PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Arzlan Bathory (ranked 849 p4p, 109 weight class) and Nik Snow (ranked 680 p4p, 82 weight class). 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.

Bathory
vs
Snow

175 cm
27
160 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

178 cm
31
156 lbs
9 - 3 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class 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 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Arzlan Bathory!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 1, fighting out of New York, Nik Snow!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Shigeki Fujiwara and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Snow fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Bathory to the ground. Snow is now in Bathory's guard.
Bathory tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Bathory keeping moving, preventing Snow from controlling successfully.
Snow postures up in Bathory's guard and throws a big left but Bathory blocks it.
Snow stays in close to Bathory's body and controls the position.
Snow trying to control but Bathory is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Snow decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
A head kick misses from Snow.
Snow showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Bathory.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Snow closes this distance looking for a takedown but Bathory circles away.
Snow uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Bathory.
Bathory wants to slow Snow down by chopping away at his legs.
Snow drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Bathory defends it well.
Bathory scores with a jab to the jaw.
Nice defenses there by Snow.
Snow wants to counter the offense by Bathory and move into the clinch position.
Snow takes one to the side of the head.
Snow misses with a few strikes there.
Bathory misses with a low kick.
Snow drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Bathory defends it well.
Snow throws a head kick but Bathory moves out of range.

Snow has managed to clinch.

Snow jumps into guard, dragging Bathory to the mat.
Bathory content to stall in guard here.
Snow told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bathory postures up.
Bathory controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Snow bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bathory's guard.

Bathory has control of Snow's left arm, preventing Snow from doing any damage.
Bathory looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Snow engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Bathory is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Snow slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Snow blocks a jab.
Bathory slaps away a takedown attempt from Snow, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Bathory clobbers Snow with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Bathory misses with a body shot.
Bathory takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Snow takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Bathory gets caught flat footed, as Snow shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Snow wants to control from the top but Bathory keeps moving.
Snow might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Bathory haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Snow with a flurry of punches that miss.
Snow's corner is telling him to maintain position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nik Snow dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A thudding body kick lands there by Bathory!
Snow pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Snow tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bathory jabs at Snow's body.
Arzlan Bathory is winning the standup battle so far.
Good leg kick by Bathory there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Bathory listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Snow has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Bathory.
Snow with a poor takedown
and Bathory counters with a straight right hand.
Snow takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Snow tries to move into range but Bathory moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Bathory throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Bathory lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Bathory lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Snow gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Snow pulls guard effortlessly.
Snow looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bathory being controlled here momentarily.
Snow trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Snow is trying to hold Bathory in close to prevent damage but Bathory has managed to pass into half guard.
Snow is trying to get back to full guard.
Snow trying to hold on to Bathory's head to control him but Bathory postures up.

That's two 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.
Snow is trying to get back to full guard.

Snow actively working from the bottom here.
Snow wants to control but Bathory is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Bathory prevents Snow from improving his position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Snow uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Bathory.
The crowd cheers as Bathory lands an impressive looking overhand right. Snow doesn't seem phased though.
Bathory connects with a leg kick. Snow looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Bathory is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Snow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Snow with that takedown attempt.
Snow takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Snow tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bathory paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bathory throws a big shot that misses.
Snow fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Arzlan Bathory has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nik Snow.
Bathory moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Bathory throws a leg kick but Snow moved away.
Bathory is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Snow can do to turn this around?
Bathory swings away with a body shot that misses
and Snow counters with a three punch combo that has Bathory backing up. Bathory nods at Snow to acknowledge the strikes.
Bathory will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Snow unleashes a big counter combination but Bathory bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Snow shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bathory stuffs the takedown.
Bathory connects with a single shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Bathory.
Snow tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Bathory defends well and Snow ends up having to push Bathory into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Bathory ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Snow moves away.
Bathory explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bathory bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Snow's head backwards.
Bathory misses with a hook. Snow ducked under it nicely.
Snow wants to clinch up but Bathory keeps it at a distance.
Bathory cracks the inside of Snow's front leg.
Bathory throws a looping overhand right but Snow ducks down to avoid it.
Snow doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Bathory throws a leg kick but Snow sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Arzlan Bathory seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Snow shoots for a double leg takedown but Bathory sprawls well. He's pushed Snow's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Arzlan Bathory is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bathory fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Snow feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Snow seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arzlan Bathory dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Snow has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Bathory.
Snow looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Bathory is fending him off so far but Snow persists. Nope, Bathory circles away and we're back to standing.
Snow moves out of range as Bathory strikes.
Bathory pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Bathory avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Snow takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Bathory looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Snow gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Snow looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Bathory has a couple of punches blocked by Snow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bathory misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Snow tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Bathory scores with a hook to the body.
Snow tries to pull guard but Bathory holds him up against the cage and eventually Snow drops back down to his feet.
Arzlan Bathory has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nik Snow.
Snow tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bathory tries to throw a body punch but Snow avoids it by throwing Bathory back against the cage.
Snow fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Snow lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Bathory backwards.
Bathory is looking to control Snow's arms but Snow gets an underhook and turns him. Now Bathory has his back to the cage.

Bathory breaks the clinch.
Nik Snow is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bathory throws a looping overhand right but Snow ducks down to avoid it.
Snow takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Bathory jabs at Snow's body.
Bathory swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Bathory throws a looping overhand right but Snow ducks down to avoid it.
Snow defending well as Bathory loads up on a big left hand.
Bathory feints and then cracks Snow's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Snow down.
Bathory scores with a jab.
Snow moves forwards but Bathory connects with a nice, crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bathory throws a big shot that misses.
Bathory lands a nice looking body shot.
Snow is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A big left from Bathory misses.

Snow gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Good body shot from Bathory.

Snow breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Snow shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bathory as he jumps to the side.
Bathory misses with a leg kick.
Snow steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Bathory.
Bathory throws a low kick but it's checked well by Snow.
Snow shoots in looking for a takedown but Bathory manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Snow's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Bathory appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Snow blocks a head kick by Bathory.
The fight stays on the outside here - Snow looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Snow takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Snow looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bathory moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Bathory throws a big shot that misses.
No luck for Snow with that takedown attempt.
Bathory lands a head shot.
Snow fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Bathory avoids it really well and circles away.
Bathory scores with a sloppy right hand. Snow should have avoided that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bathory stuns Snow with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Snow has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Bathory.
Bathory misses with a wild body shot.
Bathory throws a low kick, looking for Snow's leg but Snow calmly moves out of range.
Bathory throws a front kick that sends Snow stumbling back into the cage.
Bathory feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Snow's calf.
Snow fails with a takedown attempt.
Snow's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Bathory dips to his left and cracks Snow with an uppercut!
Bathory throws a good cross that connects.
Snow will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Bathory swings for the body but Snow moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arzlan Bathory showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bathory has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arzlan Bathory!
Arzlan Bathory seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.