PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sergei Novikov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Mezza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Novikov
vs
Mezza

180 cm
22
270 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
220 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sergei Novikov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Steve Mezza!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Dillan Fox and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Novikov misses with a leg kick.
Mezza stuffs the takedown attempt from Novikov. Novikov gets slowly back to his feet.
Novikov throws a leg kick that misses.
Mezza fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Mezza throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A leg kick checked by Mezza.
Novikov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Novikov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Mezza wants to clinch.
Some wild striking there from Mezza.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mezza throws a right and a left that both miss.
Novikov could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Novikov misses with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mezza tries to clinch but Novikov is having none of it.
Mezza misses with a few strikes there.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Novikov.
Novikov working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Mezza wants to control but Novikov postures up.
Novikov scoring with punches from side control.
Mezza is trying to control Novikov's posture but Novikov avoids it.
Novikov lands a decent elbow from side control.
Mezza is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Novikov has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Novikov in side control lands a decent elbow.
Novikov lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Mezza down.

Mezza is rocked!

Novikov is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Mezza has escaped the position, nice work there.
Novikov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mezza keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Novikov working the head with strikes.
Mezza is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Mezza takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Novikov working the ground and pound from side control.
Mezza is still in real trouble! Can Novikov finish him?
Mezza wants to control but Novikov postures up.
Novikov has knee on belly and moves into mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mezza is working to get back to half guard.
Mezza seems to have recovered his senses.
Mezza looks gassed!

Novikov looking to secure an arm triangle but Mezza defends it well.
Novikov working Mezza over with strikes here.
Novikov postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Mezza looks a forlorn figure.

It looks like Steve Mezza has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mezza takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Novikov in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Novikov with shots to the head and body - Mezza looks very uncomfortable down there.
Novikov has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Mezza's face.
A nice elbow there by Novikov.
Novikov working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Novikov has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Mezza is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Novikov working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Mezza tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mezza taking shots to the head.
Novikov with the ground and pound from mount.
Novikov with shots to the head and body - Mezza looks very uncomfortable down there.
Novikov landing strikes from the mount.
Mezza tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mezza sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mezza trying to control here.
Mezza is trying to stand back up but Novikov is controlling him

Mezza makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Mezza throws a series of punches but Novikov avoids them all with ease.
Steve Mezza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mezza lands with a shot to the body.
Mezza moves into range and connects with a jab.
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!
Mezza fails to land with a series of punches.
Novikov throws a left and a right that both miss
and Mezza counters with a left and a right that stings Novikov.
Novikov throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Mezza falls off balance throwing a combination
and Novikov counters with a thumping low kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A shot to the body from Mezza misses

and Novikov counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Mezza!
A nice elbow there by Novikov.

That has opened up Steve Mezza's cut even more.
Novikov unloading with bombs!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergei Novikov dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Steve Mezza's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Novikov throws a leg kick but Mezza moved away.
Novikov misses with a two punch combination.
Novikov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Mezza swivels and escapes.
A big left from Novikov misses.
A low kick from Novikov is predictable there

and Mezza counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Mezza.
Mezza won't allow Novikov to sweep him here.

Novikov looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Novikov escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Mezza gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Novikov doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Mezza must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Novikov throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Novikov has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mezza can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mezza cracks Novikov with a solid left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mezza wants to stand and escape but instead Novikov has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Mezza is on top in guard.

Novikov working for a triangle but Mezza defends it easily.
Novikov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mezza trying to control the position from guard on top but Novikov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Novikov is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Novikov wants to control but Mezza is keeping him busy.
Mezza is trying to stand back up but Novikov is controlling him

Mezza manages to escape and get back to his feet!
A combination from Mezza does no damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Novikov will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Mezza tries to clinch but Novikov moves away

and Novikov counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Novikov.
Novikov won't allow Mezza to sweep him here.
Novikov with a nice head shot there.
Mezza wants to stand and escape but Novikov is having none of it.
Novikov stopping the sweep attempt from Mezza.
Novikov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mezza is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mezza clinches but Novikov breaks the clinch

and Novikov counters with a nice double leg into side control. Mezza won't be happy with that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mezza is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Novikov is controlling him well.
Mezza regains half guard.
Mezza on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mezza is trying to stand back up but Novikov is controlling him

Novikov stands up out of the half guard.
Novikov slips a jab and a cross from Mezza.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Mezza checks a leg kick.
Mezza checks the leg kick.

Novikov shoots in and bounces Mezza off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Novikov trying to control the position from guard on top but Mezza is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Novikov sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Mezza's guard.
Novikov is looking to take a break and control but Mezza is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Novikov not doing much here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Novikov passes to full mount!
Mezza tries to hold on but Novikov postures up.
Mezza really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Novikov. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Mezza working to try and regain half guard.
Novikov landing punches.

Steve Mezza's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Steve Mezza's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Sergei Novikov!