PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Oleksandr Usyk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sven Kristian Nielsen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nielsen has chosen Wardruna - Fehu as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Usyk
vs
Kristian Nielsen

190 cm
26
250 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

191 cm
25
275 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Oleksandr Usyk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sven Kristian Nielsen!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Ian Loll and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Usyk clinches up with Nielsen and pushes him back against the cage.
Usyk lands a body punch in the clinch.
Usyk misses with a knee to the head.
Usyk lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Sven Kristian Nielsen has been cut.
Usyk comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Nielsen misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Nielsen can't find room to land a body shot as Usyk controls the action.
Usyk blocks a body shot from Nielsen.

Usyk breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Usyk drops Nielsen with a big left hand and mounts him. Nielsen is in big trouble!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nielsen is looking to improve his position but Usyk isn't that keen on the idea.
Nielsen keeps trying to improve his position.
Usyk controlling the pace for now.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Nielsen can't escape the position.
Usyk tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Usyk stands up from mount. Strange move.
We've been informed that Nielsen has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Nielsen throws a poor cross that misses
and Usyk connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That has opened up Sven Kristian Nielsen's cut even more.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nielsen misses with a hook to the body
and Usyk counters with a huge overhand right that connects right on the temple, sending him crumpling, face first to the floor! This one is all over! What a knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:09 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Oleksandr Usyk!