PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cormac Gutz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexandr Nikitin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gutz comes to the cage accompanied by Everyday. Nikitin has chosen Smack My Bitch Up as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gutz
vs
Nikitin

185 cm
36
187 lbs
37 - 22 - 3

170 cm
28
175 lbs
14 - 14 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Red Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Spartan Nutrition

On Tap (160Q & Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 1 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 37 - 22 - 3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Cormac Gutz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 14 - 2, fighting out of New York, Alexandr Nikitin!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Anthony Taglia and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nikitin tries to clinch but Gutz moves out of range.
Nikitin dips to his left and cracks Gutz with an uppercut!
Nikitin shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Gutz counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Nikitin moves into range and clinches up with Gutz.
Gutz works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Nikitin is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Gutz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nikitin takes a swing at Gutz's ribcage but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gutz explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Nikitin tries to clinch up but Gutz circles away and keeps his distance.
Nikitin misses with a hook
and Gutz counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gutz paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikitin scores with a jab to the jaw.
A left lands for Nikitin.
Gutz works Nikitin's body with a nice hook.
Nikitin lands a right hook to the body.
Cormac Gutz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nikitin just misses with a punch to the body.
Nikitin wants to clinch.
Jab by Nikitin.

Nikitin darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nikitin seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gutz does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Gutz has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Nikitin is working away from the top position though.
Nikitin is looking to take a break and control but Gutz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Nikitin thows a huge punch but Gutz dodges it nicely.
Gutz is doing well to control the position and prevent Nikitin from advancing to side control.
Nikitin is keen to just control but Gutz is a slippery customer.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gutz moves out of range of the strikes.
Nice shot by Nikitin.
Nikitin darts in trying to clinch
and Gutz counters with a nice body kick.
Gutz throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Nikitin moves into the clinch.
Nikitin being controlled against the cage.
Nikitin can't get the takedown.
Gutz gets underhooks to prevent Nikitin's takedown attempt.
Cormac Gutz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexandr Nikitin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Gutz.
Gutz content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Nikitin lands a shoulder strike.
Nikitin is working for takedown but Gutz is calmly controlling the position for now.

Gutz breaks from the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Gutz as Nikitin shoots in.
It looked like Gutz was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Nikitin.
Gutz connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nice sprawl there from Gutz as Nikitin shoots in.
Gutz thinks about countering with a body kick.
Gutz misses with a series of wild punches.
Gutz doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Nikitin throws an overhand right that lands on Gutz's shoulder, as Gutz tries to avoid the shot.
Alexandr Nikitin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin throws a right hand that misses
and Gutz counters with a straight right hand.
Gutz lands the left hand.
Nikitin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gutz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nikitin misses with a hook.
Nikitin throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Gutz counter with a right hand.
Gutz throws a body punch but Nikitin moves out of range.
Nikitin misses with a lunging right hand
and Gutz counters with a straight right hand.
Gutz uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Nikitin.
Nikitin misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Gutz is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Gutz misses with the body kick
and Nikitin makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Nice shot by Nikitin.
Gutz is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Nice cross by Nikitin.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nikitin throws a poor cross that misses
letting Gutz counter with a right hand.
Gutz moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Nikitin wants to clinch but Gutz slips to the side
letting Gutz counter with a right hand.
Gutz misses with a few strikes there.
Gutz stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Nikitin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nikitin bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Gutz's head.
Nikitin scores with a decent looking hook.
Nikitin slips under a jab.
Gutz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nikitin.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Nikitin moves into the clinch.

Gutz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nikitin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Nikitin stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
A jab from Nikitin misses.
Gutz is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Gutz throws the left hand but Nikitin avoids the punch easily.
Nikitin tries to counter by closing the distance.
Gutz misses with a wild body shot.
Gutz throws a series of punches but Nikitin moves out of range.
Gutz avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nikitin throws out a loose jab but Gutz uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nikitin tries to clinch there but Gutz circles away.
A quick step to the side and Gutz tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.

Nikitin gets the takedown into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gutz is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Nikitin's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Nikitin tries to pass to full mount but Gutz defends it.
Gutz is doing well to control the position and prevent Nikitin from advancing to side control.
We've been hearing good reports from Gutz's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Gutz wants to control but Nikitin is keeping busy.
Gutz is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Gutz keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin is trying to control the action in half guard but Gutz is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Nikitin takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Gutz is refusing to be controlled, as Nikitin sits in half guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Nikitin takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Gutz tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nikitin was well out of range. Poor timing from Gutz.
Nikitin looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Nikitin scores with a jab to the head.
Gutz lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Alexandr Nikitin.
I think Nikitin has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1 round of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 10:10
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 9:10
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 10:9

The fight is ruled a draw!