PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov (ranked 848 p4p, 1321 weight class) and Cesare Borgia (ranked 121 p4p, 179 weight class). Nurmagomedov's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Dagestan (Remix). Borgia has chosen Eye Of The Tiger as his entrance music. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Cesare Borgia enters the cage!

Nurmagomedov
vs
Borgia

178 cm
38
185
26 - 9 - 0

175 cm
28
169
17 - 9 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

HELLBENT
Brooklyn Apothecary

HELLBENT

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 26 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Khabib Nurmagomedov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cesare Borgia!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, William Peck and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Borgia looks to land a right hand but Nurmagomedov moved out of range.
Nurmagomedov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Borgia was well out of range. Poor timing from Nurmagomedov.
Cesare Borgia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nurmagomedov looks to land a combination but Borgia avoids it well.
Nurmagomedov avoids the body shot from Borgia.
Nurmagomedov fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Nurmagomedov closes the distance but Borgia moves to the side
letting Borgia counter with a right hand.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nurmagomedov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Borgia cracks Nurmagomedov with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Borgia.
Borgia tries to score with some ground and pound. Nurmagomedov controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Borgia looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Nurmagomedov is avoiding damage well.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nurmagomedov dodges the ground and pound from Borgia.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Borgia taking a breather here.
Borgia trying to control the position but Nurmagomedov is working away.

That's two 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.
Borgia taking a breather here.
Borgia connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Nurmagomedov some visible discomfort.
Nurmagomedov is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Nurmagomedov keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Borgia stalling.
Borgia throws a strike but Nurmagomedov avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Borgia throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nurmagomedov works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Borgia stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nurmagomedov swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Borgia throws an elbow that misses. Nurmagomedov uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Borgia's guard. Nice move by Nurmagomedov!

Borgia wants to sweep but no luck.
Borgia has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Nurmagomedov has passed into side control.
Nurmagomedov advances nicely into full mount.
Borgia is trying desperately to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov tries to control but Borgia wriggling away.
Borgia is desperately trying to improve his position but Nurmagomedov has a good base and remains in mount.
Nurmagomedov content just to control the position here.
Borgia regains half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Borgia is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Nurmagomedov jumps into side control!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Cesare Borgia dominated that round.
That's time! Nurmagomedov's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Borgia takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Borgia looks for a takedown but Nurmagomedov sprawls well.
Borgia swings for the body but Nurmagomedov moves out of range.
Nurmagomedov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Borgia paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nurmagomedov thows a left - swing and a miss!
Nurmagomedov throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Borgia uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov tries to clinch up but Borgia circles away and keeps his distance.
Borgia slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Nurmagomedov.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big left from Borgia misses.
A quick step to the side and Nurmagomedov tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nurmagomedov looks to score with a jab to the body but Borgia is just out of range.
Nurmagomedov bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Nurmagomedov is looking to wear down Borgia with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Borgia misses with a looping left.
Nurmagomedov appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Nurmagomedov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Borgia manages to avoid it.
Borgia is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov lands a right hook to the body.

Nurmagomedov gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Nurmagomedov is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Borgia controls from within his opponent's guard.
Nurmagomedov trying to control the position here.
Borgia throws a strike but Nurmagomedov rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Borgia looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Borgia bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nurmagomedov's guard.

Nurmagomedov is trying to control the position but Borgia postures up.
Borgia in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Borgia postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nurmagomedov wants to sweep but no luck.
Borgia pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nurmagomedov is keeping the position for now.
Borgia controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Borgia is continuing to stall.
Borgia wants to pass the guard but Nurmagomedov is keeping the position.
Nurmagomedov tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Nurmagomedov lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Borgia looking to control.
Borgia keeping full guard, as Nurmagomedov tries to pass.
Our spies down at at Takeda Clan Gym inform us that Borgia has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?

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.
Borgia looking for a sweep. Not yet Borgia, not yet.

Borgia has an active guard here but Nurmagomedov has managed to pass into half guard.
Nurmagomedov stalling.
Cesare Borgia has got the better of the ground game so far.
Borgia is looking for a sweep. Nurmagomedov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Khabib Nurmagomedov will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Borgia shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Nurmagomedov pinned against the cage. Nurmagomedov gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Borgia closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Nurmagomedov quickly recovers to half guard.
Borgia throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Borgia is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Nurmagomedov!
Borgia controlling the position easily from mount.
Borgia thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Borgia raining down hammerfists from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov tries to hold on but Borgia pushes him away.
Borgia throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Nurmagomedov because Borgia loaded up on that one.
Nurmagomedov can't escape the position.
Nurmagomedov is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at 3Band MMA, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Borgia avoids the attempt from Nurmagomedov to control.
Borgia wants to control but instead Nurmagomedov manages to regain half guard.
Nurmagomedov has hold of Borgia's hands but Borgia slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Borgia trying to control from Nurmagomedov's half guard. Nurmagomedov has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Borgia looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Borgia trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Borgia forces his way into half guard.
Well, if Borgia 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.
Nurmagomedov manages to get to full guard.
Nurmagomedov is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Borgia won't allow Nurmagomedov to sweep him here.
Nurmagomedov is working hard here to advance position.
Borgia tries to free his leg and advance position but Nurmagomedov is retaining full guard.
Borgia in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Nurmagomedov keeping full guard, as Borgia tries to pass.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Borgia moves out of range as Nurmagomedov strikes.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nurmagomedov. Borgia does a little dance to reset his feet.
A swing and a miss from Borgia.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Nurmagomedov shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Borgia defends it nicely.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is winning the standup battle so far.
Borgia lands with a nice body punch.
Borgia lands with a good body shot.
Borgia has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nurmagomedov throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Borgia stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Nurmagomedov defending well as Borgia loads up on a big left hand.
Nurmagomedov takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Borgia misses with a wild body shot.
Borgia misses with a body shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nurmagomedov catches Borgia with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Nurmagomedov moves out of range as Borgia strikes.
Nurmagomedov misses with a body shot.
Borgia is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Nurmagomedov with a body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cesare Borgia comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Borgia has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 28:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cesare Borgia!
An out of breath Cesare Borgia thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.