PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Taylor Sphinx (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Evgeni Novikov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taylor Sphinx looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Sphinx
vs
Novikov

175 cm
27
225 lbs
11 - 16 - 0

190 cm
23
282 lbs
14 - 11 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Experienced

Good takedowns
Good elbows
Determined

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 11 - 16 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Taylor Sphinx!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Evgeni Novikov!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Igor Prikhodko and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Novikov uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Sphinx has time to react.
Sphinx looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Novikov bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Novikov with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Novikov thumps Sphinx with a low kick.

Novikov pushes Sphinx up against the cage in a clinch.
Novikov unloads a knee to the mid-section. Sphinx lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Novikov is stalling here.
Novikov lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Novikov.
Novikov lands a nice knee to the body.
Novikov leaning his opponent against the cage.
A short right from Novikov on the inside.
Novikov with a knee to the head.
Novikov lands a body punch.
Novikov lands a shot to the body.

Novikov pulls guard.

Novikov looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Novikov has his foot on Sphinx's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sphinx works his way back into a safe position though.
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.

Novikov is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Sphinx is aware though and is defending well.
Novikov has a closed guard, preventing Sphinx from standing up.
Novikov looking for a sweep. Not yet Novikov, not yet.
Novikov manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Novikov is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Sphinx has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Novikov wants to control the pace but Sphinx is squirming around nicely.
Novikov lands a big shot there that rocks Sphinx but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Novikov landing strikes from the mount.
Novikov moves to take his opponent's back.
Novikov lands a shot to the head.
Sphinx might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Novikov looking for the RNC.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Novikov is working on the RNC. He looks like he's got it but Sphinx won't tap... Oh, he's out! The ref rips Novikov off his unconscious opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:04 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Evgeni Novikov!