PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Andrey Nikonov (ranked 24792 p4p, 24797 weight class) and Igor Nox (ranked 787 p4p, 732 weight class). 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.

Nikonov
vs
Nox

181 cm
21
175
2 - 3 - 0

195 cm
26
170
1 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Heavy handed

Rekt Inevitably

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Andrey Nikonov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Igor Nox!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Topper Green and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch lands to the side of Nox 's head but he takes it in his stride.

It looks like Igor Nox has been cut.

Nox fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Nikonov sprawls well initially but Nox persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Nikonov avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nox.
Nikonov is looking for a sweep. Nox is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nikonov is refusing to be controlled, as Nox sits in half guard.
Nikonov avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nox.
Nox throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Nikonov regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Nox.
Nox trying to control the position from guard on top but Nikonov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Nikonov is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Nox is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Nikonov keeping moving, preventing Nox from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikonov is pulling down on Nox's head to control his posture.
Nox is stalling in the full guard.

Nikonov is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nox defends well.
Nox won't allow Nikonov to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Nox throws a big right hand that misses.

Nikonov is looking for a triangle but Nox pushes his legs off easily.
Nikonov has his hands on Nox's head, controlling the position.
Nikonov is looking to sweep but instead, Nox has passed into half guard.
Nox wants to stand up but Nikonov is controlling the position.
Nikonov avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nox.
Nikonov is staying active underneath Nox, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Nox looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nox prevents Nikonov from improving his position.
Nox not doing much here.
We've been informed that Nox has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Nox is looking to stall here but Nikonov recovers full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Nikonov looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Nox passes into half guard.
Nox throws a strike but Nikonov avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nikonov preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nikonov working a defensive guard here.
Nox not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Nikonov looking to control but Nox passes into half guard.
Nox is thwarting Nikonov's attempts to control the position.
Nox working Nikonov over with strikes.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nikonov is looking to improve his position.
Nikonov avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nox.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Nox dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Igor Nox's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nox ducks under a wild hook from Nikonov.
Nox looks to land a combination. Nikonov sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Nox tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nikonov swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Nox moves into the clinch successfully.
Nox lands a good knee to the midsection. Nikonov won't want to take too many of those.
Nikonov changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Nox fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Nox moves in looking to clinch but Nikonov pushes him off.
Nox misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nox throws a half hearted mid kick.
Nox scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Nox moves in looking to clinch but Nikonov pushes him off.
Igor Nox seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Nikonov.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nox tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nikonov swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Nikonov closes the distance and pushes Nox back into the cage.
Nox blocks an elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikonov drops down looking for an ankle pick but Nox pulls his leg out and moves away.
Igor Nox is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nox is looking to clinch but Nikonov is avoiding it.
Nikonov tries to counter by clinching up but Nox breaks away and moves out of range.
Nox dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Nikonov. That did some damage!
Nikonov looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Nox drives through and clinches with Nikonov against the cage.
Nikonov landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Nikonov managing to block the knees to the body from Nox.
Nox is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Nikonov is defending well for now.
Nikonov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Nox on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Nikonov crunches a lovely knee into Nox's ribcage.
Nikonov content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Nikonov stalls.
Nikonov's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Nikonov goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikonov gets underhooks to prevent Nox's takedown attempt.
Nox looking to stall.
Nikonov displaying some good clinch control by pressing Nox up against the cage.
Nikonov crunches a lovely knee into Nox's ribcage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Nikonov.
The referee calls for Nikonov to work.
Nikonov lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nikonov is stalling here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nox pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nox will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nikonov is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
A bone on bone clash there as Nikonov blocks the leg kick.
Nikonov circles away from the clinch attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nox looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nikonov misses the shot to the body.
Nox finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Nikonov connects with a body shot that sends Nox's belly button to the back.
Nox doesn't manage to clinch there - Nikonov circles away.
Nikonov checks a leg kick.
Nox throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Nikonov.
As Nox looks to move away, Nikonov throws a big counter combo but Nox just gets out of the way.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikonov lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Nox connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Nikonov looks to score with a jab to the body but Nox is just out of range.
Nikonov misses with an attempted mid kick.

Nikonov gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Nox trying to land knees to the body.
Nikonov pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Nikonov lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Nikonov avoiding damage as Nox throws knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Nox escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nox fails with the takedown.
A counter left hand to the body from Nikonov misses its target.
A bone on bone clash there as Nikonov blocks the leg kick.
An attempted straight right counter from Nikonov misses the target.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Nox.
Nikonov tries to counter by clinching up but Nox breaks away and moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Andrey Nikonov will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Igor Nox's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

A combination from Nox does no damage.
Nox moves in looking to clinch but Nikonov pushes him off.
Nox tries to clinch but Nikonov is having none of it.
Nox dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Nikonov. That did some damage!
Nox throws a lazy head kick
and Nikonov counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Nikonov misses with a two punch combination.

Nikonov closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Nikonov lands in his opponent's guard.
Nikonov trying to control the position from guard on top but Nox is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nikonov landing with the ground and pound.
Igor Nox has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nikonov trying to control the position from guard on top but Nox is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikonov looking to sit in guard and control but Nox gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Nox got a little sloppy there for a moment and Nikonov has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nox has managed to get both his arms back between Nikonov's legs - danger averted.
Nox working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Nox wants to control from the top but Nikonov keeps moving.
Nikonov is trying to keep Nox in close.
Nox trying to control the position from guard on top but Nikonov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikonov 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.
Nikonov might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Nikonov controlling the position.
Nox is looking to work some ground and pound but Nikonov has wrist control.
Nox throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nikonov works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Nikonov trying to keep a closed guard but Nox is proving a slippery customer.
Nox makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Nox looking to sit in guard and control but Nikonov gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Nox 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikonov's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Nox looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Nikonov controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Nox is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Nikonov seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Nox shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Nikonov sprawls well. Nikonov wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Nox gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Nikonov throws a body shot but no joy.
Nox tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nox swinging wildly here.
Nikonov scores with a punch to the head.
Nox is looking to clinch.
A solid body kick from Nox.
Nox misses with a double jab
and Nikonov makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Good leg kick by Nikonov.
Nox shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nikonov misses with the combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andrey Nikonov showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Nikonov has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Topper Green scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andrey Nikonov!
The defeated Igor Nox had this to say: 'Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof. I'm happy to still have my friends, family, and fans. I try to not makes this a habit. Thanks everyone. '.