PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Shamil Astakhov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Nagy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thomas Nagy will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Astakhov
vs
Nagy

182 cm
28
197 lbs
13 - 8 - 0

180 cm
27
210 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

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 13 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Shamil Astakhov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thomas Nagy!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Marco Blurström and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nagy shoots in for a double leg but Astakhov sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Nagy misses with a lunging right hand

and Astakhov counters with a takedown into side control.
Nagy is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Astakhov throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Nagy works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.

Nagy actively working from the bottom here.
Nagy wants to control but Astakhov is keeping busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Astakhov wants to work for an arm triangle but Nagy is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Astakhov working Nagy over with strikes.
Astakhov seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Nagy is holding on to half guard well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nagy is refusing to be controlled, as Astakhov sits in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nagy is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Nagy is trying to control but can't.

Nagy actively working from the bottom here.
Astakhov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nagy keeps working.
Astakhov 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.
Nagy wants to control but Astakhov is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Astakhov trying to control from half guard but Nagy is working away.
Nagy trying to control here.
Nagy is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Astakhov working over Nagy with some ground and pound. Nagy looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Astakhov trying to control from half guard but Nagy is working away.
Astakhov thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Nagy's head.
Astakhov is looking to take a break and control but Nagy is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Nagy is trying to maintain the position but Astakhov is very close to passing his half guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Astakhov prevents Nagy from improving his position.
Astakhov trying to control the action but Nagy is working from the bottom.

Nagy actively working from the bottom here.
Nice strikes from Astakhov there.

Nagy is defending against the submission attempts here by Astakhov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Astakhov throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Astakhov working the head and body with strikes.

Astakhov seems to be working for a kimura but Nagy defends the submission attempt.
Nagy is concentrating on defense, preventing Astakhov from advancing position.
Nagy has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Astakhov is working away from the top position though.
Astakhov sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Nagy defending well though.
Nagy trying to control from the bottom.
Nagy is controlling Astakhov's position as best he can from this difficult position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Nagy tries to get to full guard but Astakhov has control of the leg.
Nagy is trying to maintain the position but Astakhov is very close to passing his half guard.
Astakhov is trying to control the action in half guard but Nagy is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Nagy shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Astakhov as he jumps to the side.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nice sprawl there from Astakhov as Nagy shoots in.
Shamil Astakhov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thomas Nagy.
Nagy shoots and misses

and Astakhov counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Astakhov.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shamil Astakhov dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Nagy misses with a jab to the body

and Astakhov decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Nagy's guard.
Nagy is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Astakhov is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Nagy has an active guard here but Astakhov has managed to pass into half guard.
Nagy wants to improve his position but Astakhov is controlling well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Nagy looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Astakhov slows the pace down in half guard.
Nagy blocking the ground and pound attempt from Astakhov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nagy is not content to let Astakhov control the position.
Nagy wants to control but Astakhov passes into side.
Nagy can't do much from the bottom here.
Nagy is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Astakhov is staying active.
Nagy is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Astakhov cracks Nagy with a big right hand but Nagy just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Nagy is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Astakhov lands a few punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

Astakhov tries for a kimura but Nagy is defending well.
Astakhov landing a few strikes.
Nagy is trying to get back to half guard.
Nagy managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Astakhov.
Nagy wants to control but Astakhov postures up.
Astakhov creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Nagy sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Astakhov works to advance to full mount. Nagy defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Nagy wants to hold on but Astakhov pushes him away.
Astakhov with a couple of short strikes.
Nagy wants to hold on but Astakhov pushes him away.
Nagy tries to reverse the position but Astakhov maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Astakhov lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Nagy hang on?
Astakhov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nagy can do to turn this around?
Astakhov scoring with strikes but Nagy is staying in there.
Astakhov lands a big shot there that rocks Nagy but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
The referee warns Nagy that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Nagy holds of for dear life.
A nice elbow there by Astakhov.
Nagy wants to control but Astakhov is having none of it.
Astakhov controlling from the full mount.
Nagy wants to hold on but Astakhov pushes him away.
Astakhov lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Nagy hang on?
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Nagy can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nagy wants to control but Astakhov is having none of it.
Nagy keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Astakhov is in the full mount, landing strikes.

Astakhov is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Nagy is surviving well by controlling Astakhov's body position as best he can.
Nagy wants to hold on but Astakhov pushes him away.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Astakhov lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Nagy hang on?
Astakhov tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Astakhov is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Astakhov unloading with bombs!
Nagy wants to hold on but Astakhov pushes him away.
Astakhov looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shamil Astakhov dominated that second 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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Nagy misses with a body shot

and Astakhov counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Nagy!
Nagy parries the strikes from Astakhov easily there. Astakhov is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Nagy to escape.
Astakhov wants to control but Nagy is keeping him busy.
Astakhov misses with the ground and pound.
Astakhov working the head with strikes.
Nagy can't do much from the bottom here.
Nagy tries to bench press Astakhov off him but Astakhov keeps the position.
Astakhov works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Nagy wants to control but Astakhov postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nagy taking a bit of punishment here - Astakhov scoring with strikes.
Astakhov in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Nagy is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Astakhov's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Astakhov is thwarting Nagy's attempts to control the position.
Ground and pound from Astakhov.
Nagy wants to control but Astakhov is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Astakhov lands strikes from half guard.
Astakhov lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Astakhov seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Astakhov has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Astakhov lands with some strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Astakhov avoids the attempt from Nagy to control.

Astakhov is controlling this nicely and is looking to make no mistakes. Nagy is trying to wiggle out of this horrible position. Nagy flips to his side and attempts to get a leg in for half guard. Astakhov anticipates the leg and manages to get behind Nagy and secures both hooks! This could be bad! Astakhov slips an arm under Nagy chin and tries to position for a rear naked choke. Astakhov has worked the choke in now and it looks tight. Astakhov is squeezing on Nagy like an anaconda would it's prey. Nagy fails to tap and has fallen unconscious! We've got ourselves a winner by way of a rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:24 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Shamil Astakhov!