PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Camatta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexandr Nikitin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Nikitin's choice of entrance music: Smack My Bitch Up . These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Camatta
vs
Nikitin

172 cm
35
158 lbs
29 - 17 - 0

170 cm
34
166 lbs
25 - 23 - 5

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Conviction
King of Clothes

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 29 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Antonio Camatta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 23 - 5, fighting out of Hilo, Alexandr Nikitin!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Frank Dennis and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nikitin stuffs the takedown.

Camatta shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Nikitin working a defensive guard here.
Nikitin might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Camatta haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Camatta throwing strikes from guard but Nikitin blocks nicely.
Camatta loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Nikitin seems keen to control Camatta's posture.
Camatta lands a couple of decent looking shots.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nikitin controls Camatta momentarily but Camatta frees himself.
Camatta trying to control the position from guard on top but Nikitin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Camatta stopping the sweep attempt from Nikitin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Camatta postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Camatta with a flurry of punches that miss.
Camatta throws a big right hand that misses.
Camatta postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Nikitin is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Nikitin is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Nikitin controlling the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin passes to side control.
Camatta tries to improve position but can't.
Nikitin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Camatta keeps working.
Camatta can't do much from the bottom here.
The referee asks Nikitin politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Nikitin prefers to stall for the moment though.
Camatta is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Camatta struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Camatta manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Nikitin is thwarting Camatta's attempts to control the position.

Camatta actively working from the bottom here.
Camatta is concentrating on defense, preventing Nikitin from advancing position.
Camatta trying to hold on to Nikitin's head to control him but Nikitin postures up.
Nikitin performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Camatta keeping control of the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Camatta slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice 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.
Nikitin is in close to Camatta's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Nikitin trying to control but Camatta is working from the bottom.
Nikitin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Nikitin looking to pass the guard.

Camatta is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Nikitin is aware though and is defending well.
Camatta wants to control the position but Nikitin says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Camatta keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Nikitin is working for a kimura but Camatta is defending it quite comfortably.
Camatta won't allow Nikitin to pass to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Antonio Camatta will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Camatta misses with a straight left.
Camatta gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Nikitin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A little feinted left hand from Camatta on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Camatta lands a leg kick that knocks Nikitin off balance momentarily.
Nikitin clobbers Camatta with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
A telegraphed right hand from Camatta misses the target.
Nikitin throws a jab but it's blocked by Camatta.

Nikitin clinches up against the cage.
Nikitin digs a right hand underneath Camatta's ribcage. Camatta let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Camatta is trying to break free.
Camatta fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Camatta misses with a short punch on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Camatta throws a head punch that misses.
A nice right hand lands inside from Camatta.
Nikitin misses with the head strike.
Camatta has a couple of punches blocked by Nikitin.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Camatta throws a big shot that misses.
Nikitin misses with a body shot.
Camatta throws a lazy uppercut
and Nikitin counters with a straight right hand.
Camatta throws a push kick but Nikitin slaps the foot to one side.
Camatta loads up on a big right hand but Nikitin slips the punch.
Camatta ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Nikitin moves away.
Camatta misses with a looping right.
A telegraphed right hand from Nikitin misses the target.
Camatta scores with a nice strike.
Camatta throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Nikitin on the side of the head.
Camatta throws a big shot that misses.
Nikitin slips under a jab from Camatta.
Nikitin clobbers Camatta with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Camatta moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Camatta avoids the body shot from Nikitin.
Nikitin thumps Camatta with a low kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nikitin doesn't manage to clinch there - Camatta circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Camatta throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Camatta throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Nikitin slips a jab from Camatta.
It seemed like Nikitin was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A big left from Nikitin misses.
Nikitin lands with a right hand.
Camatta misses with a straight right.
Nikitin scores with a jab.
Nikitin has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Camatta finds it's way round the side to connect with Nikitin's head.
Nikitin takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Camatta moves out of range as Nikitin throws a body kick.
Camatta misses with a low kick as Nikitin jumps back.
A punch lands to the side of Nikitin 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Nikitin throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Nikitin clobbers Camatta with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

Nikitin closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Nikitin not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Nikitin controlling the action here.
Camatta has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Camatta trying to control here.
Camatta controlling the position well.
Nikitin wants to pass to mount but Camatta is defending the position.

Camatta is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nikitin pulls his head out easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Nikitin is pressing down on Camatta's thigh, looking to free his foot. Camatta is holding on for now.
Nikitin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Camatta keeps working.
Nikitin prevents Camatta from improving his position.
Nikitin wants to free his trapped foot but Camatta is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Camatta tries to get to full guard but Nikitin has control of the leg.
Nikitin stalling.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Alexandr Nikitin.
I have no idea who won that fight. Let's wait and see whether the judges are as confused as me! Time for a split decision perhaps?!. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Chris Downing scores the fight for Alexandr Nikitin!
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight for Alexandr Nikitin!

Alexandr Nikitin wins by majority decision!
A victorious Alexandr Nikitin thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.