PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andrey Nikolaev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Joe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nikolaev comes to the cage accompanied by Vladimir Vysotsky - The Fastidious Horses. John Joe looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Nikolaev
vs
Joe

195 cm
18
280 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

193 cm
19
220 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andrey Nikolaev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, John Joe!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nikolaev is looking to clinch.
Joe looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Joe fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Joe misses with a body shot.
Joe swats away the attempt to clinch by Nikolaev.
Nikolaev is looking to clinch.
Joe circles away from the clinch attempt.
No joy there for Joe, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Nikolaev tries to clinch up but Joe circles away and keeps his distance.
Joe swings for the body but Nikolaev moves out of range.
Nikolaev tries to clinch there but Joe circles away.
Nikolaev takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Joe misses with a two punch combination.
Nikolaev fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nikolaev is looking to clinch but Joe is avoiding it.
Joe keeps the fight on the outside.
Nikolaev moves in looking to clinch but Joe pushes him off.
Nikolaev wants to clinch up but Joe keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joe is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Nikolaev.
Joe swats away the attempt to clinch by Nikolaev.
Nikolaev tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Joe manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Joe misses with a low kick.
Nikolaev tries to clinch up but Joe circles away and keeps his distance.
Nikolaev misses with a body kick.
Nikolaev tries to clinch there but Joe circles away.
Nikolaev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nikolaev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nikolaev moves in looking to clinch but Joe pushes him off.
Nikolaev tries to clinch but Joe moves out of range.
Nikolaev is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nikolaev wants to clinch up but Joe keeps it at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Nikolaev misses.
Joe throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Nikolaev wants to clinch up but Joe keeps it at a distance.
Nikolaev tries to close the distance and clinch but Joe swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Joe keeps the fight on the outside.
Nikolaev fails with an attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nikolaev looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A jab from Nikolaev misses.
Joe throws a series of punches but Nikolaev moves out of range.
Nikolaev fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nikolaev fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nikolaev just misses with a punch to the body.
Nikolaev tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Joe counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikolaev is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Joe avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nikolaev misses with a low kick.
Nikolaev moves in looking to clinch but Joe pushes him off.
Nikolaev tries to clinch but Joe is having none of it.
Joe circles away from the clinch attempt.
A combination from Joe does no damage.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Joe.
Nikolaev throws a looping overhand right but Joe ducks down to avoid it.

Nikolaev closes the distance and clinches.
With the fighters up against the cage, Nikolaev throws an elbow but misses.
Nikolaev trying to control the position but instead, Joe has worked for underhooks and has pushed Nikolaev into the cage.
Nikolaev misses with some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joe is trying to break the clinch but Nikolaev has him pressed against the cage.
Joe is trying to break free.
Nikolaev misses with a knee strike.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Nikolaev missing with knees to the body.
Joe tries a body shot but Nikolaev blocks it.
Nikolaev tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Joe looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Joe is trying to push Nikolaev away but Nikolaev has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Joe wants to break the clinch but can't.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A head punch on the inside from Nikolaev fails to land.
Nikolaev is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Joe avoids a wild elbow strike from Nikolaev.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrey Nikolaev dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Nikolaev moves out of range of the strikes.
Joe is looking to land body kicks.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Joe in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Nikolaev doesn't manage to clinch there - Joe circles away.
Nikolaev moves out of range of the leg kick from Joe.
Nikolaev is looking to clinch.
Nikolaev tries to clinch up but Joe circles away and keeps his distance.
Joe just misses with a punch to the body.
Nikolaev tries to clinch up but Joe circles away and keeps his distance.
Nikolaev doesn't manage to clinch there - Joe circles away.
John Joe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Joe tries to score with a low kick but Nikolaev moves his leg out of the way.
Joe uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nikolaev.
Nikolaev tries to clinch up.
Joe throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Nikolaev.
Joe is breathing heavily.
Joe misses the shot to the body.
Joe bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Joe is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Nikolaev rather than just go for the knockout.
Nikolaev is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikolaev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Joe swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nikolaev finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Nikolaev tries to clinch up.

