PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nikita Astakhov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ante Pavelic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Astakhov comes to the cage accompanied by Tupac - Uppercut. 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.

Astakhov
vs
Pavelic

190 cm
27
265 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

195 cm
26
280 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Knockout power

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 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nikita Astakhov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ante Pavelic!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Leandro Rodrigues and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pavelic lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Astakhov misses with a two punch combination.
Pavelic tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Astakhov tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Pavelic scores with a head kick.

It looks like Nikita Astakhov has been cut.
Pavelic tries to clinch but Astakhov moves out of range.
An inside leg kick lands from Pavelic.
Pavelic's coach down at Soul Supremacy Rio was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Pavelic's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Pavelic on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Astakhov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Pavelic throws a sloppy head kick and Astakhov moves out of range easily.
It looked like Astakhov wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Astakhov misses with an uppercut. Pavelic saw that one coming.
Pavelic wants to counter with a clinch but Astakhov pushes him away.
Astakhov pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Pavelic feints a counter leg kick.
Astakhov paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Pavelic fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Astakhov.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pavelic throws a sloppy head kick
and Astakhov counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Pavelic lands a head kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pavelic takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Pavelic on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Pavelic tries to clinch there but Astakhov circles away.

Pavelic lands a big head kick that sends Astakhov tumbling to the mat! Pavelic takes a step backwards and waves Astakhov back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Astakhov is rocked!
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Pavelic, right into the meat.
Pavelic is looking to slow Astakhov down with leg kicks.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pavelic moves in looking to clinch but Astakhov pushes him off.
Astakhov checks a low kick from Pavelic.
Pavelic connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Pavelic scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Pavelic is looking to clinch.
Pavelic uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Astakhov.
Pavelic pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Astakhov on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Pavelic buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Pavelic dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Astakhov. That did some damage!
Pavelic keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pavelic tries to counter with a clinch but Astakhov shakes him off and moves away.
Pavelic throws a head kick but Astakhov moves out of range.
Pavelic fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Astakhov has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Astakhov scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Pavelic gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Pavelic misses with a head kick.
Astakhov is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
A bone on bone clash there as Astakhov blocks the leg kick.
A little feinted left hand from Astakhov on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Astakhov on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Pavelic. Pavelic obviously looking to wear him down.
Good leg kick by Pavelic there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Astakhov checks a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pavelic lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Pavelic connects with an inside leg kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Pavelic, right into the meat.
Astakhov is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Pavelic chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Astakhov throws a body punch but Pavelic moves out of range.
Pavelic fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Astakhov has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Pavelic connects with a high kick.
Astakhov takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Astakhov lands a slapping body shot.
Pavelic throws a head kick that misses
and Pavelic takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Pavelic throws a head kick but Astakhov moves out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from Astakhov misses the target.
Astakhov avoids the head kick by Pavelic.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Good leg kick by Pavelic there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pavelic connects with a solid leg kick.
Some bone on bone action there as Astakhov checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
A nice inside leg kick there by Pavelic. That's going to slow Astakhov down.
A slapping leg kick lands for Pavelic.

Pavelic moves into the clinch.
Pavelic can't find room to land a body shot as Astakhov controls the action.
Pavelic misses with a punch to the body.
Pavelic misses with a knee strike.
Pavelic's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pavelic swings wildly with an uppercut but Astakhov uses good head movement to avoid it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Astakhov.
Astakhov tries to work over Pavelic's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ante Pavelic dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nikita Astakhov's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Whack! Pavelic lands a heavy head kick that drops Astakhov. The ref tackles Pavelic to stop the fight - a great save by the referee because Astakhov was done.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:05 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Head Kick). Ante Pavelic!
Ante Pavelic took to the mic in his post fight interview and said 'ZA DOM SPREMNI'.