PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Tverdovskiy (ranked 2187 p4p, 247 weight class) and Zhovhar Kurmagomedov (ranked 3229 p4p, 356 weight class). Tverdovskiy comes to the cage accompanied by Oxxxymiron - Tentacles. The crowd seem to be enjoying Kurmagomedov's choice of entrance music: Ay Lazzat - Folk Song. Zhovhar Kurmagomedov has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Tverdovskiy
vs
Kurmagomedov

180 cm
19
164 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

185 cm
19
156 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Alexander Tverdovskiy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Zhovhar Kurmagomedov!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tverdovskiy looks to throw the jab but Kurmagomedov is out of range.
Kurmagomedov changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Tverdovskiy throws a lazy right hand but Kurmagomedov sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Tverdovskiy backing away here, and Kurmagomedov unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Kurmagomedov misses with a low kick.
Tverdovskiy misses with a head kick.
Kurmagomedov throws a chopping leg kick but Tverdovskiy manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Tverdovskiy throws a hook to the side of Kurmagomedov's head but Kurmagomedov sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Tverdovskiy closes the distance and pushes Kurmagomedov back into the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kurmagomedov tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tverdovskiy definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Tverdovskiy working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Kurmagomedov scores with a shot to the side of Tverdovskiy's head.
Kurmagomedov looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Kurmagomedov misses with the head strike.
Tverdovskiy blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tverdovskiy lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Kurmagomedov.
A left hand lands to the body for Tverdovskiy.
Tverdovskiy blocking some punches.
Tverdovskiy stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Kurmagomedov throws a head punch that misses.
A short right from Tverdovskiy on the inside.
Tverdovskiy pushes Kurmagomedov back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
A short body shot lands from Tverdovskiy as the two fighters clinch.
Tverdovskiy lands a left hand.
Tverdovskiy misses with a body punch.
Tverdovskiy is leaning against Kurmagomedov and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Tverdovskiy is leaning against Kurmagomedov and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Kurmagomedov jumps guard but Tverdovskiy stands there with Kurmagomedov around his waist. Kurmagomedov gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A bit of stalling here from Tverdovskiy.
Tverdovskiy lands with a right to the head.
Kurmagomedov throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Tverdovskiys head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tverdovskiy digs a right hand underneath Kurmagomedov's ribcage. Kurmagomedov let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Kurmagomedov is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Kurmagomedov working aggressively here.
Kurmagomedov tries to pull guard but Tverdovskiy forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Tverdovskiy misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Nice body punch from Tverdovskiy.
Kurmagomedov jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Tverdovskiy walks away with a smile on his face. Kurmagomedov gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Alexander Tverdovskiy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zhovhar Kurmagomedov.
Kurmagomedov connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Tverdovskiy's hands.
Alexander Tverdovskiy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kurmagomedov takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Tverdovskiy digs a good body shot into Kurmagomedov's ribs.
Tverdovskiy lands with an overhand left.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jab by Tverdovskiy.

It looks like Zhovhar Kurmagomedov has been cut.
Kurmagomedov throws a push kick but Tverdovskiy slaps the foot to one side.
Tverdovskiy throws a leg kick
and Kurmagomedov counters with a nice leg kick.
Kurmagomedov misses with a kick to the body.
Tverdovskiy tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kurmagomedov tried to score with a low kick but Tverdovskiy checks it.
Kurmagomedov moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Kurmagomedov throws a front kick aimed at Tverdovskiy's knee but Tverdovskiy avoids it well.
Tverdovskiy swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

Kurmagomedov rushes Tverdovskiy and presses him up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A body shot lands from Tverdovskiy.
Kurmagomedov swings wildly with an uppercut but Tverdovskiy uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kurmagomedov is trying to pull guard but Tverdovskiy has him pressed against the cage.
Kurmagomedov is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Kurmagomedov tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Tverdovskiy just stands there and leans against the cage.
Kurmagomedov goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Kurmagomedov misses with the head strike.
Kurmagomedov trying to stall but Tverdovskiy improves his position.
Tverdovskiy holding his opponent close, against the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Tverdovskiy - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
A nice left hand lands by Tverdovskiy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Tverdovskiy dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Zhovhar Kurmagomedov's cut.
That's time! Tverdovskiy's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Kurmagomedov misses the jab.
Tverdovskiy looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
A nice inside leg kick there by Tverdovskiy. That's going to slow Kurmagomedov down.
Kurmagomedov avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Kurmagomedov tries a quick counter leg kick but Tverdovskiy is wise to it.
Kurmagomedov swings for the body but Tverdovskiy moves out of range.
Kurmagomedov misses with a hook.
Kurmagomedov cracks Tverdovskiy with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tverdovskiy. Kurmagomedov does a little dance to reset his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tverdovskiy closes the distance and clinches.
Tverdovskiy lands a body shot in the clinch.
Tverdovskiy stalling the fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tverdovskiy taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Tverdovskiy digs a right hand underneath Kurmagomedov's ribcage. Kurmagomedov let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Alexander Tverdovskiy has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Tverdovskiy stalling against the cage.
Tverdovskiy slowing the pace effectively.
Kurmagomedov misses with a body punch.
Tverdovskiy lands a body punch.
Still in the clinch, Tverdovskiy scores with a nice short uppercut.
Tverdovskiy lands a shot to the body.
Kurmagomedov tries to pull guard but Tverdovskiy holds him up against the cage and eventually Kurmagomedov drops back down to his feet.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Tverdovskiy.
Kurmagomedov fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Tverdovskiy pushes Kurmagomedov back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Tverdovskiy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tverdovskiy misses with a body punch.
A right hook to the body lands for Tverdovskiy.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Tverdovskiy creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Tverdovskiy takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Kurmagomedov is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Tverdovskiy to keep the fight standing.
Alexander Tverdovskiy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zhovhar Kurmagomedov.
Kurmagomedov tries to stall but Tverdovskiy uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
The referee calls for Tverdovskiy to work.
Kurmagomedov lands a right hand that snaps the head of Tverdovskiy backwards.

