PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Felix Messler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nurmagomed Nurmagomedov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Messler
vs
Nurmagomedov

171 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

172 cm
25
150 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Felix Messler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nurmagomed Nurmagomedov!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Fedor Mirinova and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nurmagomedov tries to clinch up but Messler circles away and keeps his distance.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Nurmagomedov enables Messler to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Nurmagomedov manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Messler lands a couple of digs.
Messler postures up and lands a big shot to Nurmagomedov's brow.
Nurmagomedov can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Messler controls the pace.
Messler lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Messler content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Messler 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.
Messler with a nice head shot there.
Nurmagomedov looks winded!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Messler lands a couple of elbows.
Messler postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Messler landing with the ground and pound.
Messler working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Nurmagomedov's head.
Messler connects with a couple of short punches.
Messler looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Messler with a nice head shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messler lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Messler scoring with punches to the head and body.
Messler cracks Nurmagomedov with a solid left hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Messler postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Nurmagomedov told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Messler working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Messler chips away with some ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Messler lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Nurmagomedov is rocked!
Messler scoring with punches to the head and body.
Nurmagomedov is still in real trouble! Can Messler finish him?
Messler postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Messler slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Nurmagomedov seems to have recovered his senses.
Messler landing with the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Messler landing with the ground and pound.
Messler lands a couple of digs.
Messler sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Nurmagomedov can't keep his opponent in guard - Messler advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Messler seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Messler landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Messler takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Messler is trying for a kimura here. Nurmagomedov looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Messler wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Felix Messler!