PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bob Lantz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nogi Kartov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kartov has chosen Pantera - Cowboys from Hell as his entrance music. Nogi Kartov has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Lantz
vs
Kartov

175 cm
25
135 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

165 cm
26
130 lbs
7 - 2 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bob Lantz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nogi Kartov!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Igor Prikhodko and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kartov throws a lazy body kick

and Lantz counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Kartov's guard now.
Lantz stopping the sweep attempt from Kartov.
Lantz is working Kartov over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Lantz trying to control the position from guard on top but Kartov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lantz is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Lantz is in close to Kartov's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Kartov is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Kartov stalling.
Kartov wants to free his trapped foot but Lantz is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kartov trying to advance position but Lantz counters by regaining guard.
Lantz keeping moving, preventing Kartov from controlling successfully.
Kartov wants to pass the guard but Lantz is keeping the position.
Lantz throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Lantz really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Lantz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Lantz preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kartov is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's two 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.
Kartov advances to half guard.
Kartov is keen to just control but Lantz is a slippery customer.

Kartov is looking for a kimura here.
Kartov is pressing down on Lantz's thigh, looking to free his foot. Lantz is holding on for now.
Lantz has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kartov is working away from the top position though.
Lantz tries to get to full guard but Kartov has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kartov trying to control the action but Lantz is working from the bottom.
Kartov thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Lantz's head.
Lantz trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Kartov manages to pass to mount!
Kartov trying to control but Lantz is having none of it.
Kartov moves to back control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Lantz trying to control the action but Kartov just sinks the hooks in.

Kartov is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Kartov trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

Kartov looking for the choke but no joy.
Lantz prevents Kartov from getting a body triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Nogi Kartov will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Kartov rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Lantz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Lantz missing with a left hand there. Kartov was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Kartov ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Kartov misses with a looping right.
Kartov moves to clinch but Lantz breaks away
and Lantz counters with a slapping leg kick.
Kartov misses with a body punch

and Lantz counters by clinching up.
Kartov drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lantz stalling in the clinch.
Kartov misses with a punch on the inside.
Lantz slows down the pace here.
Kartov lands with a right to the head.
Kartov is trying to maintain a safe position but Lantz gets an underhook and turns Kartov into the cage.
Lantz blocking some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kartov trying to control the position but instead, Lantz has worked for underhooks and has pushed Kartov into the cage.
Lantz taking a breather.
Kartov tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Lantz lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Kartov or not.
Lantz holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Kartov has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Lantz avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Kartov blocking some punches.
A left hand lands to the body for Kartov.
Kartov is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Bob Lantz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nogi Kartov.
Kartov has Lantz pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Lantz manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Lantz just leaning against Kartov, taking a breather.
Kartov has Lantz pushed against the cage.
Lantz lands a nice shot to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Lantz.
Nice body punch from Lantz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Lantz.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kartov.
Nice body punch from Lantz - that landed with a thud.
Kartov tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Kartov swings wildly with an uppercut but Lantz uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kartov is trying to stall.
Lantz is pressed up against the cage. Kartov has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Lantz down to the mat. Lantz avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Kartov's jab looks to have found its range, popping Lantz under the eye.
Lantz doesn't manage to clinch there - Kartov circles away.
Lantz connects with a jab.

Kartov closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Kartov lands in his opponent's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kartov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kartov postures up.
Kartov forces his way into half guard.
Kartov wants to pass the guard but Lantz is defending well.
Lantz moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Lantz thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Kartov advances position into side control!
Lantz is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kartov tries for a kimura but Lantz is defending well.
Lantz regains half guard there - taking advantage of Kartov's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Lantz tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Lantz wants to control but Kartov is keeping busy.
Kartov prevents Lantz from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Bob Lantz will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Kartov throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Nice shot lands for Lantz.
Lantz moves out of range as Kartov strikes.
Lantz misses with a few strikes there.
Lantz tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kartov was well out of range. Poor timing from Lantz.
Kartov misses with a lunging right hand
and Lantz counters with a good, hard body kick but Kartov shrugs it off.
Kartov connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Lantz throws a poor cross that misses

and Kartov counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Lantz manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Lantz keeping moving, preventing Kartov from controlling successfully.
Lantz is trying to hold Kartov in close to prevent damage but Kartov has managed to pass into half guard.
Lantz is looking for a sweep. Kartov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kartov is trying to control. Lantz wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Kartov controlling the pace.
Lantz punching from the bottom.
Kartov is trying to control the action in half guard but Lantz is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Kartov stalling.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Nogi Kartov was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Kartov throws a right hand that misses
and Lantz counters with a straight right hand.
Lantz ducks under a wild hook from Kartov.
Kartov misses with a lunging right hand
and Lantz counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Kartov thinking.
Lantz lands with a good body shot.
Kartov lands a body shot.
Kartov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Lantz is fending him off so far but Kartov persists. Nope, Lantz circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lantz throws a looping overhand right but Kartov ducks down to avoid it.
Kartov wants to clinch but Lantz slips to the side
enabling Lantz to counter with a crisp jab.
Lantz is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Kartov.
Lantz lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Kartov connects with a looping right hand.
Lantz slips a straight right by Kartov.
Kartov misses with a hook.
Kartov ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Kartov ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Lantz tests Kartov's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A shot to the body from Lantz misses

and Kartov counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Kartov.
Lantz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lantz is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Kartov is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kartov trying to control but Lantz is working from the bottom.
Lantz preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lantz looking to control.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Bob Lantz has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Lantz tries to bum rush Kartov with a series of wild strikes but Kartov uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nice uppercut lands for Kartov. That snapped Lantz's head back.
Nogi Kartov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lantz moves out of range as Kartov strikes.
Lantz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kartov closes the distance looking to clinch
and Kartov takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Lantz throws a poor cross that misses
and Kartov counters with a nice uppercut.
Kartov fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Lantz on the side of the head.

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.
Kartov closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

Kartov looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Lantz!
Kartov wants to control but instead Lantz manages to regain half guard.
Kartov passes to full mount!
Lantz is looking to improve his position but Kartov isn't that keen on the idea.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kartov can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Lantz is looking to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nogi Kartov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kartov has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nogi Kartov!