PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gaidar Nabiev (ranked 6206 p4p, 6417 weight class) and Freddy Salamanca (ranked 555 p4p, 570 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Salamanca's choice of entrance music: Watch Me Rise. Freddy Salamanca is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Nabiev
vs
Salamanca

175 cm
20
165
1 - 1 - 0

178 cm
19
155
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

MKFC

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Gaidar Nabiev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Freddy Salamanca!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Aleksandr Martynov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nabiev closes the distance and clinches up with Salamanca, looking for a takedown. Nabiev pushes Salamanca against the cage but Salamanca circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Salamanca unleashes a big counter combination but Nabiev bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Nabiev tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Salamanca swivels and escapes.

Nabiev scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Salamanca kicks Nabiev off and gets back to his feet.
Nabiev closes this distance looking for a takedown but Salamanca circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gaidar Nabiev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nabiev dives in for a single leg takedown but Salamanca sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Nabiev looking for a takedown.

Salamanca manages to break the clinch.
Salamanca shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Nabiev but Nabiev pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Nabiev tried to counter with a leg kick but Salamanca avoided it.

Salamanca decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nabiev trying to control from the bottom.
Nabiev is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Nabiev avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Salamanca.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nabiev trying to control here.
Nabiev is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Salamanca is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Nabiev is trying to control but Salamanca passes into side control!
Salamanca sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Nabiev is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Salamanca scores with punches from side control.
Nabiev wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Nabiev wants to control but Salamanca postures up.
Nabiev throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Salamanca working away.
Salamanca takes a little break here. Nabiev wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Salamanca wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nabiev keeps working.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salamanca is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Salamanca misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Nabiev tries to buck Salamanca off but Salamanca is having none of it.
Nabiev throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Nabiev holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.
Nabiev is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Salamanca is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Nabiev wants to hold on but Salamanca pushes him away.
Salamanca has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Nabiev reaches up to try and control the position but Salamanca seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Nabiev rolls and tries to escape and now Salamanca has his back!
Salamanca is not going to allow Nabiev to sit and survive in this position.
Salamanca really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Nabiev.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Salamanca avoiding Nabiev 's attempts to control his hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Salamanca working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Nabiev tries to break free.
Nabiev is keeping busy.
Nabiev is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Despite being in a bad position, Nabiev is controlling the hands, preventing any submission attempts.

Nabiev manages to stand up with Salamanca still on his back. Eventually Salamanca drops to his feet and we're back in the standing position.

Nabiev gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Salamanca looks winded!

Nabiev had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Salamanca defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nabiev has a closed guard, preventing Salamanca from standing up.
Nabiev has Salamanca pulled in close to control his posture.
Nabiev keeping moving, preventing Salamanca from controlling successfully.
Salamanca content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Salamanca is looking to work some ground and pound but Nabiev has wrist control.
Salamanca trying to control but Nabiev is working from the bottom.
Salamanca trying to stand up but can't free himself from Nabiev's guard.
Salamanca with a flurry of punches that miss.
Nabiev seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.

Nabiev looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Freddy Salamanca dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Nabiev shoots for a double leg takedown but Salamanca sprawls well. He's pushed Nabiev's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Nabiev closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Salamanca quickly recovers to half guard.
Salamanca is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Nabiev is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Salamanca sees it coming and defends easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nabiev wants to lay and pray for a moment but Salamanca keeps working.
Salamanca felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Salamanca is trying is best to control the position here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salamanca won't allow Nabiev to pass to mount.
Salamanca gets back to full guard.
Salamanca can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Nabiev controls the pace.
Freddy Salamanca has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nabiev's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Salamanca holds on and takes a little breather.
Salamanca wants to stand but Nabiev is controlling the position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Salamanca has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Nabiev can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Nabiev content to stall in guard here.
Nabiev looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Salamanca controls Nabiev momentarily but Nabiev frees himself.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Freddy Salamanca seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Horrible takedown attempt by Nabiev or perhaps it was just good defense by Salamanca, which made it look bad.
Salamanca darts in looking for a takedown but Nabiev gets double underhooks and turns Salamanca into the cage.
Salamanca has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Nabiev throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Salamanca tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Nabiev is in Salamanca's guard.
Nabiev advances to half guard.
Nabiev is looking to advance position but Salamanca won't allow it.
Nabiev is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Salamanca!

Nabiev is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Salamanca is surviving well by controlling Nabiev's body position as best he can.
Nabiev controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nabiev with good strikes from the mount here!
Nabiev lands a nice shot to the head.
Nabiev unloading with bombs!
Nabiev looking to control but Salamanca is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Salamanca gets back to half guard.
Salamanca has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Nabiev is working away from the top position though.
Salamanca won't allow Nabiev to pass to mount.
Salamanca tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nabiev performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Salamanca on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Nabiev looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Nabiev landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Nabiev wants to control but Salamanca is keeping him busy.
Salamanca has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Nabiev is working away from the top position though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nabiev seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gaidar Nabiev dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Nabiev tried to score with a low kick but Salamanca checks it.
Salamanca changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Nabiev tries to avoid it but Salamanca manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Nabiev to the ground. Nabiev escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Nabiev throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Salamanca tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Nabiev is in Salamanca's guard.
Nabiev trying to control but Salamanca is working from the bottom.
Nabiev's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Nabiev wants to control from the top but Salamanca keeps moving.
Nabiev engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Salamanca trying to keep a closed guard but Nabiev is proving a slippery customer.
Salamanca takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nabiev wants to pass the guard but Salamanca is keeping the position.
Nabiev is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nabiev's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Nabiev avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Nabiev controls from within his opponent's guard.
Nabiev with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Nabiev works over Salamanca with some ground and pound from guard.
Nabiev pushes down on Salamanca's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Nabiev is pressing down on Salamanca's thigh, looking to free his foot. Salamanca is holding on for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salamanca is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Nabiev scores with a couple of nice shots.
Nabiev looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Nabiev is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Salamanca defends it well.

Nabiev wants to work for an arm triangle but Salamanca is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Salamanca actively working from the bottom here.
Nabiev is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Nabiev controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Salamanca looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Nabiev content to control rather than advance.
Nabiev prevents Salamanca from improving his position.
Nabiev looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Salamanca with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Nabiev trying to pass the guard but Salamanca defending well.
Nabiev content to control rather than advance.
Nabiev is thwarting Salamanca's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Salamanca taking some punishment here, with Nabiev in his half guard.
Nabiev controlling the action here.
Nabiev working over Salamanca with some ground and pound. Salamanca looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Nabiev is controlling the pace.
Nabiev seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Salamanca for as long as he can get away with.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Salamanca wants to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gaidar Nabiev showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Nabiev 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight for Gaidar Nabiev!
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight for Gaidar Nabiev!
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight for Gaidar Nabiev!

Gaidar Nabiev wins by unanimous decision!