PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mateusz Dowdak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Nabokov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nabokov is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Sparks - The Who. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Dowdak
vs
Nabokov

189 cm
18
189 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

182 cm
23
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mateusz Dowdak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Igor Nabokov!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nabokov misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Dowdak closes the distance and clinches up with Nabokov, looking for a takedown. Dowdak pushes Nabokov against the cage but Nabokov circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Nabokov closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Dowdak quickly recovers to half guard.
Nabokov looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Dowdak is looking to control Nabokov's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Dowdak avoid being mounted?
Dowdak tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Dowdak tries to get to full guard but Nabokov has control of the leg.
Nabokov prevents Dowdak from standing back up.
Nabokov winds up and cracks Dowdak with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dowdak makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Dowdak.

Dowdak looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Nabokov has picked Dowdak up and slammed him! Dowdak can't keep hold of the triangle and Nabokov manages to pass to side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dowdak is looking for a sweep.

Nabokov thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Dowdak tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nabokov lands a nice forearm strike.
Nabokov lands some shots froms side control.

Nabokov tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Dowdak struggling a bit here.
Dowdak is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dowdak is trying to improve his position.

Nabokov tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Nabokov has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nabokov lands a heavy elbow.
Dowdak is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nabokov has control of Dowdak's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Dowdak regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Nabokov lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Dowdak hang on?
Dowdak is trying to escape the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nabokov wants to control the pace but Dowdak is squirming around nicely.
Dowdak tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Nabokov wants to control the pace but Dowdak is squirming around nicely.
Dowdak tries to reverse the position but Nabokov maintains control.
Nabokov controlling his opponent.
Nabokov raining down shots from the mount!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nabokov breaks from Dowdak's wrist control and lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Nabokov dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Nabokov closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Dowdak's guard.

Dowdak working for submissions but it's allowed Nabokov to get to half guard.
Nabokov is nestled in close to Dowdak, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Dowdak is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nabokov pulls his head out easily.
Dowdak throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Dowdak is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nabokov pulls his head out easily.

Nabokov is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Dowdak wants to control but Nabokov is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nabokov lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nabokov seems to be working for a kimura but Dowdak defends the submission attempt.
Dowdak taking some punishment here, with Nabokov in his half guard.

Dowdak actively working from the bottom here.
Nabokov wants to control but Dowdak is keeping him busy.
Nabokov looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Dowdak with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Nabokov working the head and body with strikes.

Dowdak looking for submissions off his back.
Nabokov looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Dowdak with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dowdak looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Nabokov is trying to control. Dowdak wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Nabokov working over Dowdak with some ground and pound. Dowdak looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Nabokov looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nabokov lands strikes from half guard.
Nabokov working over Dowdak with some ground and pound. Dowdak looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Nabokov is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dowdak tries to get to full guard but Nabokov has control of the leg.

Nabokov is looking for a kimura but Dowdak is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Nabokov to get the leverage.
Dowdak is looking for a sweep. Nabokov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nice strikes from Nabokov there.

Nabokov is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Dowdak defends it well.
Nabokov prevents Dowdak from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dowdak wants to get back to full guard.
Nabokov wants to free his trapped foot but Dowdak is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Nabokov scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Dowdak looking for submissions off his back.
Nabokov takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Dowdak is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nabokov pulls his head out easily.

Nabokov stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Nabokov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Nabokov scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Dowdak tries to improve position but can't.
Dowdak manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Dowdak is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Dowdak is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Nabokov has managed to free his arm - good work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nabokov preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nabokov slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Dowdak wants to stand but Nabokov has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Nabokov has his foot on Dowdak's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Dowdak works his way back into a safe position though.
Nabokov wants to sweep but no luck.
Dowdak trying to control the position from guard on top but Nabokov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Dowdak has gone for a leg lock! Nabokov slips out almost immediately though and dives into Dowdak's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nabokov slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Nabokov taking a breather here.
Dowdak takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Dowdak tries to bench press Nabokov off him but Nabokov keeps the position.

Nabokov thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dowdak is being controlled here.

Nabokov tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Nabokov is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Dowdak has escaped the position, nice work there.
Dowdak tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dowdak bucks up and tries to throw Nabokov off but instead Nabokov has got his back!

Nabokov working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nabokov is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Dowdak. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Mateusz Dowdak has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Igor Nabokov is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Igor Nabokov has got the better of the ground game so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nabokov has the hooks in. Dowdak is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

And that's the end of the fight!
Igor Nabokov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nabokov has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Igor Nabokov!
A very excited looking Igor Nabokov rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.