PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov (ranked 1256 p4p, 1644 weight class) and Marcos Furriel (ranked 162 p4p, 220 weight class). Khabib Nurmagomedov has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Nurmagomedov
vs
Furriel

170 cm
21
162
6 - 3 - 0

188 cm
21
165
6 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Brooklyn Threads

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Khabib Nurmagomedov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Marcos Furriel!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Lou da Vinci and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nurmagomedov scores with a nice strike.
Furriel shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Nurmagomedov as he avoids it easily.
Jab from Nurmagomedov.
Furriel darts in looking for a takedown but Nurmagomedov gets double underhooks and turns Furriel into the cage.

Furriel feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Nurmagomedov is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Furriel stopping the sweep attempt from Nurmagomedov.
Furriel pushing down on Nurmagomedov's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Nurmagomedov moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Nurmagomedov throws his legs up looking for a submission but Furriel uses it to pass to side control.
Furriel looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Nurmagomedov is avoiding damage well.
Furriel creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Nurmagomedov sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Check out the look on Furriel's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Nurmagomedov might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Furriel creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Nurmagomedov sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Furriel looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Nurmagomedov is avoiding damage well.
Nurmagomedov is looking for a sweep.
Furriel is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Furriel in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Nurmagomedov on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Furriel trying to control the action but Nurmagomedov is working from the bottom.
Nurmagomedov is looking for a sweep.
Nurmagomedov's coaches at Casa Steel 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.
Nurmagomedov dodges the ground and pound from Furriel.
Furriel throws an elbow but Nurmagomedov slips to the side and avoids it well.
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.
You can see the frustration on Nurmagomedov's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Furriel working the ground and pound.
Nurmagomedov tries to buck Furriel off but Furriel is having none of it.
Nurmagomedov takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Furriel throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Nurmagomedov tries to bench press Furriel off him but Furriel keeps the position.
Nurmagomedov is not content to let Furriel control the position.
Furriel throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
You can see the frustration on Nurmagomedov's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Furriel lands a nice forearm strike.
Furriel trying to control the action but Nurmagomedov is working from the bottom.
Furriel landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Furriel has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Nurmagomedov can't do much from the bottom here.
Furriel in side control, throwing shots but Nurmagomedov defends.

Furriel tries for a kimura but Nurmagomedov is defending well.
Furriel misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Furriel tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Furriel has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Furriel throws an elbow but Nurmagomedov slips to the side and avoids it well.
Furriel trying to control the action but Nurmagomedov is working from the bottom.

Furriel is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Nurmagomedov has escaped the position, nice work there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Furriel goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Nurmagomedov has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Furriel but great work by Nurmagomedov.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nurmagomedov connects with the punch.

Furriel changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Nurmagomedov looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Furriel sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Nurmagomedov is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Furriel tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

Furriel goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Nurmagomedov has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Furriel but great work by Nurmagomedov.
Furriel seems a little lost for a moment, as Nurmagomedov dominates the positioning.
Nurmagomedov working the head with strikes.
Furriel is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Furriel is trying to get back to his feet.
Nurmagomedov working the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Furriel struggling a bit here.
Furriel tries to bench press Nurmagomedov off him but Nurmagomedov keeps the position.
Nurmagomedov landing a few strikes.
Nurmagomedov working the head with strikes.
Furriel can't do much from the bottom here.
Nurmagomedov trying to control the position but Furriel is working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Furriel tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Furriel regains half guard.
Furriel is trying to control but can't.
Furriel is trying to get back to full guard.
Marcos Furriel has got the better of the ground game so far.
Furriel works his way to full guard. Good work.

Furriel has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Nurmagomedov can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Furriel not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Furriel lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Nurmagomedov avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Nurmagomedov tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Furriel cracks Nurmagomedov with a solid left hand.

Furriel got a little sloppy there for a moment and Nurmagomedov has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Furriel has managed to get both his arms back between Nurmagomedov's legs - danger averted.
Furriel in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Furriel throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nurmagomedov works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Nurmagomedov keeping moving, preventing Furriel from controlling successfully.
Furriel throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov seems keen to control Furriel's posture.
Furriel looking to pass the guard.

Furriel drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Nurmagomedov manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Furriel has Nurmagomedov in his guard.

Furriel looking for a guillotine here but Nurmagomedov defends easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nurmagomedov throws a big elbow that misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Marcos Furriel will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Furriel closes the distance and clinches up with Nurmagomedov, looking for a takedown. Furriel pushes Nurmagomedov against the cage but Nurmagomedov circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A little feinted left hand from Nurmagomedov on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Furriel will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Nurmagomedov moves into the clinch.
A short right from Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov misses with a knee strike.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Nurmagomedov.
Furriel jumps guard but Nurmagomedov stands there with Furriel around his waist. Furriel gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Khabib Nurmagomedov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marcos Furriel.
Furriel goes for a takedown in the clinch but Nurmagomedov prevents it.
Nurmagomedov lands with a short punch from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nurmagomedov misses with a knee strike.
Furriel avoids a wild elbow strike from Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov working aggressively here.
Furriel wants a takedown but no success here.
Nurmagomedov pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Furriel is working for takedown but Nurmagomedov is calmly controlling the position for now.
Furriel drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nurmagomedov scores with a shot to the side of Furriel's head.
Nurmagomedov misses with an elbow over the top.
Furriel is looking to take this one to the mat.

Furriel gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Nurmagomedov regains guard.
Nurmagomedov 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.
Furriel wants to control from the top but Nurmagomedov keeps moving.
Furriel won't allow Nurmagomedov to sweep him here.
Nurmagomedov avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Furriel puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Furriel landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Nurmagomedov is trying to get back to full guard.
Furriel lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Well, if Furriel is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Furriel trying to mount his opponent but Nurmagomedov defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov blocking the ground and pound attempt from Furriel.
Nurmagomedov regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Furriel.
Furriel chips away with some ground and pound.
Furriel is looking to work some ground and pound but Nurmagomedov has wrist control.
Furriel trying to control the position from guard on top but Nurmagomedov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nurmagomedov is looking to sweep but instead, Furriel has passed into half guard.
Furriel thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Nurmagomedov's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Furriel looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Furriel is trying to control the action in half guard but Nurmagomedov is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Khabib Nurmagomedov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Marcos Furriel is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Nurmagomedov is trying to get back to full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Furriel is taking a breather. Nurmagomedov says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Khabib Nurmagomedov showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Furriel 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Marcos Furriel!