PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rice Flair (ranked 1516 p4p, 2027 weight class) and Khalib Nuragomidova (ranked 199 p4p, 251 weight class). Rice Flair could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Khalib Nuragomidova's chin.

Flair
vs
Nuragomidova

167 cm
26
155
9 - 5 - 0

181 cm
38
155
11 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
KO power

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Brooklyn Threads
Brooklyn Apothecary

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rice Flair!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Khalib Nuragomidova!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Daniel Franklin and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Flair fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nuragomidova feints the counter takedown.
Flair is looking to clinch.
Flair tries to clinch but Nuragomidova moves out of range.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Nuragomidova has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Flair changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Nuragomidova tries to avoid it but Flair manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Nuragomidova to the ground. Nuragomidova escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nuragomidova lands a jab to the head.
Rice Flair seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Nuragomidova closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Flair tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Nuragomidova wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Nuragomidova lands a nice forearm strike.
Flair is being controlled here.
Nuragomidova in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Flair tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Nuragomidova working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Flair tries to improve position but can't.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Flair is working hard here to advance position.
Nuragomidova lands an elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nuragomidova cracks Flair with a big right hand but Flair just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Flair tries to bench press Nuragomidova off him but Nuragomidova keeps the position.
Nuragomidova cracks Flair with an elbow. That is naaassty.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Flair takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Flair tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Nuragomidova wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Nuragomidova working the ground and pound from side control.
Nuragomidova lands a decent elbow from side control.
Nuragomidova lands a nice forearm strike.
Flair's coaches at The Brick Hithouse have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
Nuragomidova scoring with punches from side control.
Flair tries to bench press Nuragomidova off him but Nuragomidova keeps the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nuragomidova lands a decent elbow from side control.
Nuragomidova cracks Flair with a big right hand but Flair just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Flair tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Nuragomidova lands a nice forearm strike.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Flair tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Nuragomidova wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Check out the look on Nuragomidova's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Nuragomidova working the head and body with strikes.
Nuragomidova has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Nuragomidova working the ground and pound.
Flair tries to improve position but can't.
Nuragomidova landing a few strikes.
Nuragomidova cracks Flair with a big elbow.

Flair is rocked!
Nuragomidova is chipping away with strikes.
Oh Flair is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nuragomidova scores with a couple of short elbows.
Nuragomidova laying and praying for a moment but Flair takes advantage and regains half guard.

Nuragomidova stands up out of the half guard.
Flair seems to have got his legs back now.
No luck for Flair with that takedown attempt.
Flair tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Flair fails in his attempt to clinch.
Flair takes one to the side of the head.

Nuragomidova throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Flair was covering up waiting for the punch and Nuragomidova finishes the takedown easily into guard.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nuragomidova forces his way into half guard.
Nuragomidova looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Flair is looking to improve his position.
Nuragomidova is looking to take a break and control but Flair is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Flair has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Nuragomidova escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Nuragomidova!
Nuragomidova trying to control the action but Flair is working from the bottom.
Flair takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Khalib Nuragomidova dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Flair tries to clinch there but Nuragomidova circles away.
Nuragomidova throws a combination. Flair tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Flair is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Flair tries to clinch but Nuragomidova moves out of range.
Flair avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nuragomidova has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Flair moves in looking to clinch but Nuragomidova pushes him off.
Nuragomidova ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Flair moves away.

Flair gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Flair lands a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Flair blocking some punches.
Flair struggles to land a body shot inside as Nuragomidova controls his hands.
Nuragomidova is trying to push Flair away but Flair has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Nuragomidova is trying to break the clinch but Flair is controlling him.

Nuragomidova breaks from the clinch.

Flair moves into range and clinches up with Nuragomidova.
Flair tries to work over Nuragomidova's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nuragomidova lands with a left to the head.
Nuragomidova misses with some punches.
Nuragomidova is trying to push Flair away but Flair has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Flair's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Flair lands a body punch.
Flair misses with a hook from the clinch.
Nuragomidova works on Flair's body with a couple of short punches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nuragomidova.
Nuragomidova lands a hook to the side of the head.

Nuragomidova breaks the clinch.
Nuragomidova scores with a nice strike.
Flair tries to clinch but Nuragomidova is having none of it.
Nuragomidova lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

Flair gets a clinch.
Flair scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Flair misses with a short punch on the inside.
Flair can't find room to land a body shot as Nuragomidova controls the action.
Nuragomidova wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Flair has him pressed against the cage.
Nuragomidova wants to break the clinch but can't.

Nuragomidova's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Nuragomidova looking to score a takedown here. Flair is defending well but Nuragomidova drives through and ends up in Flair's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Flair looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Nuragomidova is defending well. Flair quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Nuragomidova has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Flair celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:22 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Rice Flair!
Rice Flair is the new lightweight champion!
In defeat, Khalib Nuragomidova stepped up to the mic, saying 'I AM STILL THE KING OF BUMS SCREW U ALL '.