PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nikolay Zarubaylo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nolan Millner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Zarubaylo
vs
Millner

177 cm
21
165 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

178 cm
24
165 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Tesla Apparel [Everything $15!]
Team S.W.A.T.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nikolay Zarubaylo!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nolan Millner!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Illya Tyunina and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Millner shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Millner on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Zarubaylo throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Millner has clasped his hands together around Zarubaylo's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Zarubaylo is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Millner's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Zarubaylo is looking for a sweep. Millner is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Millner is keen to just control but Zarubaylo is a slippery customer.
Zarubaylo wants to get back to full guard.

Millner decides to stand up.
Millner lands with a slapping head kick.

Zarubaylo gets a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zarubaylo using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Millner has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Millner tries to score a body lock takedown but Zarubaylo shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Zarubaylo landing knees to the body.

Millner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Zarubaylo wants to clinch up but Millner keeps it at a distance.
Millner fails to land the takedown.
Nikolay Zarubaylo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nolan Millner.

Zarubaylo has managed to clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Zarubaylo.
Millner looks gassed!
Zarubaylo lands a nice knee to the body.
Zarubaylo looking to throw knees to the head but Millner is blocking nicely.
Zarubaylo creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Millner's defenses.
Zarubaylo misses with a knee to the head.
Zarubaylo tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Millner tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Zarubaylo misses with a knee to the head.
Zarubaylo pushes off an throws an elbow but Millner leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Zarubaylo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Millner goes for a takedown attempt but Zarubaylo pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Nolan Millner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Zarubaylo has managed to clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zarubaylo using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Millner has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Millner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Zarubaylo drives through and clinches with Millner against the cage.
Zarubaylo using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Millner has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Millner takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Nolan Millner has been cut.
Zarubaylo lands an elbow that stopped Millner in his tracks for a moment.
Zarubaylo landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Zarubaylo landing knees to the head.
Zarubaylo connects with a nasty looking knee right to Millner's face.
Zarubaylo lands a nice knee to the body.
Zarubaylo prevents Millner from breaking the clinch.
Zarubaylo lands a nice elbow.
Millner tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Zarubaylo just stands there and leans against the cage.
Zarubaylo looking to throw knees to the head but Millner is blocking nicely.
Zarubaylo looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Zarubaylo lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Zarubaylo lands an elbow inside that Millner shrugs off.

Millner gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Millner wants to free his trapped foot but Zarubaylo is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Millner with the ground and pound but Zarubaylo uses the opportunity to regain guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Millner postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Zarubaylo is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Millner, into his guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Millner wants to sweep but no luck.
Millner looking to control but Zarubaylo passes into half guard.
Zarubaylo content to control rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Millner has a hand on Zarubaylo's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Zarubaylo takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!

Zarubaylo working for a submission but Millner is keeping him at bay.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zarubaylo pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolay Zarubaylo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nolan Millner's cut.
That's time! Zarubaylo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Millner fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Millner looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nolan Millner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zarubaylo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Zarubaylo fails with an attempt to clinch.

Zarubaylo pushes Millner up against the cage in a clinch.
Zarubaylo tries to land a knee to the head but Millner blocks with his arms.
Zarubaylo lands a knee to the body.
Zarubaylo missing with knees to the body.
A knee to the head by Zarubaylo.
Zarubaylo throws an elbow that misses.
Zarubaylo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Zarubaylo looking to throw knees to the head but Millner is blocking nicely.
Millner drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Zarubaylo gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Nikolay Zarubaylo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nolan Millner.
Zarubaylo creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Millner's defenses.
Zarubaylo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Millner blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Zarubaylo landing knees to the body.
Millner managing to block the knees to the body from Zarubaylo.
Zarubaylo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Millner blocks it with crossed arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Millner wants to break free but Zarubaylo has control.
Zarubaylo landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Millner takes a knee right on the jaw!
A knee to the head by Zarubaylo.
Zarubaylo landing knees to the body.

Millner breaks from the clinch.
Zarubaylo tries to clinch up.
Millner shoots in but Zarubaylo avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Millner lands with a kick to the temple. Zarubaylo shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Zarubaylo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Millner paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zarubaylo tries to clinch there but Millner circles away.
Millner takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Millner lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Zarubaylo has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Zarubaylo and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Millner throws a head kick that misses
and Zarubaylo counters with a nice body kick.
Zarubaylo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Zarubaylo lands with a kick to the temple. Millner shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zarubaylo scores with a leg kick.

Zarubaylo moves into the clinch successfully.
Millner blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Zarubaylo connects with a nasty looking knee right to Millner's face.
Millner avoiding damage as Zarubaylo throws knees to the body.
Zarubaylo lands a damaging elbow.
Zarubaylo misses with a knee to the head.
Millner is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Zarubaylo pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Zarubaylo tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Zarubaylo unloads a knee to the mid-section. Millner lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Zarubaylo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Millner.
Zarubaylo pushes off an throws an elbow but Millner leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Millner gets control of Zarubaylo's arms and successfully pulls guard. Millner will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Zarubaylo won't allow Millner to sweep him here.
Millner wants to control the position but Zarubaylo says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.

Zarubaylo seems to be looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Millner is trying to get back to full guard.
Zarubaylo wants to control but Millner is keeping him busy.
Millner has a hand on Zarubaylo's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Zarubaylo takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Millner tries to reverse the position but Zarubaylo maintains control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four 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.
Zarubaylo trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Zarubaylo is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Millner has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Millner swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.

Zarubaylo working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Millner looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Zarubaylo! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Nikolay Zarubaylo!
Nikolay Zarubaylo retains his lightweight title!