PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Misha Botsman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Nevsky (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Alexander Nevsky was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Botsman
vs
Nevsky

180 cm
23
210 lbs
7 - 0 - 0

178 cm
26
217 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Russian Top Team Nutrition

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 7 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Misha Botsman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexander Nevsky!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Ivan Kurochkin and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nevsky dives in and grabs Botsman's left leg, looking for a takedown. Botsman pushes down on Nevsky's head and hops out.
Botsman misses with a straight right.
Nevsky shoots for a takedown but Botsman saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Botsman tests Nevsky's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Botsman throws an off balance right hand
and Nevsky counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Botsman thows a left - swing and a miss!
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!
Botsman stuffs the takedown attempt from Nevsky. Nevsky gets slowly back to his feet.
Misha Botsman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Nevsky.
Botsman misses with a left hand

and Nevsky counters with a single leg into guard. Botsman didn't expect that.

Nevsky is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Nevsky won't allow Botsman to get back to his feet.
Nevsky is looking to work some ground and pound but Botsman has wrist control.
Nevsky missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nevsky pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Botsman is keeping the position for now.
Botsman working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nevsky.
Nevsky postures up in Botsman's guard and throws a big left but Botsman blocks it.
Nevsky engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Nevsky is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Botsman working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nevsky.
Nevsky with a flurry of punches that miss.
Botsman being controlled here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nevsky postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Botsman is breathing heavily.

Nevsky thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Botsman on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Botsman tries to get out of the position.
Nevsky with a nice head shot there.
Nevsky postures up in Botsman's guard and throws a big left but Botsman blocks it.
Nevsky missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Botsman keeping moving, preventing Nevsky from controlling successfully.
Nevsky throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Botsman works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nevsky scoring with punches to the head and body.
Nevsky advances position into side control!
Nevsky working the ground and pound but Botsman is defending the strikes.

Nevsky wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Botsman, who protects the arm well.
Nevsky working the ground and pound but Botsman is defending the strikes.
Nevsky misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nevsky is trying to get an arm triangle but Botsman is defending well.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nevsky sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Botsman is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Nevsky lands some shots froms side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Nevsky tries for a kimura but Botsman is defending well.
Nevsky has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Nevsky lands a decent elbow from side control.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Nevsky misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Nevsky controls the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Nevsky 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.

Botsman takes a swing at Nevsky's ribcage but misses.

Nevsky scores with a takedown into Botsman's guard.
Botsman knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Nevsky on the ground.
Nevsky not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Nevsky working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Nevsky seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Nevsky trying to control the position from guard on top but Botsman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nevsky lands a couple of elbows.
Nevsky with a flurry of punches that miss.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nevsky distracts Botsman with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Botsman utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Nevsky's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Nevsky throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Botsman works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Nevsky landing with the ground and pound.

Nevsky is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nevsky is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nevsky makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Botsman wants to stand and escape but Nevsky is having none of it.
Nevsky with a flurry of punches that miss.
Nevsky is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Nevsky drops back looking for a leg! Botsman is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Botsman manages to kick Nevsky off! Nevsky jumps back into Botsman's guard.
Botsman keeping moving, preventing Nevsky from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nevsky throwing strikes from guard but Botsman blocks nicely.
Nevsky has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nevsky in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nevsky thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Nevsky showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Nevsky with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Nevsky with a flurry of punches that miss.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Botsman avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Nevsky keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Botsman's head.
Nevsky passes easily into side control. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Nevsky showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Nevsky scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Nevsky is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Botsman knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Nevsky grinds an elbow into Botsman's temple.
Nevsky postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Botsman takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Nevsky is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Botsman looks calm but he's in trouble here. Nevsky gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Botsman is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Nevsky lets go of the hold and Botsman can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:01 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Alexander Nevsky!