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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Heriberto Nichols (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aleksandr Balayan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.
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| 209 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 1 - 0 |
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180 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0 |
BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily |
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BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Heriberto Nichols!
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, Aleksandr Balayan!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Dmitry Maklakov and Viktor Lagutenko.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balayan shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Nichols manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Nichols really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Balayan stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Nichols fails with the takedown
and Balayan holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Balayan is pushing Nichols up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Balayan manages to break the clinch.
Balayan clinches up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balayan taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Nichols is trying to push Balayan away but Balayan has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Balayan manages to break the clinch.
Nichols tries to score a power double leg takedown but Balayan sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Nichols somewhat.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Balayan shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Balayan is working for an americana but Nichols has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Balayan was thinking about the submission.
Balayan would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Balayan decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balayan stuns Nichols with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Balayan looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Nichols is defending against the submission attempts here by Balayan.
Balayan is figuring out what he wants to do next.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nichols wants to get back to full guard.
Nichols trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Balayan goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Nichols turns into him and now he's in Balayan's guard.
Balayan has control of Nichols's left arm, preventing Nichols from doing any damage.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balayan controls Nichols momentarily but Nichols frees himself.
Nichols would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Balayan is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nichols defends well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Aleksandr Balayan dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!
Nichols closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Balayan tries to improve position but can't.
Balayan tries to escape but Nichols is in control.
Nichols decides to stand up, so the ref orders Balayan to his feet.
Balayan instigates a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A bit of stalling here from Balayan.
Balayan ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Balayan no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Nichols wanted to stand there but Balayan had control of the position.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Nichols stands up and waves to Balayan to follow him.
Balayan tries to sprawl but Nichols drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Balayan flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Balayan is refusing to be controlled, as Nichols sits in half guard.
Nichols tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Balayan.
Balayan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nichols stalling.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balayan trying to control from the bottom.
Balayan wants to get back to his feet.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Balayan tries to get to full guard but Nichols has control of the leg.
The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Balayan throws a chopping leg kick but Nichols manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balayan misses with a wild body shot.
Balayan is breathing heavily.
Balayan scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Balayan with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Nichols gets back to full guard.
Nichols throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Nichols trying to control the position.
Nichols has control of Balayan's left arm, preventing Balayan from doing any damage.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nichols is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Balayan must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Balayan postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Nichols is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Balayan, into his guard.
Nichols stands up and waves to Balayan to follow him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Heriberto Nichols dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!
Balayan shoots in and gets a takedown into Nichols's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Balayan's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Balayan stands and steps away. Nichols gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Nichols dives in for a single leg takedown but Balayan sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Balayan has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Nichols uses from the top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balayan wants to control the position but Nichols says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Aleksandr Balayan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Balayan tries to kick Nichols off but Nichols keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Nichols prevents Balayan from improving his position.
Balayan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Balayan is trying to control but can't.
Balayan is looking to improve his position.
Nichols tries to stand but can't do so whilst Balayan controls his leg.
Nichols not doing much here.
The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Balayan shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Balayan was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nichols wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Balayan tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Nichols throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nichols is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Balayan's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Nichols trying to control from the bottom.
Balayan lands with a punch from half guard.
It looks like Balayan is going to stand back up.
The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Balayan looks to land a combination but Nichols avoids it well.
Nichols lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Heriberto Nichols is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balayan avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nichols shoots in but Balayan avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Nichols dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Balayan. That did some damage!
Balayan clinches with his opponent.
Balayan has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nichols looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Heriberto Nichols. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nichols wants to stall.
Balayan breaks from the clinch.
And that's the end of the fight!
Aleksandr Balayan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Balayan 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aleksandr Balayan!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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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
26% |
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