PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nickolas Haley (ranked 4139 p4p, 4138 weight class) and Khamzat Aliyev (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.

Haley
vs
Aliyev

225 cm
25
300
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
290
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Nickolas Haley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Khamzat Aliyev!
The judges for this bout are Bart Greer, Dirk Anderson and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Aliyev fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Haley to the ground. Aliyev is now in Haley's guard.
Aliyev with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Haley escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Aliyev gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Haley working a defensive guard here.
Aliyev controlling from the top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haley utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Aliyev trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Aliyev makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aliyev won't allow Haley to sweep him here.
Aliyev landing some decent shots from guard.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Aliyev has eaten all the pies!
Aliyev lands a couple of digs.
Haley being controlled here, momentarily.
Haley keeping full guard, as Aliyev tries to pass.

Haley is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Aliyev controls from within his opponent's guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Haley tries to close the distance and clinch up but Aliyev swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Aliyev feints the counter takedown.
Haley tries to close the distance and clinch but Aliyev swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Haley fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Aliyev circles away from the clinch attempt.
Aliyev tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Haley wants to clinch up but Aliyev keeps it at a distance.
Haley tries to close the distance and clinch but Aliyev swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Haley tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Aliyev paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Haley tries to clinch there but Aliyev circles away.
Aliyev throws a lazy uppercut

and Haley counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Aliyev has clasped his hands together around Haley's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Aliyev working the head with strikes.
Haley is trying to get back to half guard.
Aliyev lands some shots froms side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haley is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Aliyev is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Aliyev content just to control the position here.
Haley is trying to escape the mount.
Aliyev controlling the pace for now.
Haley slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Aliyev trying to control the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aliyev lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Aliyev is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Let's hope that Aliyev has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Aliyev landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Aliyev in particular looking to stall.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Aliyev scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Aliyev lands with a punch from half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Khamzat Aliyev dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Aliyev shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Aliyev showed some decent athleticism there.
Haley trying to control here.
Aliyev prevents Haley from improving his position.
Haley moves into full guard.
Aliyev postures up and lands a big shot to Haley's brow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haley working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Aliyev.
Aliyev is in close to Haley's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Aliyev lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Aliyev seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Aliyev stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Haley swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aliyev lands a couple of elbows.
Aliyev not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Aliyev with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Aliyev seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Aliyev connects with a couple of short punches.
Haley is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Aliyev passes into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Aliyev is controlling the pace.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Aliyev.
Aliyev is thwarting Haley's attempts to control the position.
Aliyev scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Aliyev is controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haley trying to control here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Haley gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Aliyev works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Still in half guard, Aliyev seems content to control.
Aliyev drops an elbow to the side of Haley's head.
Khamzat Aliyev has got the better of the ground game so far.
Still in half guard, Aliyev seems content to control.
Haley on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Aliyev is nestled in close to Haley, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haley is looking for a sweep. Aliyev is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Aliyev lands a nice short elbow.
Aliyev passes the guard and advances to mount!
Haley tries to lock up and control but Aliyev gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Aliyev tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Aliyev scoring with strikes but Haley is staying in there.
A nice elbow there by Aliyev.
Aliyev with the ground and pound from mount.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
BOOM! Aliyev connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Aliyev connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Aliyev tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Khamzat Aliyev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're 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.

Aliyev closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Haley tries to buck Aliyev off but Aliyev is having none of it.
Aliyev is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Haley struggling a bit here.
Aliyev just content to control the position.
Haley on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aliyev is staying tight to Haley's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Haley tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aliyev content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Aliyev's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
More stalling from Aliyev.
Haley is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Aliyev with more of the same as he continues to hold on.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Aliyev looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Haley!
Aliyev controlling from side mount.
Haley takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
A lull in the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aliyev lands some shots froms side control.
Haley is letting Aliyev control him for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Haley wants to control but Aliyev postures up.
Haley is being controlled here.
Aliyev has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Aliyev looks up at the clock and then as Haley takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Aliyev smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Aliyev controlling the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Nickolas Haley has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Khamzat Aliyev is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Haley drops Aliyev with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Aliyev looks back up at him and smiles so Haley waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Khamzat Aliyev.
I've got Aliyev 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 Bart Greer scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 28:30
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Khamzat Aliyev!
A victorious Khamzat Aliyev thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.