PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nikita Litvinkov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Morimoto Kazasaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Litvinkov
vs
Kazasaki

188 cm
22
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nikita Litvinkov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Morimoto Kazasaki!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Daniel Cesar and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slow jab from Kazasaki misses its intended target.
Litvinkov wants to clinch.
Litvinkov tries to close the distance and clinch but Kazasaki swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Litvinkov throws a nice looking combination but Kazasaki bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kazasaki throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Litvinkov is looking to clinch.
A telegraphed right hand from Kazasaki misses the target.
Kazasaki throws a left and a right that both miss
and Litvinkov counters with a body kick that stops Kazasaki in his tracks momentarily.
Kazasaki looks gassed!

Litvinkov has closed the distance and engaged Kazasaki in a clinch.
Litvinkov content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Litvinkov manages to break the clinch.

Litvinkov gets a clinch.

Litvinkov breaks the clinch.

Litvinkov clinches with his opponent.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Litvinkov.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Litvinkov for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.

Litvinkov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kazasaki moves into range and connects with a jab.
A punch combination from Kazasaki misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kazasaki throws a big shot that misses.
A thudding body kick lands there by Litvinkov!

Litvinkov has closed the distance and engaged Kazasaki in a clinch.
Kazasaki takes a knee right on the jaw!
Litvinkov with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Litvinkov with a knee to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kazasaki wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Nikita Litvinkov.
Kazasaki lands a glancing blow to the side of Litvinkov's head.
Kazasaki throws a jab when Litvinkov was well out of range.

Litvinkov fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kazasaki, pushing him back against the cage.
Litvinkov lands a knee to the head.
Litvinkov connects with a nasty looking knee right to Kazasaki's face.
Kazasaki is trying to maintain a safe position but Litvinkov gets an underhook and turns Kazasaki into the cage.
A knee to the head by Litvinkov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Litvinkov manages to break the clinch.
Litvinkov lands with a kick to the ribs.

Kazasaki tries to keep at a distance but Litvinkov has taken the fight into the clinch.
Litvinkov taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Kazasaki looking to slow down the pace here.

Litvinkov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Litvinkov has taken the fight to the clinch.
Kazasaki has a couple of punches blocked by Litvinkov.

Litvinkov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Litvinkov slips a jab from Kazasaki.
Litvinkov takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Kazasaki swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Litvinkov cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Kazasaki swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Litvinkov closes the distance and clinches.
Kazasaki lands with a light punch inside.

Litvinkov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Litvinkov misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Litvinkov staying out of range there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Litvinkov wants to clinch.
Kazasaki misses with a straight right.
Kazasaki might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Kazasaki lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

Litvinkov gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Litvinkov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kazasaki swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Litvinkov ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Litvinkov closes the distance and clinches.

Litvinkov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A decent looking cross lands there for Kazasaki.
Kazasaki misses with a combination
and Litvinkov counters with a head kick. That will keep Kazasaki thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Kazasaki closes the distance but Litvinkov moves to the side
and Litvinkov finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Litvinkov fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Litvinkov moves out of range of the strikes.
Litvinkov on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Litvinkov tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kazasaki swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Litvinkov darts in and clinches Kazasaki up against the cage.
Litvinkov effectively controlling the action here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kazasaki.
Kazasaki wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A knee to the head by Litvinkov.
Litvinkov keeps control of Kazasaki as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Kazasaki swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Litvinkov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kazasaki throws a jab when Litvinkov was well out of range.
Kazasaki looks to land a combination but Litvinkov avoids it well.
Kazasaki avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kazasaki scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Kazasaki misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Kazasaki tries to clinch up

and Litvinkov holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikita Litvinkov dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A big right from Kazasaki misses.
Kazasaki throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Litvinkov pushes Kazasaki up against the cage in a clinch.
Litvinkov looking to stall.

Litvinkov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kazasaki takes a kick to the side of the head.
Kazasaki misses with a looping right.
Morimoto Kazasaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kazasaki looks to land a left hand but Litvinkov moved out of range nicely.
Litvinkov missing with a left hand there. Kazasaki was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A combination from Kazasaki does no damage.
Kazasaki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Litvinkov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Litvinkov fails with an attempt to clinch.

Kazasaki tries to keep at a distance but Litvinkov has taken the fight into the clinch.
Kazasaki misses with a hook from the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Litvinkov.
Kazasaki can't break the clinch.
Litvinkov tries to stall but Kazasaki uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Litvinkov with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kazasaki trying to stall but Litvinkov improves his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kazasaki takes a knee right on the jaw!
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Litvinkov scores with a knee to the head.
Litvinkov keeps control of Kazasaki as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Kazasaki as Litvinkov tries to tie him up.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Litvinkov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kazasaki lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

Kazasaki closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Kazasaki wants to break free but Litvinkov has control.
Litvinkov stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
A head punch on the inside from Kazasaki fails to land.
Kazasaki tries to break the clinch but Litvinkov is controlling the position.
Kazasaki is trying to break free.
Kazasaki throws a head punch that misses.
Litvinkov landing knees to the head.
Kazasaki wants to break the clinch but can't.
Litvinkov leaning his opponent against the cage.
Litvinkov landing knees to the head.
Kazasaki is looking to break free of the clinch but Litvinkov has double underhooks.

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.

