PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sam Mack (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikolai Russki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Russki's choice of entrance music: FOR MOTHER RUSSIA. 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.

Mack
vs
Russki

189 cm
25
233 lbs
7 - 10 - 0

190 cm
26
240 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sam Mack!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nikolai Russki!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mack shoots in but Russki avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Russki misses with a jab, cross combination.

Mack changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Russki looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Russki is not content to let Mack control the position.
Russki striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Russki wants to control but Mack postures up.
Mack tries to move into full mount but can't pass Russki's legs.
Russki sneaks back into half guard.
Russki is refusing to be controlled, as Mack sits in half guard.
Russki gets back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mack is fighting to break Russki's control of his arms but Russki is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Let's hope that Russki has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Russki looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mack is one step ahead there.
Russki has his hands on Mack's head, controlling the position.
Russki tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russki pulls Mack in close to his closed guard and prevents Mack from doing any damage or advancing position.

Russki looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Russki controlling the position.

Russki had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Mack defends it easily.
Mack being controlled here momentarily.

Despite being in the dominant position, Nikolai Russki just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mack tries to score with a low kick but Russki moves his leg out of the way.

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.
Mack has a takedown stuffed.

A jab-cross combination lands for Russki and sends Mack crashing to the mat! Russki follows him down to the mat - Mack regains half guard but he's not out of trouble yet!

Mack is rocked!

It looks like Sam Mack has been cut.
Mack is breathing heavily.
Russki thows a huge punch but Mack dodges it nicely.
Russki scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Oh Mack is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Russki landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Mack seems to have got his legs back now.
Ground and pound from Russki.
Russki is looking to take a break and control but Mack is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Russki looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Mack with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Russki is nestled in close to Mack, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Russki frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Russki tries to control but Mack wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolai Russki dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sam Mack's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Russki fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Nice combo by Russki! Oh, that's hurt him - Mack falls to the canvas and Russki follows him into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Russki scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Mack to see if he's OK.
Russki works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Russki working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Russki in side control lands a decent elbow.
Mack seems a little lost for a moment, as Russki dominates the positioning.
Russki looks up at the clock and then as Mack takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Russki smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Russki has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Russki advances nicely into full mount.
Russki in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

Russki looking to secure an arm triangle but Mack defends it well.
The referee warns Mack that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russki lands with some strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Russki working the ground and pound effectively.
Russki landing strikes from the mount.
Russki connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Russki looking to secure an arm triangle but Mack defends it well.
Russki looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Russki is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Mack can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
A nice elbow there by Russki.
Russki looking to control but Mack is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russki lands a big shot there that rocks Mack but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Russki is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Mack can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Russki breaks from Mack's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Russki controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russki looking to control but Mack is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Russki looking to finish Mack with some ground and pound. This is bad for Mack!
Russki lands a nice shot to the head.
Russki with a couple of short strikes.
Russki trying to control but Mack is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russki punishing his opponent with strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Russki is landing with some decent strikes but Mack is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Russki looking to control and managing it successfully.
Russki trying to control but Mack is having none of it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Despite being in the dominant position, Nikolai Russki just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Russki looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolai Russki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Sam Mack's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Russki scores a takedown into full mount!
Russki unloading with bombs!
Russki wants to control the pace but Mack is squirming around nicely.
Russki connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Russki tries to control but Mack wriggling away.
Russki looking to control and managing it successfully.
Russki punishing his opponent with strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mack is wriggling around trying to escape.
Nikolai Russki has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mack taking shots to the head.
Russki raining down shots from the mount!
Russki postures up and throws a massive shot that knocks Mack out cold! Two more strikes to his unconscious opponent for good luck and this one is all over! Russki goes absolutely crazy with his corner! Wow, you can see how much that win means to him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Nikolai Russki!