PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Maxim Ward (ranked 588 p4p, 1393 weight class) and Kebab Nurminen (ranked 77 p4p, 189 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.

Ward
vs
Nurminen

185 cm
31
172
15 - 5 - 1

180 cm
37
177
22 - 18 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Powerful

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Urban Fighter

Urban Fighter
Shadow Realm Apparel

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 15 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Maxim Ward!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 18 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kebab Nurminen!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Richard Clark and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nurminen shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Ward napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Ward can't do much from the bottom here.
Nurminen trying to control the position but Ward is working away.
Nurminen taking a breather here.
Ward is looking for a sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nurminen trying to control the position but Ward is working away.
Ward tries to buck Nurminen off but Nurminen is having none of it.
Nurminen wants to take a breather but Ward manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Nurminen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurminen throwing strikes from guard but Ward blocks nicely.
Ward can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Nurminen controls the pace.
Ward is trying to control the position but Nurminen postures up.
Nurminen controls from within his opponent's guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

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.

Ward shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Nurminen manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Ward prevents Nurminen from getting back to his feet.
Ward controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Ward won't allow Nurminen to get back to his feet.
Ward tries to free his leg and advance position but Nurminen is retaining full guard.
Nurminen is controlling Ward's posture.
Ward looking to pass the guard.
Nurminen wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Ward gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Nurminen working aggressively here.
Nurminen is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Ward pulls guard.
Nurminen looking to sit in guard and control but Ward gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Nurminen has control of Ward's left arm, preventing Ward from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nurminen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Nurminen pulls Ward in close to prevent any damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ward postures up.
Ward controls from within his opponent's guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nurminen shoots in for a takedown but Ward shows good takedown defense.
Nurminen throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Ward counters with a stiff right hand.
Ward lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Ward closes this distance looking for a takedown but Nurminen circles away.
Nurminen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ward throws a shot to the body.
Ward throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Ward fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Nurminen darts in looking for a takedown but Ward gets double underhooks and turns Nurminen into the cage.
Ward throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Ward drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Nurminen wants to sweep here but Ward controlling him for the moment.
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!
Ward trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ward stops Nurminen from standing up.
Ward is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nurminen can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurminen is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Nurminen is trying to control the position but Ward postures up.
Nurminen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ward is one step ahead there.
Ward is stalling in the full guard.
Nurminen controlling the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Ward darts in looking for a takedown but Nurminen gets double underhooks and turns Ward into the cage.

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.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Nurminen.
Ward tries to pull guard but Nurminen holds him up against the cage and eventually Ward drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Maxim Ward. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Nurminen has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Ward clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Nurminen lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Nurminen.
Ward trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Ward tries to escape the position.
Nurminen misses with punches from the back.
Nurminen gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Ward tries to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nurminen connects with a big shot to the side of Ward's head.
Ward staying busy and making it hard for Nurminen to control.
Nurminen controlling from the back.
Ward tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Nurminen controlling from the full mount.
Let's hope that Nurminen has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nurminen tries to control but Ward wriggling away.
Ward is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Nurminen controlling the position easily from mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ward is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kebab Nurminen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Ward scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Ward looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Nurminen moves into full guard.
Nurminen is looking to stand up but Ward isn't so interested in that idea.
Ward is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nurminen pulls Ward in to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurminen keeping moving, preventing Ward from controlling successfully.
Ward content to stall in guard here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Nurminen sizes up Ward with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Nurminen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Ward staying out of range there.
Nurminen looks for a takedown but Ward sprawls well.
Nice uppercut there from Ward.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nurminen moves out of range of the strikes.
Ward slips under a jab.

Nurminen shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Still in half guard, Nurminen seems content to control.
Nurminen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Nurminen is controlling the pace.
Ward blocking the ground and pound attempt from Nurminen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nurminen wants to stand up but Ward is controlling the position.
Ward won't allow Nurminen to pass to mount.
Ward is looking to control Nurminen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ward avoid being mounted?

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Ward moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Nurminen shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ward as he jumps to the side.
Ward ducks under a wild hook from Nurminen.
Nurminen dives in and grabs Ward's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ward pushes down on Nurminen's head and hops out.
Maxim Ward has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kebab Nurminen.
Ward dips to his left and cracks Nurminen with an uppercut!
Ward works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Ward doesn't manage to clinch there - Nurminen circles away.
Sloppy strikes from Nurminen. Those never looked like landing.
Ward throws a good cross that connects.
Nurminen stuffs the takedown attempt from Ward. Ward gets slowly back to his feet.
A cross from Ward lands.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ward ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Nurminen moves away.
Ward moves out of range of the strikes.
Ward fails with the takedown
and Nurminen makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Ward stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Ward throws a right and a left that Nurminen avoids nicely.
Nurminen with the counter takedown but Ward avoids it easily.
Ward blocks a jab.
A jab from Nurminen misses.
Ward shoots in but Nurminen avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Nurminen now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Maxim Ward.
I think Ward 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maxim Ward!
An out of breath Maxim Ward thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.