PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jeremy Pettis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexandr Nikitin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alexandr Nikitin has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Pettis
vs
Nikitin

176 cm
25
144 lbs
6 - 8 - 1

170 cm
20
140 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Excellent grappler
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)
Project Mayhem

Zipp Zapp

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Jeremy Pettis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alexandr Nikitin!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Saam Ante and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nikitin walks into a straight right hand from Pettis.
Pettis smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Pettis looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Good work by Pettis as he checks the leg kick.
Nikitin throws a leg kick that misses.
Pettis is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Nikitin.
Pettis thows a left - swing and a miss!
Nikitin slips under a jab.
Pettis jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Nikitin is defended easily by Pettis.
Nikitin goes for a double leg but Pettis avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Pettis continues to drive forward.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikitin is pushing Pettis up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Nikitin turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Nikitin manages to end up in side control.
Pettis is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Nikitin misses with the ground and pound.
Pettis is pushing Nikitin's head away, looking to escape. Nikitin manages to hold on to the position though.
Nikitin tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Pettis wants to get back to his feet.
Nikitin in side control, throwing shots but Pettis defends.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Nikitin wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Pettis, who protects the arm well.
Pettis is trying to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Pettis is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nikitin tries to advance to mount but Pettis denies him.
Pettis is not content to let Nikitin control the position.
Nikitin is chipping away with strikes.
Pettis is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Nikitin trying to control the action but Pettis is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin tries to advance to mount but can't.
Nikitin is putting a hurting on Pettis here, landing some big shots from side control.
Check out the look on Nikitin's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Nikitin lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Nikitin lands a nice forearm strike.
Nikitin looks up at the clock and then as Pettis takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Nikitin smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Nikitin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pettis keeps working.

Nikitin tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
My spies in Mano`s Elite BJJ Gym inform me that Nikitin has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Nikitin cracks Pettis with a big right hand but Pettis just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Nikitin tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Nikitin has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Pettis wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Nikitin trying to control the action but Pettis is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pettis pushes Nikitin away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Nikitin gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexandr Nikitin 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.

Nikitin moves out of range as Pettis strikes.
Nikitin shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Pettis but Pettis pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Nikitin uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Pettis.
Nikitin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Jab, jab by Pettis - just one landing.
Pettis swings widly with a right hand

and Nikitin counters with a takedown into side control.
Alexandr Nikitin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nikitin just content to control the position.
Pettis pushes Nikitin away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Nikitin gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Nikitin trying to control the position but Pettis is working away.
Nikitin has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikitin scoring with punches from side control.

Pettis throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Nikitin.
Pettis loads up on a big right hand but Nikitin slips the punch.
Pettis looks to land a left hand but Nikitin moved out of range nicely.
Nikitin looks for a takedown but Pettis sprawls well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pettis ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Nikitin moves away.
Jeremy Pettis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nikitin shoots in for a takedown but Pettis shows good takedown defense.
Jeremy Pettis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexandr Nikitin.
Nikitin shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Good work by Pettis as he checks the leg kick.
Nikitin blocks a jab.
Nikitin fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Pettis avoids it really well and circles away.
Pettis lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Pettis is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Nikitin.
Pettis waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Nikitin.
Nikitin is trying hard to land a takedown here. Pettis sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Pettis stuffs the takedown.

Nikitin fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Pettis to the ground. Nikitin is now in Pettis's guard.
Nikitin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Nikitin scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nikitin keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Pettis's head.
Nikitin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pettis works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pettis can't keep his opponent in guard - Nikitin advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

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!
Nikitin trying to control from half guard but Pettis is working away.
Pettis is trying to stand back up but Nikitin is controlling him

Pettis manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Pettis is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Pettis steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Nikitin.
Pettis scores with a punch to the head.
Nikitin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pettis tries to avoid it but Nikitin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pettis to the ground. Pettis escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Pettis misses the jab.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pettis jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Pettis misses with an uppercut. Nikitin saw that one coming.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Alexandr Nikitin will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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!

Pettis misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Nikitin.
Nikitin is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Nikitin shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Nikitin was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Pettis taking a bit of punishment here - Nikitin scoring with strikes.
Nikitin is looking to take a break and control but Pettis is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Pettis takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
The referee asks Nikitin politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Nikitin prefers to stall for the moment though.
Pettis tries to escape but Nikitin is in control.
Nikitin trying to control the action but Pettis is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikitin tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Pettis knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Nikitin on the ground.
Pettis is working to avoid the ground and pound but Nikitin connects with a decent elbow.

Pettis is rocked!
Nikitin scoring with punches from side control.
Oh Pettis is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Nikitin scores with a big shot from side control... and another... and another! Oh Pettis is done here - save him referee! More strikes land and eventually the ref does step in and Nikitin can finally stop beating on his defenseless opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Alexandr Nikitin!