PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mateus Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Uri Nabokow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mateus Santiago has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Santiago
vs
Nabokow

188 cm
24
185 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

190 cm
25
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight 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, Mateus Santiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Uri Nabokow!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Vladimir Khabensky and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nabokow darts in and clinches Santiago up against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Nabokow.

Nabokow pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Santiago looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nabokow tries to score a power double leg takedown but Santiago sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Nabokow somewhat.
Santiago tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Nabokow counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Nabokow landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Nabokow breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nabokow gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Nabokow will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Santiago up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Santiago's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Nabokow jumps guard but Santiago stands there with Nabokow around his waist. Nabokow gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Nabokow breaks from the clinch.

Santiago takes the fight into the clinch.
Santiago slowing the pace effectively.
Santiago gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Nabokow.
Mateus Santiago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Uri Nabokow.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nabokow breaks the clinch.
A punch combination from Nabokow misses.

Nabokow shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Santiago wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Nabokow.
Nabokow trying to control but Santiago is having none of it.
Santiago really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Santiago is breathing heavily.
Santiago is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Nabokow working Santiago over with strikes here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nabokow looking to ground and pound but Santiago is blocking nicely.
Nabokow looking to control but Santiago is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Nabokow looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Nabokow throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Santiago can't escape the position.
Nabokow with good strikes from the mount here!
Nabokow lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

Nabokow gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Nabokow fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Santiago avoids it really well and circles away.
Santiago clinches but Nabokow breaks the clinch

and Nabokow counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nabokow keeps control of Santiago as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Santiago.
Nabokow tries to score a body lock takedown but Santiago shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Nabokow lands a good knee to the midsection. Santiago won't want to take too many of those.

Nabokow pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Santiago stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Santiago wants it to stay on the feet.
Mateus Santiago is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Santiago fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nabokow, pushing him back against the cage.
Santiago wants to get back to striking at distance but Nabokow won't allow it.

Nabokow pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nabokow has a takedown stuffed.
Santiago catches Nabokow with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Santiago tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Nabokow counters with a shoot takedown. Santiago fights it but they end up in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nabokow tries to stand but Santiago is controlling from the bottom.
Nabokow trying to control but Santiago is working from the bottom.
Nabokow stands and throws Santiago's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Santiago wants to control but Nabokow postures up.
Nabokow working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Santiago knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Nabokow on the ground.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nabokow controlling the position from side mount.
Nabokow scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Santiago to see if he's OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Uri Nabokow dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Nabokow shoots in and drives through. Santiago sprawls well.
Nabokow fails with a takedown attempt.
A head kick misses from Nabokow.
Santiago wants to clinch but Nabokow slips to the side

and Nabokow counters with a shoot takedown. Santiago fights it but they end up in guard.
Santiago bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nabokow's guard.
Santiago 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.
Santiago tries to stand but Nabokow is controlling from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nabokow throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nabokow trying to control the position.
Nabokow looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Nabokow trying to control the position.
Santiago wants to control from the top but Nabokow keeps moving.
Nabokow bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Santiago's guard.

Nabokow is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Nabokow gets to his feet - Santiago follows without any prompting.

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.
Santiago clinches but Nabokow breaks the clinch
and Nabokow finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

Nabokow has managed to clinch.
Santiago working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Santiago.

Nabokow escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Santiago tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Santiago defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Nabokow.
Mateus Santiago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Uri Nabokow.
Santiago tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Nabokow counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Santiago is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Santiago fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nabokow, pushing him back against the cage.
Santiago throws a head punch that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nabokow ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Nabokow no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Nabokow has a closed guard, preventing Santiago from standing up.
Uri Nabokow has got the better of the ground game so far.
Santiago trying to control the position from guard on top but Nabokow is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santiago prevents Nabokow from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nabokow lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Santiago!

That's four 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.
Nabokow in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Nabokow has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Nabokow dominating with strikes here.
Santiago keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Nabokow breaks from Santiago's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Santiago on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Santiago tries to get out of the position.
Nabokow connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Nabokow wants to control the pace but Santiago is squirming around nicely.
Santiago really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Uri Nabokow showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Santiago's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Santiago thuds a left hand into Nabokow's body.
Nabokow circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mateus Santiago seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Nabokow.
Nabokow avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Santiago darts in trying to clinch

and Nabokow counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Nabokow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nabokow lands a good knee to the midsection. Santiago won't want to take too many of those.

Nabokow manages to break the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Santiago as Nabokow shoots in.
Nabokow looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Santiago is fending him off so far but Nabokow persists. Nope, Santiago circles away and we're back to standing.
Mateus Santiago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Uri Nabokow.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Santiago tries to clinch

and Nabokow counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Santiago!
Nabokow wants to control but Santiago has made it back to half guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago trying to control here.
Nabokow not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Nabokow seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Santiago does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Nabokow is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Nabokow scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Nabokow is keen to just control but Santiago is a slippery customer.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Santiago lands an overhand right.
Nabokow shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Santiago as he avoids it easily.
A head kick from Nabokow lands but Santiago takes it in his stride.
Nabokow throws a head kick but Santiago moves out of range.
Nabokow misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nabokow tries to clinch but Santiago moves away

and Santiago counters by moving into the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Santiago.
Nabokow scores a nice knee to the body.
Nabokow leaning against his opponent.
Nabokow tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Santiago avoids it.
Nabokow tries to pull guard but Santiago holds him up against the cage and eventually Nabokow drops back down to his feet.
Santiago stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Nabokow pushes Santiago back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nabokow drags the fight down to the ground.
Santiago sitting in guard here, content to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nabokow wants to get back to his feet but Santiago is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Santiago stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Santiago tries to clinch

and Nabokow counters with a single leg into guard. Santiago didn't expect that.
Nabokow passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Santiago is not content to let Nabokow control the position.
Santiago striking from the bottom but nothing landed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santiago can't do much from the bottom here.
Nabokow is looking to take a break and control but Santiago is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Nabokow working away.
Santiago is looking to regain half guard here but Nabokow keeps moving and retains side control.
Mateus Santiago has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Uri Nabokow is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nabokow wants to control but Santiago is keeping him busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Uri Nabokow comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Nabokow 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Uri Nabokow!