Litvinkov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kazasaki stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Kazasaki swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Litvinkov counters with a good, hard body kick but Kazasaki shrugs it off.
Kazasaki missing with a left hand there. Litvinkov was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Nikita Litvinkov is winning the standup battle so far.
Litvinkov misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Kazasaki tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Litvinkov counters by moving into the clinch.
Litvinkov keeps control of Kazasaki as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Kazasaki is looking to break free of the clinch but Litvinkov has double underhooks.
Litvinkov is pushing Kazasaki up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Litvinkov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kazasaki misses with a looping left.
Kazasaki misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Litvinkov throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Nikita Litvinkov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kazasaki keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kazasaki scores with a jab to the jaw.
Litvinkov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Litvinkov with a knee to the head.
Kazasaki tries to break the clinch but Litvinkov is controlling the position.
Kazasaki trying to stall but Litvinkov improves his position.
Litvinkov with a knee to the head.

Litvinkov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kazasaki lands with a straight right. Litvinkov didn't see that one coming.
Kazasaki throws a combination that misses
and Litvinkov makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Kazasaki really felt that one!
Kazasaki looks to throw a body kick

and Litvinkov moves into the clinch.

Litvinkov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Kazasaki has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Litvinkov.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Kazasaki wants to get back to striking at distance but Litvinkov won't allow it.
Stalling in the clinch from Litvinkov.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Litvinkov as Kazasaki tries to tie him up.
Kazasaki is trying to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Litvinkov looking to throw knees to the head but Kazasaki is blocking nicely.
Litvinkov lands a knee to the head.
Kazasaki is trying to stall.
Litvinkov effectively controlling the action here.

Litvinkov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Litvinkov dodges the punch combination from Kazasaki.
Kazasaki scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Litvinkov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kazasaki can do to turn this around?
Litvinkov takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Litvinkov lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Kazasaki keeps the fight on the outside.
Litvinkov circles away from the clinch attempt

and Litvinkov counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Kazasaki trying to stall but Litvinkov improves his position.
Litvinkov connects with a nasty looking knee right to Kazasaki's face.

Litvinkov breaks from the clinch.
Litvinkov tries to close the distance and clinch but Kazasaki swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikita Litvinkov dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Kazasaki misses with a looping left.
Kazasaki avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kazasaki lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Kazasaki wants to clinch but Litvinkov slips to the side

and Litvinkov counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Litvinkov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Litvinkov tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kazasaki swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kazasaki tries to clinch up.
Kazasaki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Litvinkov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kazasaki moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Litvinkov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
No joy there for Kazasaki, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Litvinkov gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Litvinkov displaying some good clinch control by pressing Kazasaki up against the cage.
Kazasaki swings away with an uppercut that misses.

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

Litvinkov gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Litvinkov taking a breather.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Litvinkov manages to break the clinch.
Kazasaki throws a left and a right that both miss

and Litvinkov moves into the clinch.

Litvinkov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kazasaki throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Kazasaki cracks Litvinkov with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Nice cross by Litvinkov.
Kazasaki cracks Litvinkov with a right hand to the side of the head.
Nice defenses there by Litvinkov.
Kazasaki looks to score with a jab to the body but Litvinkov is just out of range.
Kazasaki clinches but Litvinkov breaks the clinch

and Litvinkov holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Kazasaki is looking to break free of the clinch but Litvinkov has double underhooks.

Litvinkov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Litvinkov lands a high kick!
Kazasaki is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Kazasaki throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Litvinkov tries to clinch there but Kazasaki circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Litvinkov tries to move into range but Kazasaki moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Kazasaki swats away the attempt to clinch by Litvinkov.
Kazasaki throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Litvinkov on the side of the head.
Litvinkov moves out of range of the strikes.

Litvinkov has managed to clinch.
Nikita Litvinkov has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Litvinkov holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Kazasaki throws an elbow that misses.
Kazasaki tries to stall but Litvinkov uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kazasaki.
Litvinkov just leaning against Kazasaki, taking a breather.
Kazasaki is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Litvinkov is keeping busy.

Litvinkov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kazasaki looks to land a combination but Litvinkov avoids it well.
Litvinkov wants to clinch up but Kazasaki keeps it at a distance.
Kazasaki tries to clinch

and Litvinkov counters by moving into the clinch.
Kazasaki wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kazasaki tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Litvinkov scores with a knee to the head.
Litvinkov connects with a knee to the head.

Litvinkov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Litvinkov misses with a head kick.
Kazasaki wants to clinch

and Litvinkov holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Kazasaki is trying to break free.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kazasaki.
Kazasaki is trying to break free.
Litvinkov has Kazasaki pressed against the cage.
Litvinkov connects with a knee to the head.
Kazasaki misses with a punch to the body.

Litvinkov manages to break the clinch.
Litvinkov doesn't manage to clinch there - Kazasaki circles away.
Litvinkov takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Kazasaki misses the shot to the body.

Litvinkov has managed to clinch.
Litvinkov tries to land a knee to the head but Kazasaki blocks with his arms.
Litvinkov is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Kazasaki fails to land.
Litvinkov landing knees to the head.
Litvinkov taking a breather.
Kazasaki wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Litvinkov misses with a knee strike.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Kazasaki can't break the clinch.
The is referee keeping an eye on Litvinkov - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Litvinkov gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Kazasaki misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Litvinkov.
Kazasaki wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Kazasaki is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Litvinkov is keeping busy.
Litvinkov with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Litvinkov prevents Kazasaki from breaking the clinch.
Litvinkov is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Litvinkov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Morimoto Kazasaki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nikita Litvinkov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Litvinkov avoids the body shot from Kazasaki.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nikita Litvinkov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Litvinkov has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 30:26
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:26
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikita Litvinkov!