МАТЧ!: Fedor Alekandrovich Chudinov vs. Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam & Alan Khugaev vs. Bakhrom Payazov RBR

Yep, got the same knot in my stomach as in the late rounds yesterday.

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Round 9

N'Dam N'Jikam needs his gloves re-taped very shortly after the bell. Quite a long delay. Alright, here we go. N'Dam N'Jikam is backing up and popping out quick triple jabs, then rocking himself inward to clinch just as Chudinov is catching up to him. BIG swatting combos upside the head by Chudinov up close as N'Dam N'Jikam ducks and protects the middle of his face with both gloves pinched together tightly. N'Dam N'Jikam is rocked by a jab while taking a long, bold, diagonal leftward-and-back sidestep around Chudinov and starting to shoot his own jab off the hip. Chudinov is mugging N'Dam N'Jikam on the inside, and BASHES him with a left hook that almost wobbles him onto all fours! N'Dam N'Jikam recovers and backs out, regaining his proprioception and jabbing his way clear.

10-9 Chudinov

88-83 Chudinov

 

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Round 10

N'Dam N'Jikam is rocked into a corner and the crowd, prematurely, whips itself up into a frenzy thinking a KO is nigh. That isn't the first time so far they've incorrectly prognosticated that. Basically whenever Chudinov lands cleanly they all get up from their seats and begin screaming - they even did this in some of the clear early N'Dam N'Jikam rounds, if Chudinov so much as threw a power punch. Now, however, a stoppage - at the very least of the sympathetic referee variety - does seem realistic. N'Dam N'Jikam is saving himself up until backed into a corner and then chopping down mightily with the right hand, but nothing he does discourages Chudinov from rolling forward. N'Dam N'Jikam goes tumbling ass over tea-kettle as they collide and punch each other's arms; the ref waves his arms outward to indicate not a knockdown.

10-9 Chudinov

98-92 Chudinov

 

Round 11

N'Dam N'Jikam is prodded backward with a 1-2-1-2. Chudinov may be tiring slightly, as he is jabbing proportionately more now than he did in the first half, and far less of even his power shots are thrown full-force. Or it may be a strategic thing; N'Dam N'Jikam is watching out for hooks and dipping his upper half in towards Chudinov, and as a result is getting peppered between the eyes with jabs and crosses now, which buzz him each time. N'Dam N'Jikam goes down but again not ruled a knockdown - but that one looked as if it might've been a legitimate one the ref missed. Will have to see a replay. Chudinov is walking N'Dam N'Jikam down, still piercing his way inside with the jab and looking to send the cross along after it. N'Dam N'Jikam is kissing the ropes with his back, dancing around, barely even snapping out his jab, just holding out the left defensively.

10-9 Chudinov

108-101 Chudinov

 

Well, I think we all knew Chudinov by decision was the likeliest outcome here, but I did assume it was going to be via robbery - not a legit lopsided affair. I wasn't expecting Chudinov to look so much better than I recall him looking recently (particularly against Mohammedi, another quick athletic Frenchman), nor N'Dam N'Jikam so much poorer than usual.

 

Round 12

N'Dam N'Jikam is getting pummeled with jabs and rights as he stands in and trades briefly with Chudinov, then walked into the ropes where he is slashed across the midsection with hooks. N'Dam N'Jikam is gassed, badly, yet manages to dive in from the corners and slap at Chudinov's body with both hands before tying him up. The bell sounds to end the round a full minute early, after just two minutes of action! The ref and both fighters are confused but then resume. Chudinov has N'Dam N'Jikam badly hurt on the inside, but the Frenchman is able to hold & flurry the rest of the way until the real bell.

10-9 Chudinov

118-110 Chudinov