body shot inside as Bekzod controls his hands.
Bekzod looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Bekzod blocks an uppercut.
Bekzod throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Bekzod lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Battuga backwards.
Battuga working aggressively here.
Bekzod doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Bekzod.
Battuga blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Bekzod blocking some punches.
Bekzod doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bekzod misses with a punch on the inside.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bekzod lands a left hand that snaps the head of Battuga backwards.
Bekzod takes a shot to the head.
Battuga swings wildly with an uppercut but Bekzod uses good head movement to avoid it.
A shot in the inside from Battuga.
A shot in the inside from Battuga.
Bekzod lands a body punch.
A right hand to the body from Bekzod.
Bekzod doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Bekzod lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A shot in the inside from Bekzod.
Bekzod prevents a body shot from Battuga.
A body shot lands from Bekzod.
Bekzod lands a right hand.
A short left from Bekzod.
Battuga can't find room to land a body shot as Bekzod controls the action.
Still in the clinch, Bekzod scores with a nice short uppercut.
Bekzod scores with a shot to the side of Battuga's head.
Bekzod misses with a hook to the ribs.
Bekzod lands a right hand that snaps the head of Battuga backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bekzod cracks Battuga with a nice body shot.
Bekzod pushes Battuga back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Bekzod misses with a hook to the ribs.
Bekzod tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Battuga has a couple of punches blocked by Bekzod.
A short right from Bekzod.
Bekzod lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Battuga.
Bekzod lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Battuga backwards.
Bekzod is leaning against Battuga and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Bekzod lands a body shot in the clinch.
Battuga being controlled against the cage.
Bekzod lands a shoulder strike.
Battuga prevents a body shot from Bekzod.
Battuga swings wildly with an uppercut but Bekzod uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bekzod misses with a hook to the ribs.
Battuga is looking to control Bekzod's arms but Bekzod gets an underhook and turns him. Now Battuga has his back to the cage.
Bekzod can't find room to land a body shot as Battuga controls the action.
Bekzod lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Battuga misses with a punch to the body.
Bekzod throws a head punch that misses.
Bekzod lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Battuga or not.
Battuga prevents a body shot from Bekzod.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Battuga misses with a hook to the ribs.
Bekzod tries a body shot but Battuga blocks it.
Battuga can't find room to land a body shot as Bekzod controls the action.
Battuga misses with a hook to the ribs.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Bekzod.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Bekzod makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Bekzod lands a right hand that snaps the head of Battuga backwards.
Bekzod doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Bekzod goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Bekzod tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Bekzod lands a nice uppercut.
A short right from Bekzod.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Battuga throws a punch but it's blocked by Bekzod.
Bekzod is leaning against Battuga and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Battuga working aggressively here.
Bekzod prevents a body shot from Battuga.
Bekzod works on Battuga's body with a couple of short punches.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Azad Bekzod dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Battuga takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Bekzod has closed the distance and engaged Battuga in a clinch.
Bekzod has a couple of punches blocked by Battuga.
Bekzod lands with a short shot to the head.
Battuga tries to work over Bekzod's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Bekzod's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bekzod has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Bekzod keeps the fight on the outside.
Bekzod scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Battuga loads up on a big right hand but Bekzod slips the punch.
Bekzod looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bekzod misses with a body shot.
Battuga closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Bekzod lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Battuga at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Bekzod.
Bekzod is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Battuga.
Azad Bekzod seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bekzod throws the left hand but Battuga avoids the punch easily.

Bekzod sends Battuga crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Bekzod is motioning to the referee to let Battuga up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!

Battuga is rocked!
We've been told by Battuga's head coaches at GWad's Playpen that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Bekzod digs a good hook to Battuga's body.
Oh Battuga is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Bekzod gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Battuga seems to have got his legs back now.
Battuga bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Battuga throwing a counter right hand but Bekzod manages to avoid it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bekzod lands with a good body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Bekzod moves into the clinch successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bekzod lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Battuga backwards.
A bit of stalling here from Battuga.
Battuga prevents a body shot from Bekzod.
Battuga misses with some punches.
Bekzod throws a punch but it's blocked by Battuga.
Bekzod working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Battuga swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Battuga tries a body shot but Bekzod blocks it.
Bekzod lands with a short shot to the head.
A left hand lands to the body for Bekzod.
Bekzod throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Bekzod lands a nice uppercut.
A right hook to the body lands for Bekzod.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Bekzod.
Battuga takes a shot to the head.
A nice left hand lands by Bekzod.
A right handed body shot lands from Bekzod.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Bekzod.
Bekzod lands a left hand that snaps the head of Battuga backwards.
A nice right hand lands inside from Bekzod.
Bekzod lands a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bekzod escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Battuga avoids the body shot from Bekzod.

Bekzod moves into the clinch successfully.
Bekzod scores with a hook to the body.
Bekzod softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Bekzod doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Bekzod scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Battuga prevents a body shot from Bekzod.
Bekzod misses with a hook to the ribs.
Bekzod works on Battuga's body with a couple of short punches.
A short right from Bekzod.
Bekzod misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Bekzod lands with a left to the head.
Bekzod softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Bekzod breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Battuga misses with a right hand
and Bekzod counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Battuga thinking.

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!
Bekzod scores with the left hand. Battuga knows he should have avoided that one.

Bekzod has taken the fight to the clinch.
Nice body punch from Bekzod.
Battuga working aggressively here.
Bekzod throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
The referee is keeping an eye on Bekzod - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Bekzod lands a body punch in the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Bekzod.
Bekzod lands a right hand.
A right hook to the body lands for Bekzod.
A nice right hand lands inside from Bekzod.
Bekzod cracks Battuga with a nice body shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bekzod softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A short right from Bekzod on the inside.
Bekzod scores with a shoulder strike.
A short body shot lands from Bekzod as the two fighters clinch.
Bekzod misses with a punch to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Azad Bekzod showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Battuga drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Battuga misses with a left hand
and Bekzod counters with a stiff right hand.
Bekzod works the jab nicely.
Bekzod tries to clinch up but Battuga circles away and keeps his distance.
Bekzod sees an opening and throws a straight punch right through Battuga's defenses. It connects perfectly with Battuga's jaw and knocks him out cold! Wow - that's a contender for knockout of the year - absolutely brutal!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Azad Bekzod!
Azad Bekzod decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.