PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Apolosi Nawai (ranked 4081 p4p, 355 weight class) and Stavros Halkias (ranked 3443 p4p, 313 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Nawai
vs
Halkias

206 cm
26
281 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

195 cm
25
255 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big right hand

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Apolosi Nawai!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Stavros Halkias!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Andrew Berry and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Halkias misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nawai tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Halkias swivels and escapes.

Nawai closes the distance and clinches.
Nawai throws a punch but it's blocked by Halkias.
A short left from Nawai.
Nawai misses with a hook from the clinch.

Nawai escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Nawai gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Halkias prevents a body shot from Nawai.
Halkias is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Halkias blocks an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nawai has a couple of punches blocked by Halkias.
Nawai scores with a nice hook to the head.
Nawai throws a punch but it's blocked by Halkias.
Halkias blocks an uppercut.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nawai drives through and clinches with Halkias against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Nawai.
Nawai lands with a short shot to the head.
Halkias blocking some punches.
Halkias wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Nawai tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nawai fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Nawai makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Nawai lands a nice uppercut.
Nawai softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Nawai makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A short right from Nawai on the inside.
Nawai lands a hook to the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Halkias blocking some punches.

Nawai successfully pulls guard.
Nawai looking to hit a scissor sweep but Halkias is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nawai has his foot on Halkias's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Halkias works his way back into a safe position though.
Halkias showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Nawai throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Halkias's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Nawai looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Nawai working a defensive guard here.

Halkias avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Nawai is trying to control the position but Halkias postures up.
Halkias is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nawai pushes Halkias up against the cage in a clinch.
Nawai gets through Halkias's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Nawai working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Nawai scores with a nice hook to the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Halkias.
Nawai lands a left hand.

Nawai successfully pulls guard.

Nawai throws his legs up looking for a submission but Halkias uses it to pass to side control.
Halkias trying to control the action but Nawai is working from the bottom.
Nawai tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nawai is working hard here to advance position.
Nawai is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Halkias's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Nawai is staying active underneath Halkias, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Nawai is looking to improve his position.
Halkias is looking to take a break and control but Nawai is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nawai tries to roll over but Halkias keeps him under control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Halkias wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nawai keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Apolosi Nawai dominated that round.
That's time! Nawai's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Nawai fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Nawai lands a leg kick that knocks Halkias off balance momentarily.
Nawai is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Halkias can do to turn this around?

Halkias lands a jab followed by a vicious hook that sends Nawai sprawling to the canvas. Halkias follows him down, looking for the kill. Can Nawai hang on?

Nawai is rocked!

It looks like Apolosi Nawai has been cut.
Halkias passes into side control, despite Nawai's attempt to control the position.
Oh Nawai is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
You can see the frustration on Nawai's face as Halkias controls the position.
Nawai seems to have got his legs back now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nawai strikes from the bottom but Halkias takes advantage and advances to full mount!
Nawai slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Nawai gets full guard.
Nawai lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Nawai postures up in Halkias's guard and throws a big left but Halkias blocks it.
Nawai throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Halkias works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Apolosi Nawai overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nawai won't allow Halkias to get back to his feet.
Nawai will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Halkias throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halkias looking to control.
Nawai in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nawai accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Halkias wriggles free and stands up.
We've been informed that Halkias has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Halkias throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Halkias thows a left - swing and a miss!
Stavros Halkias seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nawai getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Halkias misses with a series of wild punches.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Nawai.

Nawai gets a clinch.
Nawai gets through Halkias's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Halkias.
Nawai lands with a short shot to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Halkias.
Nawai presses Halkias against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Nawai lands with a left to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Nawai fails to land.

Nawai jumps into guard, dragging Halkias to the mat.
Halkias looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Nawai is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Halkias is aware though and is defending well.

Nawai is looking for a triangle but Halkias pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nawai is looking to sweep but instead, Halkias has passed into half guard.
Nawai moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Nawai throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Halkias really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Nawai. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Halkias sitting in guard here, content to control.
Halkias must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Nawai will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Nawai is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Nawai has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Halkias is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Nawai.
Nawai is trying to control Halkias's posture but Halkias avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halkias has knee on belly and moves into mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nawai is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Halkias prevents Nawai from getting the reversal.
Halkias working the ground and pound effectively.
Nawai really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Halkias wants to control the pace but Nawai is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stavros Halkias showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Apolosi Nawai's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Nawai dodges the punch combination from Halkias.
Halkias misses with a wild combination.

Nawai instigates a clinch.
Nawai lands a shot to the body.
A shot in the inside from Nawai.
Nawai lands a right hand.
A short body shot lands from Nawai as the two fighters clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nawai lands a shoulder strike.
A short uppercut from Nawai.
Nawai scores with a shot to the side of Halkias's head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Nawai.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nawai scores with a shoulder strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nawai lands with a right to the head.

Halkias is rocked!
Halkias takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nawai misses with a punch on the inside.
Halkias is still on wobbly legs! Can Nawai finish him?
Nawai swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nawai swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nawai tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Halkias blocks an uppercut.
Halkias seems to have recovered his senses.

Nawai breaks from the clinch.

Nawai pushes Halkias up against the cage in a clinch.
Nawai throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Halkiass head.

Nawai breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nawai showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Halkias.

Nawai instigates a clinch.
Nawai lands a right hand that snaps the head of Halkias backwards.

Nawai pulls guard successfully.

Nawai working for a triangle but Halkias defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!

Nawai is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Nawai is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Nawai looking for a sweep. Not yet Nawai, not yet.
Nawai thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Halkias working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Halkias passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Halkias is pressing down on Nawai's thigh, looking to free his foot. Nawai is holding on for now.
Nawai misses with some strikes from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nawai throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Nawai misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Halkias blocks the strikes from Nawai.
Nawai is looking for a sweep. Halkias is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nawai 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.
Halkias wants to take a breather but Nawai is having none of it.
Nawai is looking to improve his position.
Nawai on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Nawai tries to get out of the position.
Nawai trying to control here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Nawai rushes Halkias and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A short body shot lands from Nawai as the two fighters clinch.
Nawai throws a head punch that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nawai lands a left hand that snaps the head of Halkias backwards.
A frustrated look appears on Halkias's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Nawai makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Apolosi Nawai has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A head punch on the inside from Nawai fails to land.
Nawai lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Nawai lands with a short shot to the head.
Nawai lands a body shot.
A right hand to the body from Nawai.
Nawai dips a shoulder and cracks Halkias with a mighty uppercut! Halkias falls back against the cage and Nawai unloads with a barrage of strikes! Halkias is completely out with his eyes open, only supported by the cage! Save him ref! Eventually the ref decides to do his job and jumps in - Nawai screams abuse at the incompetent official before going over to celebrate with his corner. Brutal stuff!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Apolosi Nawai!
Apolosi Nawai is the new heavyweight champion!
A very excited looking Apolosi Nawai made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.