PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Carneiro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Nabokov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nabokov comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Sparks - The Who kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Igor Nabokov enters the cage!

Carneiro
vs
Nabokov

186 cm
29
197 lbs
7 - 9 - 0

182 cm
24
185 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rafael Carneiro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Igor Nabokov!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nabokov has closed the distance and engaged Carneiro in a clinch.
Nabokov keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Carneiro's efforts to push away.
Nabokov is trying to force a seperation but Carneiro has the dominant position.

Nabokov is trying to trip Carneiro. He has hold of a leg but Carneiro is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Nabokov persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Nabokov must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Carneiro throws his legs up looking for a submission but Nabokov uses it to pass to side control.
Nabokov controlling the position.
Carneiro wants to control but Nabokov postures up.
Carneiro sneaks back into half guard.
Carneiro tries to get to full guard but Nabokov has control of the leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Carneiro has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Nabokov is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carneiro is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Nabokov lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Nabokov wants to pass the guard but Carneiro is defending well.
Nabokov content to control rather than advance.
Nabokov tries to pass the half guard into mount. Carneiro knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Carneiro tries to get to full guard but Nabokov has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carneiro wants to control but Nabokov is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Carneiro is looking to improve his position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Carneiro fails with an attempt to clinch.
Carneiro is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Carneiro shoots in for a takedown but Nabokov shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Nabokov has managed to clinch.

Nabokov manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Carneiro won't allow Nabokov to sweep him here.

Nabokov working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Carneiro has passed into half guard!
Nabokov really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Carneiro. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Carneiro stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carneiro with a poor takedown

and Nabokov counters by clinching up.
Carneiro has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Nabokov gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Carneiro is not content to let Nabokov control the position.
Carneiro is looking for a sweep. Nabokov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nabokov trying to pass the guard but Carneiro defending well.
Carneiro is trying to stand back up but Nabokov is controlling him
Carneiro trying to control from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nabokov controlling the pace.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Igor Nabokov wasn't active enough on the ground.
Carneiro tries to close the distance and clinch but Nabokov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Carneiro looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Nabokov throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Carneiro counters by moving into the clinch.
Nabokov lands with a short shot to the head.
A bit of stalling here from Nabokov.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Nabokov lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Nabokov stalling.
Carneiro is refusing to be controlled, as Nabokov sits in half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nabokov sitting and controlling from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Nabokov dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Nabokov fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rafael Carneiro is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Nabokov moves into the clinch.

Nabokov lands a takedown into guard.
Carneiro is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Nabokov controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Carneiro working for submissions but it's allowed Nabokov to get to half guard.
Nabokov trying to control the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carneiro tries to kick Nabokov off but Nabokov keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Carneiro tries to get to full guard but Nabokov has control of the leg.
Carneiro trying to hold on to Nabokov's head to control him but Nabokov postures up.
Nabokov trying to control the action but Carneiro is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Igor Nabokov.
Carneiro shoots for a takedown but Nabokov saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carneiro shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Nabokov as he jumps to the side.
Carneiro shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Nabokov but Nabokov pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rafael Carneiro. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Nabokov clinches up with Carneiro and pushes him back against the cage.
Nabokov is trying to break the clinch but Carneiro is controlling him.

Nabokov manages to break the clinch.
Nabokov scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

Nabokov darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nabokov with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Carneiro looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nabokov is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Carneiro is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nabokov pulls his head out easily.
Nabokov controlling the action here.
Nabokov wants to stand but Carneiro has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Nabokov works his way into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Carneiro's face as Nabokov controls the position.
Nabokov wants to control but Carneiro is keeping him busy.

Nabokov decides to stand back up.

Nabokov closes the distance and clinches.
Carneiro tries to pull guard but Nabokov holds him up against the cage and eventually Carneiro drops back down to his feet.
Nabokov tries to break free but Carneiro pushes him back against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Carneiro pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Carneiro gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Nabokov holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Nabokov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Nabokov clinches with his opponent.

Carneiro is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Nabokov is aware though and is defending well.

Carneiro looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Carneiro is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Carneiro stands up out of the half guard.

Carneiro tries to sprawl but Nabokov drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Carneiro is looking to improve his position.
Nabokov frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Nabokov looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carneiro trying desperately to get to his feet.
Carneiro is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Nabokov tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Nabokov trying to control but Carneiro is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carneiro wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Carneiro tries to hold on but Nabokov postures up.
Nabokov controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Igor Nabokov has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Carneiro doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

Nabokov clinches.
Nabokov working hard to break the clinch.
Nabokov wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Carneiro has him pressed against the cage.
Carneiro has Nabokov pressed against the cage, preventing Nabokov from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Nabokov has Carneiro pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Nabokov pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Carneiro tumbling to the mat - Nabokov dives into Carneiro's guard.
Carneiro is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Igor Nabokov has got the better of the ground game so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nabokov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Igor Nabokov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nabokov has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30

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