PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Xander Boudewijn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maksim Nikifor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Boudewijn kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is The Streets - Blinded by the Lights. Nikifor has chosen Enae Volare Mezzo as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Boudewijn
vs
Nikifor

189 cm
27
215 lbs
17 - 10 - 1

195 cm
30
205 lbs
17 - 12 - 2

Powerful takedowns
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
World class boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Xander Boudewijn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 12 - 2, fighting out of St Petersburg, Maksim Nikifor!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Viktor Lagutenko and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Boudewijn fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Nikifor has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Nikifor bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Boudewijn misses with a leg kick
and Nikifor counters with a two punch combo.
Boudewijn showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Nikifor.
Boudewijn throws a front kick aimed at Nikifor's knee but Nikifor avoids it well.
Boudewijn throws a leg kick but Nikifor sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Boudewijn throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Boudewijn throws out a loose jab but Nikifor uses good head movement to avoid it.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikifor sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Boudewijn avoids the body shot from Nikifor.
Nikifor misses with a double jab.
Boudewijn tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Boudewijn throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Nikifor sees it coming and avoids it easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Boudewijn looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boudewijn thows a left - swing and a miss!
Xander Boudewijn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nikifor tests Boudewijn's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Nikifor takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Donk. Nikifor catches Boudewijn right on the button with a cross.
Nikifor checks a low kick from Boudewijn.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikifor misses with a series of wild punches.
Boudewijn pulls out of a head kick attempt.
No joy there for Nikifor, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Boudewijn throws a half hearted mid kick.
Nikifor keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Boudewijn will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikifor checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Nikifor swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Boudewijn counters with a thumping low kick.
Nikifor rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Boudewijn moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Boudewijn throws a head kick but Nikifor moves out of range.
Boudewijn throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Boudewijn instigates a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xander Boudewijn dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Boudewijn tries to score with a low kick but Nikifor moves his leg out of the way.
Boudewijn throws a hook but Nikifor blocks it.
Xander Boudewijn is winning the standup battle so far.

Boudewijn fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nikifor, pushing him back against the cage.
Boudewijn has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Boudewijn manages to break the clinch.
Maksim Nikifor is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nikifor steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Boudewijn.
Boudewijn turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Nikifor throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A combination from Nikifor does no damage.
Boudewijn throws a chopping leg kick but Nikifor manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Nikifor getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Nikifor swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Boudewijn fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

Boudewijn closes the distance and clinches.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Boudewijn breaks the clinch.
Nikifor uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Boudewijn.
Nice defenses there by Nikifor.
Boudewijn throws a big shot that misses.
Boudewijn throws a head kick but Nikifor moves out of range.
Boudewijn swinging wildly here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Nikifor.
A punch combination from Nikifor misses.
Boudewijn walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Nikifor checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Boudewijn fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four 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.
Boudewijn misses with a looping left.
Nikifor tries to move into range but Boudewijn moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Nikifor misses with a series of wild punches.
Boudewijn is looking to slow Nikifor down with leg kicks.
Boudewijn has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Nikifor avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Nikifor avoids the head kick by Boudewijn.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xander Boudewijn dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Boudewijn takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Nikifor's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Nikifor duly obliges.
A clash of legs there as Nikifor blocks the low kick.
Boudewijn throws a jab when Nikifor was well out of range.
Boudewijn misses with a body kick.
Nikifor looks to land a right hand but Boudewijn moved out of range.
Nikifor throws a series of punches but Boudewijn moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boudewijn throws a lazy right hand but Nikifor sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Boudewijn tries to work over Nikifor's front leg with a kick but Nikifor checks it.
Nikifor keeps the fight on the outside.
Boudewijn tries a head kick but it misses.
Nikifor avoids the head kick by Boudewijn.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Boudewijn lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Nikifor has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Nikifor and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice leg kick lands there from Boudewijn.
Nikifor misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A slapping leg kick lands for Boudewijn.
Boudewijn throws a half hearted mid kick.
Nikifor swinging wildly here.

Boudewijn moves into the clinch successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Boudewijn breaks the clinch.
Boudewijn throws a sloppy head kick and Nikifor moves out of range easily.
Nikifor with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Boudewijn to score with a decent uppercut.
Nikifor keeps the fight on the outside.
Nikifor checks a low kick from Boudewijn.
Xander Boudewijn is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Boudewijn wants to clinch up but Nikifor keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boudewijn throws a head kick that misses.
Nikifor swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Nikifor throws a combination that misses
and Boudewijn counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Boudewijn throws a jab but it's blocked by Nikifor.
Nikifor chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Boudewijn can pounce on him.
Boudewijn is looking to score with low kicks.
Maksim Nikifor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nikifor misses with the combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Xander Boudewijn showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Boudewijn has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Xander Boudewijn!