PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Oleg Kovolak (ranked 3449 p4p, 3857 weight class) and Idi Nima (ranked 442 p4p, 489 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Kovolak
vs
Nima

187 cm
19
211
3 - 0 - 0

193 cm
21
215
3 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Oleg Kovolak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Idi Nima!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, John Kavanagh and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nima misses the jab.
Nima misses with a wild body shot.
Nima avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nima has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Kovolak throws a body shot but no joy.
Nima looks to land a right hand but Kovolak moved out of range.
Kovolak misses with a left hand
and Nima counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Nima misses with a looping left.
Nima misses with a straight left.
Nice body punch from Nima.
Nice straight punches there by Nima. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Nima.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nima tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kovolak was well out of range. Poor timing from Nima.
Nima fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nima scores with a jab to the body.
Nima misses with an uppercut. Kovolak saw that one coming.
A counter left hand to the body from Kovolak misses its target.
Kovolak throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nima lands a jab to Kovolak's midsection.
Nima swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Idi Nima seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nima ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kovolak moves away.
Nima tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kovolak was well out of range. Poor timing from Nima.
Kovolak misses with a lunging right hand
and Nima counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Kovolak scores with a hook.
Nima ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kovolak moves away.
Nima wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Nima misses with a few strikes there.
Kovolak wants to clinch.
Nima unleashes a big counter combination but Kovolak bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Kovolak avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Kovolak lands a nice looking body shot.
Nima throws a body punch but Kovolak moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nima throws a right and a left that both miss.
Kovolak takes a shot right to the bread basket.
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!
Nima tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kovolak was well out of range. Poor timing from Nima.
Nima with a hook.
Nima lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Kovolak misses with a hook
and Nima counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The fighters circling - Nima throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Nima scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Kovolak doesn't seem bothered though.
Kovolak ducks under a wild hook from Nima.
Nima lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kovolak circles away quickly and effectively.
An attempted straight right counter from Kovolak misses the target.
Kovolak tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nima was well out of range. Poor timing from Kovolak.

Kovolak fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nima, pushing him back against the cage.
Nima working hard to break the clinch.
Kovolak can't find room to land a body shot as Nima controls the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nima trying to stall but Kovolak improves his position.
Come on Kovolak - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Kovolak content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Kovolak throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Nimas head.
Kovolak lands an uppercut.
Kovolak lands a shoulder strike.
Kovolak lands with a right to the head.
Kovolak lands a right hand.
Kovolak misses with some punches.
Kovolak gets through Nima's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Kovolak is struggling to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kovolak stalling in the clinch.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Kovolak for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
I was talking to Kovolak's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Kovolak can't find room to land a body shot as Nima controls the action.
Kovolak is stalling here.
Kovolak slows down the pace here.
Nima is trying to break free.
Nima blocking some punches.
Kovolak has Nima pressed against the cage.
Kovolak tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Nima's elbow.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Idi Nima dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kovolak waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Nima.
It seemed like Nima was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Nima swinging wildly here.
Kovolak swings away with a body shot that misses
enabling Nima to counter with a crisp jab.
Kovolak moves out of range as Nima strikes.
Nima cracks Kovolak with a right hand to the side of the head.
Nima cracks Kovolak with an open hand slap.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Nima tries to break free but Kovolak pushes him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kovolak misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kovolak misses with the head strike.
Kovolak displaying some good clinch control by pressing Nima up against the cage.
Kovolak tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nima tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Kovolak's elbow.
Kovolak misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kovolak has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Nima prevents a body shot from Kovolak.
Nima has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Kovolak misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kovolak takes a shot to the head.
Kovolak lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short body shot lands from Nima as the two fighters clinch.
Nima blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Nima misses with some punches.
Nima misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kovolak prevents a body shot from Nima.
Nima stalling in the clinch but Kovolak improves position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kovolak misses with the head strike.
Kovolak manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Kovolak takes a shot to the head.
Kovolak tries a body shot but Nima blocks it.
Kovolak stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Kovolak misses with the head strike.

