PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Alexandr Nikitin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eulalio Gonzalez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nikitin kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Smack My Bitch Up . Gonzalez has chosen El Party Me Llama as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Nikitin
vs
Gonzalez

170 cm
30
171 lbs
15 - 19 - 5

179 cm
41
183 lbs
23 - 22 - 2

BJJ Red Belt
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Good low kicks
Granite chin

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 15 - 19 - 5, fighting out of Hilo, Alexandr Nikitin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 22 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eulalio Gonzalez!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Ryoma Takatsuka and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gonzalez tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Nikitin swivels and escapes.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Nikitin checks a leg kick.
Gonzalez attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Nikitin moves in looking to clinch but Gonzalez pushes him off.
Gonzalez tries to land a leg kick but Nikitin saw it coming and moves away.
Nikitin was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Nikitin scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

Gonzalez gets tackled into the cage by Nikitin. Nikitin maintains the clinch.

Gonzalez breaks from the clinch.
Nikitin throws a combination. Gonzalez tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Nikitin fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gonzalez unleashes a big counter combination but Nikitin bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Nikitin lands a right hook to the body.
Gonzalez feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Nikitin's calf.
Nikitin scores with a hook to the body. Gonzalez takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nikitin stuns Gonzalez with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Nikitin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gonzalez takes one on the button.

Gonzalez looking to score a takedown here. Nikitin is defending well but Gonzalez drives through and ends up in Nikitin's guard.

Nikitin is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Gonzalez is aware though and is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikitin controlling Gonzalez's posture.
Gonzalez stopping the sweep attempt from Nikitin.
Gonzalez trying to control but Nikitin is working from the bottom.
Gonzalez controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Gonzalez's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Gonzalez pushing down on Nikitin's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Gonzalez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nikitin keeps working.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gonzalez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Nikitin gets back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin is controlling Gonzalez's posture.
Gonzalez forces his way into half guard.

Nikitin is defending against the submission attempts here by Gonzalez.
Gonzalez working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Nikitin's thigh. Nikitin counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Gonzalez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Nikitin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Gonzalez wants to pass the guard but Nikitin is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Gonzalez wants to control from the top but Nikitin keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nikitin is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gonzalez being controlled here momentarily.
Gonzalez is looking to advance position but Nikitin has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Gonzalez is trying to escape the mount.
Nikitin is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Gonzalez can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin tries to control but Gonzalez wriggling away.
Nikitin is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Gonzalez can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Nikitin punishing his opponent with strikes.
Gonzalez tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gonzalez regains half guard.
Nikitin is looking to take a break and control but Gonzalez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gonzalez wants to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexandr Nikitin dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Nikitin clinches.
Nikitin is working Gonzalez over against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Nikitin.
Gonzalez pushes Nikitin back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Nikitin works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Nikitin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gonzalez is keeping the position for now.
Nikitin stands up over Gonzalez, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Nikitin pushes down on Gonzalez's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Gonzalez wants to improve his position but Nikitin is controlling well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nikitin passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Gonzalez!
Gonzalez is working to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikitin can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Gonzalez is looking to escape.
Nikitin connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Nikitin wants to control but instead Gonzalez manages to regain half guard.
Gonzalez moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Nikitin keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Gonzalez's head.
Nikitin preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin advances position into side control!

Nikitin looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Nikitin landing a few strikes.
Nikitin advances to full mount.
Gonzalez is looking to improve his position but Nikitin isn't that keen on the idea.

Nikitin is working for a guillotine from mount but Gonzalez frees his head quite easily.
Nikitin looking to finish Gonzalez with some ground and pound. This is bad for Gonzalez!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin wants to control the pace but Gonzalez is squirming around nicely.
Gonzalez wants to control but Nikitin is having none of it.
Nikitin postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Gonzalez looks a forlorn figure.
Gonzalez is looking to improve his position but Nikitin isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Gonzalez wants to control but Nikitin is having none of it.
Nikitin sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Nikitin scoring with strikes but Gonzalez is staying in there.
Nikitin tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gonzalez is in all sorts of trouble here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexandr Nikitin dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Nikitin takes a swing at Gonzalez's ribcage but misses.
Nikitin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gonzalez can do to turn this around?
A cross from Nikitin lands.
Nikitin thuds a left hand into Gonzalez's body.
Gonzalez misses with a looping left.
Nikitin scores with a hook to the body. Gonzalez takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
A jab from Gonzalez misses.
Gonzalez darts in looking for a takedown but Nikitin gets double underhooks and turns Gonzalez into the cage.
Gonzalez misses with a low kick.
Nikitin scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Gonzalez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Eulalio Gonzalez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nikitin changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Nikitin looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Gonzalez wants to stand back up but Nikitin manages to pass into side control.
Gonzalez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Nikitin is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Gonzalez has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikitin creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Nikitin cracks Gonzalez with a big right hand but Gonzalez just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Nikitin tries for a kimura but Gonzalez is defending well.

Nikitin is trying to get an arm triangle but Gonzalez is defending well.
Nikitin controlling the position from side mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez prevents Nikitin from moving into mount.
Nikitin wants to control for a moment but Gonzalez uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Gonzalez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Alexandr Nikitin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Well, if Nikitin is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Nikitin's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin wants to pass to mount but Gonzalez is defending the position.
Nikitin takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Nikitin is pressing down on Gonzalez's thigh, looking to free his foot. Gonzalez is holding on for now.
Nikitin stalling.
Nikitin seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Gonzalez for as long as he can get away with.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gonzalez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A counter left hand to the body from Nikitin misses its target.
Nikitin scores with a punch to the head.
Eulalio Gonzalez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nikitin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A low kick from Gonzalez misses
and Gonzalez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Gonzalez decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Nikitin manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gonzalez stands up over Nikitin, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Gonzalez landing with the ground and pound.
Nikitin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexandr Nikitin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nikitin 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexandr Nikitin!
A relieved looking Alexandr Nikitin thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.