Nikolaev fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Joe, pushing him back against the cage.
Nikolaev wants to stall.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Nikolaev just misses with a elbow thrown towards Joe's brow.
Nikolaev has Joe pressed against the cage, preventing Joe from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Nikolaev is looking to control Joe's arms but Joe gets an underhook and turns him. Now Nikolaev has his back to the cage.
Nikolaev throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Joe blocks it with crossed arms.
Nikolaev is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Nikolaev misses with a body punch.
Nikolaev avoiding damage as Joe throws knees to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikolaev seems a little flustered. He's come in with the intention of controlling the clinch but Joe is preventing him from doing so, at least for the moment.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Andrey Nikolaev.
Nikolaev doesn't manage to clinch there - Joe circles away.
Joe moves out of range of the body kick from Nikolaev.
Joe avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nikolaev moves in looking to clinch but Joe pushes him off.
Joe avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Joe finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Joe fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Nikolaev manages to avoid it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nikolaev looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Joe slips under a jab.
Nikolaev fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Nikolaev misses.
Nikolaev tries to clinch there but Joe circles away.
Nikolaev wants to clinch up but Joe keeps it at a distance.
John Joe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Nikolaev tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Joe paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nikolaev looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Andrey Nikolaev is winning the standup battle so far.
Joe throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Nikolaev misses with a hook. Joe ducked under it nicely.
Joe avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Joe tries to bum rush Nikolaev with a series of wild strikes but Nikolaev uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nikolaev is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nikolaev doesn't manage to clinch there - Joe circles away.
Joe swats away the attempt to clinch by Nikolaev.
Nikolaev fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikolaev throws a body punch but Joe moves out of range.
Joe swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Nikolaev tries to clinch but Joe moves out of range.
Nikolaev tries to clinch up.
Joe avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Joe circles away from the clinch attempt
and Joe counters with a right hand to the body.
Nikolaev tries to clinch up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nikolaev misses with a body shot.
Joe looks to land a combination but Nikolaev avoids it well.
Nikolaev tries to clinch there but Joe circles away.
Joe looks to land a body kick but Nikolaev moved away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nikolaev tries to clinch but Joe is having none of it.
Joe tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Joe throws a head kick but Nikolaev moves out of range.
Nikolaev is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nikolaev doesn't manage to clinch there - Joe circles away.
Nikolaev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Joe swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nikolaev is looking to clinch.
Nikolaev tries to clinch there but Joe circles away.
Nikolaev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nikolaev tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Joe paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nikolaev looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nikolaev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Joe takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nikolaev is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joe throws a right and a left that both miss.
Nikolaev throws a low kick but Joe moves out of range easily.
Nikolaev avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nikolaev wants to clinch up but Joe keeps it at a distance.
Nikolaev misses the shot to the body.
Nikolaev tries to clinch up.
Nikolaev wants to clinch.
Nikolaev tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Joe manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nikolaev wants to clinch up but Joe keeps it at a distance.
Nikolaev tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Joe paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nikolaev looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
John Joe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikolaev is looking to land body kicks.
Nikolaev tries to clinch up.
Nikolaev tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Joe manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Joe checks a low kick from Nikolaev.
Nikolaev moves in looking to clinch but Joe pushes him off.
Joe circles away from the clinch attempt
and Joe counters with a left and a right that stings Nikolaev.
Joe misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nikolaev is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nikolaev is looking to clinch.
Nikolaev tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe swats away the attempt to clinch by Nikolaev.
Nikolaev is looking to score with low kicks.
Joe swings for the body but Nikolaev moves out of range.
Joe slips a jab from Nikolaev.
Nikolaev fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nikolaev fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nikolaev bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Nikolaev closes the distance but Joe moves to the side
and Joe makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Nikolaev tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Joe manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nikolaev tries to clinch up.
Nikolaev is looking to clinch but Joe is avoiding it.
Nikolaev is looking to clinch but Joe is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikolaev tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Joe paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nikolaev wants to clinch.
Joe keeps the fight on the outside.
Nikolaev chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Nikolaev thows a body shot but no joy.
Nikolaev tries to clinch up.
Nikolaev throws a solid leg kick but Joe takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Nikolaev.
Joe keeps the fight on the outside.
Nikolaev keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nikolaev wants to clinch.
Nikolaev tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Joe paws at him with a jab and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andrey Nikolaev showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nikolaev 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andrey Nikolaev!
An out of breath Andrey Nikolaev thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.