Nima breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kovolak tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nima was well out of range. Poor timing from Kovolak.
Nima swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Nima with a nice cross.
Kovolak is looking to wear down Nima with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Nima takes a swing at Kovolak's ribcage but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Nima.
Nima throws a looping overhand right but Kovolak ducks down to avoid it.
Kovolak is looking to counter punch.
Nima throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Kovolak on the side of the head.
Kovolak lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Nima at a distance.
Nima thows a left - swing and a miss!
Kovolak swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
A right-left combo lands from Nima.

It looks like Oleg Kovolak has been cut.
Kovolak fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Nima manages to avoid it.
Nima listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Kovolak takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Kovolak throws a body shot but no joy.
Nima connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kovolak throws a body shot but no joy.
Kovolak paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Nima with a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the body from Nima misses
and Kovolak cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Kovolak takes a swing at Nima's ribcage but misses.
Nima lands a slapping body shot.
Nima fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Kovolak looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Nima swings for the body but Kovolak moves out of range.
Nima swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nima just misses with a punch to the body.
Kovolak throws a hook but Nima blocks it.
Nima appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Nima throws an overhand right that lands on Kovolak's shoulder, as Kovolak tries to avoid the shot.
Nima swings for the body but Kovolak moves out of range.
Kovolak tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Nima manages to circle out of the way.
Nima throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Nima swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Nima ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kovolak moves away.
Nima misses with a looping right.
It looked like Kovolak wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Idi Nima showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Oleg Kovolak's cut.
That's time! Kovolak's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Nima misses with the combination.
Nima jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Nima misses with a wild body shot.
Nima cracks a nice hook into Kovolak's ribs.
Nima slips under a jab from Kovolak.
Jab by Kovolak.
Kovolak connects with a crisp jab.
Nima ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kovolak moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kovolak lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Kovolak tests Nima's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Nima throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Kovolak on the side of the head.
Nima tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kovolak was well out of range. Poor timing from Nima.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nima dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Kovolak misses with a hook
and Nima counters with a left to the body.
Nima lands a body shot.

Kovolak moves into range and clinches up with Nima.
Oleg Kovolak has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A short right from Kovolak.
Kovolak tries to throw a body punch but Nima avoids it by throwing Kovolak back against the cage.
Nima being controlled against the cage.
Kovolak lands with a light punch inside.
Stalling in the clinch from Kovolak.
Nima tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Kovolak's elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kovolak misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kovolak swings wildly with an uppercut but Nima uses good head movement to avoid it.
Stalling in the clinch from Kovolak.
Kovolak prevents a body shot from Nima.
Kovolak swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kovolak tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Nima's elbow.
The referee calls for Kovolak to work.
Kovolak stalling the fight.
Kovolak throws a head punch that misses.
Kovolak tries a body shot but Nima blocks it.
Kovolak blocks a body shot from Nima.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kovolak swings wildly with an uppercut but Nima uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nima can't break the clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Kovolak takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Nima blocking some punches.
Nima blocks an uppercut.
A bit of stalling here from Kovolak.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kovolak.
Kovolak has a couple of punches blocked by Nima.
Nima misses with a body punch.
Kovolak pushes Nima back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Idi Nima is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nima wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kovolak has him pressed against the cage.
Nima tries to throw a body punch but Kovolak avoids it by throwing Nima back against the cage.
Nima throws a head punch that misses.
A right handed body shot lands from Kovolak.
Kovolak lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Kovolak misses with the head strike.
Kovolak just leaning against Nima, taking a breather.
Oleg Kovolak has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Nima breaks the clinch.
Kovolak uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nima.
A little feinted left hand from Kovolak on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Kovolak showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Nima.
Nima swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Kovolak.

And that's the end of the fight!
Oleg Kovolak showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Nima has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Idi Nima!
In his post fight interview, Idi Nima started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.