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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nikoli Popov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marko Mihic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mihic is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: British Marching Tune - The British Grenadiers. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!
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| 190 cm
24
214 lbs
4 - 3 - 1 |
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188 cm
21
212 lbs
7 - 5 - 0 |
BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Granite chin |
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Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Powerful |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
4 - 3 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nikoli Popov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Marko Mihic!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Sergei Dronov and Vladimir Khabensky.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mihic throws a series of punches but Popov avoids them all with ease.
No joy there for Mihic, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Mihic misses with a few strikes there.
Mihic misses with the combination.
Popov looks to score with a jab to the body but Mihic is just out of range.
Mihic circles away from the clinch attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Popov showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mihic.
Mihic lands a left and a right that send Popov crashing to the mat, dazed. Mihic thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
It looks like Nikoli Popov has been cut.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Mihic throws a right and a left that both miss.
Popov wants to clinch.
A swing and a miss from Mihic.
Mihic wants to land a leg kick but Popov is out of range.
A combination from Mihic does no damage.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Popov moves into range and clinches up with Mihic.
Mihic tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Popov just stands there and leans against the cage.
Popov tries a knee to the head but Mihic blocks it.
Popov with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
It looks like Marko Mihic has been cut.
A knee to the head by Popov.
Popov unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Mihic tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Popov smiles and moves away.
Mihic throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Popov tries to clinch there but Mihic circles away.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mihic misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Mihic swats away the attempt to clinch by Popov.
Mihic will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Popov tries to clinch but Mihic is having none of it.
Mihic misses with the combination.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Popov tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mihic swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The fight stays on the outside here - Popov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Popov wants to clinch up but Mihic keeps it at a distance.
Popov tries to land a leg kick but Mihic saw it coming and moves away.
Mihic works over Popov's head and body with a nice combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Marko Mihic dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.
Mihic will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
No joy there for Mihic, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Popov takes the fight into the clinch.
Popov landing knees to the head.
Popov with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Popov tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mihic jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Popov walks away with a smile on his face. Mihic gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Popov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mihic moves away.
Mihic throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Mihic goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Mihic tries to bum rush Popov with a series of wild strikes but Popov uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Popov is looking to clinch.
Mihic misses with a two punch combination.
Mihic misses with a telegraphed body shot
enabling Popov to counter with a crisp jab.
Popov steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Mihic.
Mihic misses with a double jab
and Popov counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popov uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Mihic.
Popov tries to clinch but Mihic moves out of range.
Nikoli Popov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mihic gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Popov counters by clinching up.
Mihic fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Nikoli Popov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marko Mihic.
Mihic fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Popov connects with a nasty looking knee right to Mihic's face.
Popov lands an elbow inside.
Mihic jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Popov walks away with a smile on his face. Mihic gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Popov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mihic paws at him with a jab and circles away.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popov throws a leg kick
and Mihic counters with a three punch combo that has Popov backing up. Popov nods at Mihic to acknowledge the strikes.
Popov tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mihic swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Popov is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mihic misses with a double jab
and Popov counters by clinching up.
Popov lands an elbow inside.
Popov lands a nice elbow.
A knee to the head by Popov.
Popov displaying some good clinch control by pressing Mihic up against the cage.
Popov connects with a nasty looking knee right to Mihic's face.
That has opened up Marko Mihic's cut even more.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mihic tries to pull guard but Popov holds him up against the cage and eventually Mihic drops back down to his feet.
Mihic tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Popov lands a knee to the head.
Popov with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Popov throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mihic blocks it with crossed arms.
Popov prevents a takedown attempt there.
Mihic is breathing heavily.
Mihic jumps guard but Popov stands there with Mihic around his waist. Mihic gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Mihic takes an elbow to the temple.
Mihic jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Popov walks away with a smile on his face. Mihic gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Mihic throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Popov counters with a left to the body.
Mihic throws a combination that misses
and Popov holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Popov with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Mihic is trying to break free.
Mihic takes a knee right on the jaw!
Popov with a knee to the head.
Popov is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Nikoli Popov dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!
Mihic throws a left and a right that both miss
and Popov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Popov ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Mihic throws a combination. Popov tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Popov ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Mihic throws a left and a right that both miss
and Popov counters by clinching up.
Mihic decides to pull guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Popov decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Mihic, up you get!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mihic shoots in for a takedown but Popov shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Mihic avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Popov wants to clinch.
Mihic shoots in for a takedown but Popov shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A low kick from Mihic is predictable there
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Mihic swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Popov counters with a low kick, right behind Mihic 's knee.
Popov forces Mihic back against the cage and clinches.
Popov with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Mihic fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Nikoli Popov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marko Mihic.
Mihic fails to pull guard.
Mihic tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Popov using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Mihic has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Mihic working hard to break the clinch.
Mihic working hard to break the clinch.
Popov looking to throw knees to the head but Mihic is blocking nicely.
Mihic tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Popov just stands there and leans against the cage.
Popov throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mihic blocks it with crossed arms.
Popov lands an elbow that stopped Mihic in his tracks for a moment.
Mihic drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Popov gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Mihic tries to pull guard but Popov won't allow it.
Mihic jumps guard but Popov stands there with Mihic around his waist. Mihic gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Mihic tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Popov smiles and moves away.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mihic throws a combination that misses
and Popov counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Mihic throws a combination that misses
and Popov moves into the clinch.
Mihic tries to pull guard but Popov won't allow it.
Popov with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Mihic wants to get back to striking at distance but Popov won't allow it.
A knee to the head by Popov.
Popov connects with a nasty looking knee right to Mihic's face.
A knee to the head by Popov.
Popov landing knees to the head.
Popov landing knees to the head.
Popov has Mihic pressed against the cage, preventing Mihic from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Mihic tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Popov just stands there and leans against the cage.
A knee to the head by Popov.
Mihic tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Popov smiles and moves away.
Marko Mihic seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Popov closes the distance and clinches.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mihic fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Popov lands an elbow that stopped Mihic in his tracks for a moment.
Nikoli Popov has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Mihic is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Popov can't fight it off and eventually Mihic manages to take the fight to the floor. Popov looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Mihic thows a big elbow that misses.
Mihic loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mihic postures up in Popov's guard and throws a big left but Popov blocks it.
Popov is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mihic is controlling him.
And that's the end of the fight!
Nikoli Popov showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Popov has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikoli Popov!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
46% |
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