PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kristof Nikitin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul McCartney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nikitin comes into the arena with Arch Enemy - My Apocalypse blaring out of the sound system. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Nikitin
vs
McCartney

192 cm
23
243 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

186 cm
27
220 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

Great wrestler
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Kristof Nikitin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Paul McCartney!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Robert Twigg and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McCartney throws a left and a right that both miss
and Nikitin counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Nikitin throws a right hand that misses
and McCartney counters with a three punch combo that has Nikitin backing up. Nikitin nods at McCartney to acknowledge the strikes.
Nikitin misses with a hook. McCartney ducked under it nicely.
Nikitin tests McCartney's chin there with a solid looking shot.
McCartney throws a left and a right that both miss
and Nikitin counters with a nice body shot.
McCartney rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Nikitin moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
McCartney keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Nikitin.

McCartney gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Nikitin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Nikitin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
McCartney keeping moving, preventing Nikitin from controlling successfully.
McCartney wants to stand up but Nikitin is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCartney keeping moving, preventing Nikitin from controlling successfully.
Nikitin controls from within his opponent's guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Kristof Nikitin.
Nikitin lands a jab-cross combination.
Paul McCartney is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
McCartney keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nikitin just misses with a punch to the body.
Decent striking displayed by Nikitin there.
Paul McCartney seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jab from Nikitin.
McCartney drops his hands momentarily and Nikitin takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McCartney misses with a combination
and Nikitin counters with a nice leg kick.

Nikitin shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
McCartney keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Nikitin thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Nikitin working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on McCartney's thigh. McCartney counters though and makes it back to full guard.

Nikitin is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! McCartney is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! McCartney has escaped and now he's on top!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nikitin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCartney trying to control but Nikitin is working from the bottom.
Nikitin trying to control the position.
McCartney working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

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

Nikitin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. McCartney gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Nikitin is trying to keep McCartney in close.
McCartney wants to control from the top but Nikitin keeps moving.
McCartney looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Nikitin is controlling McCartney's posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kristof Nikitin dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

McCartney with a hook.
Paul McCartney is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
McCartney misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Nikitin.
McCartney tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nikitin was well out of range. Poor timing from McCartney.
McCartney misses the shot to the body.
Nikitin chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Nikitin misses with a wild body shot.
McCartney throws the left hand but Nikitin avoids the punch easily.
McCartney throws a combination that misses

and Nikitin counters with a single leg into guard. McCartney didn't expect that.
Nikitin pushing down on McCartney's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
McCartney tries to kick Nikitin off but Nikitin keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Nikitin seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but McCartney does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Nikitin is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. McCartney doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Nikitin.
Nikitin tries to pass to full mount but McCartney defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCartney is trying to stand up here but Nikitin is controlling him well.
McCartney on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Nikitin looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks McCartney with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Nikitin content to control rather than advance.

Nikitin is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Nikitin prevents McCartney from standing back up.

McCartney pushes Nikitin off and gets back to his feet.
McCartney misses with a body shot

and Nikitin counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for McCartney!
McCartney is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
McCartney is squirming around, avoiding Nikitin's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCartney is trying to stand up.
Nikitin lands a big elbow.
McCartney is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Nikitin content just to control the position here.
McCartney wants to get back to his feet.
McCartney is breathing heavily.
Nikitin unloading with bombs!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

McCartney defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Nikitin.
Nikitin scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish McCartney?
Nikitin sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Kristof Nikitin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nikitin dominating with strikes here.

Nikitin with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nikitin content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kristof Nikitin dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

McCartney slaps away a takedown attempt from Nikitin, before circling back to the center of the mat.
McCartney connects with a single shot there.
Nikitin thumps McCartney with a low kick.
McCartney scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Nikitin misses the jab.
Nikitin misses the jab.
Sloppy strikes from McCartney. Those never looked like landing.
A slow jab from McCartney misses its intended target.

Nikitin shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Nikitin showed some decent athleticism there.
McCartney is trying to stand up here but Nikitin is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikitin trying to mount his opponent but McCartney defends it.
Nikitin is looking to take a break and control but McCartney is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Nikitin is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Nikitin wants to lay and pray for a moment but McCartney keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nikitin sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. McCartney defending well though.
McCartney is looking to escape.
McCartney is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Nikitin trying to pass the guard but McCartney defending well.
McCartney is in trouble now - Nikitin has advanced to mount!
McCartney is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
McCartney in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Nikitin lands a nice shot to the head.
McCartney takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nikitin is landing with some decent strikes but McCartney is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
McCartney tries to buck Nikitin off but he can't manage it.
Nikitin scoring with strikes but McCartney is staying in there.
Kristof Nikitin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nikitin can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as McCartney is looking to escape.
Nikitin controlling his opponent.
Nikitin can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as McCartney is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikitin has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Nikitin is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because McCartney is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Nikitin with the ground and pound from mount.
Paul McCartney has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Nikitin working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Nikitin working the ground and pound effectively.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kristof Nikitin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Nikitin, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kristof Nikitin!