PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rami Kottari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ed Nesi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Nesi's choice of entrance music: Van Canto - Battery. Rami Kottari could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Ed Nesi's chin.

Kottari
vs
Nesi

188 cm
35
255 lbs
16 - 18 - 0

184 cm
30
201 lbs
9 - 11 - 0

Great wrestler
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rami Kottari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ed Nesi!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Ivan Kurochkin and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kottari gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Nesi counters with a lovely straight right hand!
We've been informed that Nesi has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Kottari throws a big shot that misses.
Nesi let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Nesi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kottari swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kottari changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Kottari moves out of range of the strikes.

Nesi clinches up with Kottari and pushes him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nesi connects with a nasty looking knee right to Kottari's face.
Nesi using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kottari has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kottari takes a knee right on the jaw!
Kottari will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Nesi up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kottari is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Nesi is keeping busy.
Kottari tries for a takedown. No joy.
Nesi tries to throw a body punch but Kottari avoids it by throwing Nesi back against the cage.
Nesi connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Rami Kottari has been cut.
Kottari is trying to maintain a safe position but Nesi gets an underhook and turns Kottari into the cage.
Nesi unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Nesi landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Kottari has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Knees to the body from Nesi.
Nesi landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Kottari trying to control the position but instead, Nesi has worked for underhooks and has pushed Kottari into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nesi connects with a nasty looking knee right to Kottari's face.
Nesi lands a nice uppercut.
Kottari holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Nesi tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Nesi gets underhooks to prevent Kottari's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rami Kottari. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nesi lands a nice uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Knees in the clinch landing for Nesi.
Nesi tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kottari trying to stall but Nesi improves his position.
Nesi scores with a nice hook to the head.
Nesi misses with a knee strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nesi lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Kottari or not.
Nesi scores with a knee to the head.
Nesi misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kottari stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Nesi scores with a knee to the head.
Nesi lands a body shot.
Nesi tries a body shot but Kottari blocks it.
Kottari wants a takedown but no success here.
Kottari will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Nesi up against the cage.
Kottari is trying to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nesi tries to land knees in the clinch but Kottari avoids the damage to the body.
Nesi wants to stall.
Kottari goes for a takedown attempt but Nesi pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Nesi lands with a good body shot.
Nesi tries to close the distance and clinch but Kottari swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kottari appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Nesi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ed Nesi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rami Kottari's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nesi scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Kottari doesn't seem bothered though.
Nesi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kottari manages to avoid it.
Nesi connects with a jab.
Nesi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The crowd cheers as Nesi lands an impressive looking overhand right. Kottari doesn't seem phased though.

Nesi clinches up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A short right from Nesi on the inside.
Nesi lands a right hand.
Nesi misses with a body punch.
Nesi works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Nesi displaying some good clinch control by pressing Kottari up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Nesi takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Nesi gets through Kottari's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Nesi using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Nesi just leaning against Kottari, taking a breather.
Nesi tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kottari avoids it.
Nesi lands with a light punch inside.
Nesi misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kottari on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kottari blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ed Nesi seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nesi looking to stall.
Nesi tries to throw a body punch but Kottari avoids it by throwing Nesi back against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Nesi tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Kottari's elbow.
Nesi stops a takedown attempt from Kottari.
Nesi is looking to control Kottari's arms but Kottari gets an underhook and turns him. Now Nesi has his back to the cage.
Nesi letting Kottari take a breather here.
Nesi wants to stall.
Kottari stalling against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nesi lands a body punch in the clinch.
Kottari slowing the pace effectively.
Nesi tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Nesi landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Kottari trying to control the position but instead, Nesi has worked for underhooks and has pushed Kottari into the cage.
Nesi manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Nesi can't find room to land a body shot as Kottari controls the action.
Nesi stalling against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nesi is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Nesi tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kottari avoids it.
Nesi is looking to control Kottari's arms but Kottari gets an underhook and turns him. Now Nesi has his back to the cage.
Kottari managing to block the knees to the body from Nesi.
Nesi tries to land knees in the clinch but Kottari avoids the damage to the body.
Kottari drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Nesi gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Nesi unloads a knee to the mid-section. Kottari lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nesi is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kottari is defending well for now.
Nesi pushes Kottari back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Nesi lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ed Nesi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Rami Kottari's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nesi lands a nice shot to the body.
A punch lands to the side of Kottari 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Ed Nesi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice cross by Nesi.
Nesi fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Kottari uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nesi.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kottari slips under a jab from Nesi.
Nesi lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Nesi scores with a decent looking hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kottari uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nesi.
Kottari attempts a counter takedown but Nesi avoids it well and moves away.
Nesi cracks Kottari with a right hand to the side of the head.
Kottari walks into a jab.

Nesi instigates a clinch.
Nesi throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kottari blocks it with crossed arms.
Kottari is working for takedown but Nesi is calmly controlling the position for now.
Nesi digs a right hand underneath Kottari's ribcage. Kottari let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Nesi is pressed up against the cage. Kottari has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Nesi down to the mat. Nesi avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nesi throws a jab when Kottari was well out of range.
Nesi leaves Kottari with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rami Kottari. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nesi connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Nesi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kottari swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kottari shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Nesi as he jumps to the side.
Rami Kottari has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kottari drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Nesi keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Nesi looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Nesi ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Nesi misses with a straight right.
Kottari attempts a counter takedown but Nesi avoids it well and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kottari goes for a double leg but Nesi avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Nesi continues to drive forward.
Nesi scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Nesi connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Ed Nesi is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Nesi tries to clinch up.
Kottari half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Kottari with a poor takedown
and Nesi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nesi digs a good body shot into Kottari's ribs.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nesi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kottari half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ed Nesi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nesi 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 24:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 25:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 24:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ed Nesi!
During a confident post fight interview, Ed Nesi thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.