Kurmagomedov jumps into guard, dragging Tverdovskiy to the mat.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tverdovskiy content to stall in guard here.
Tverdovskiy continues to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kurmagomedov is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Tverdovskiy preventing the sweep.
Tverdovskiy controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kurmagomedov lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Kurmagomedov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tverdovskiy is keeping the position for now.
Kurmagomedov wants to control from the top but Tverdovskiy keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tverdovskiy looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Tverdovskiy keeping moving, preventing Kurmagomedov from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tverdovskiy has his hands on Kurmagomedov's head, controlling the position.
Kurmagomedov is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kurmagomedov trying to control the position from guard on top but Tverdovskiy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Tverdovskiy dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Zhovhar Kurmagomedov's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Tverdovskiy displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kurmagomedov throws out the jab.
Tverdovskiy looks for the body kick but Kurmagomedov saw that one coming.
Alexander Tverdovskiy is winning the standup battle so far.
Kurmagomedov takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Tverdovskiy throws a head kick that misses.
Tverdovskiy is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kurmagomedov can do to turn this around?
Kurmagomedov misses with a looping left.

Tverdovskiy closes the distance and pushes Kurmagomedov back into the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kurmagomedov is trying to break free.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kurmagomedov.
Tverdovskiy is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Tverdovskiy goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kurmagomedov has a couple of punches blocked by Tverdovskiy.
Tverdovskiy controlling the action here for a moment.
Kurmagomedov jumps guard but Tverdovskiy stands there with Kurmagomedov around his waist. Kurmagomedov gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Tverdovskiy takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Tverdovskiy lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Tverdovskiy lands with a right to the head.
Kurmagomedov is trying to pull guard but Tverdovskiy turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Tverdovskiy tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Kurmagomedov's elbow.
Kurmagomedov tries to pull guard but Tverdovskiy holds him up against the cage and eventually Kurmagomedov drops back down to his feet.
Alexander Tverdovskiy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zhovhar Kurmagomedov.
Tverdovskiy lands a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tverdovskiy digs a right hand underneath Kurmagomedov's ribcage. Kurmagomedov let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Tverdovskiy prevents a body shot from Kurmagomedov.
Tverdovskiy lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Kurmagomedov tries to pull guard but Tverdovskiy forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Kurmagomedov tries to pull guard but Tverdovskiy won't allow it.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
A short body shot lands from Tverdovskiy as the two fighters clinch.
Tverdovskiy lands a shoulder strike.
Tverdovskiy prevents a body shot from Kurmagomedov.
Kurmagomedov lands a hook to the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kurmagomedov misses with the head strike.
Tverdovskiy lands with a left to the head.
Kurmagomedov jumps guard but Tverdovskiy stands there with Kurmagomedov around his waist. Kurmagomedov gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Kurmagomedov fails to land.
Tverdovskiy lands a body shot.
Tverdovskiy misses with a body punch.
Kurmagomedov struggles to land a body shot inside as Tverdovskiy controls his hands.
Tverdovskiy scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Kurmagomedov is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Tverdovskiy to keep the fight standing.
Kurmagomedov wants to get back to striking at distance but Tverdovskiy won't allow it.
A short uppercut from Kurmagomedov.
Kurmagomedov is trying to stall.
Kurmagomedov stalling in the clinch but Tverdovskiy improves position.
Tverdovskiy goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Zhovhar Kurmagomedov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tverdovskiy blocking some punches.
Tverdovskiy pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kurmagomedov can't find room to land a body shot as Tverdovskiy controls the action.
Tverdovskiy avoiding damage.
Tverdovskiy effectively controlling the action here.
Kurmagomedov tries to pull guard but Tverdovskiy holds him up against the cage and eventually Kurmagomedov drops back down to his feet.
Kurmagomedov is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Tverdovskiy to keep the fight standing.
Kurmagomedov has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tverdovskiy lands an uppercut.
Kurmagomedov jumps guard but Tverdovskiy stands there with Kurmagomedov around his waist. Kurmagomedov gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Kurmagomedov tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexander Tverdovskiy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Tverdovskiy, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexander Tverdovskiy!
A very excited looking Alexander Tverdovskiy made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.