PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Nickels (ranked 2340 p4p, 61 weight class) and Fanta Coco (ranked 1615 p4p, 40 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Nickels
vs
Coco

190 cm
32
245 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

195 cm
36
230 lbs
21 - 19 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jimmy Nickels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 19 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Fanta Coco!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Robert Twigg and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Coco connects with an inside leg kick.
Coco takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

It looks like Fanta Coco has been cut.
Coco doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Coco uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Nickels.
Coco misses with a series of wild punches.
Nickels throws a series of punches but Coco avoids them all with ease.
Coco moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
The crowd cheers as Nickels lands an impressive looking overhand right. Coco doesn't seem phased though.
Coco misses with a kick to the body.
Coco circles away from the clinch attempt.
Coco scores with a hook to the body. Nickels takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Coco scoring well with a low kick there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nickels fails to land with a series of punches.
Nickels tries to score with a low kick but Coco moves his leg out of the way.
Coco moves forwards but Nickels connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Coco is looking to slow Nickels down with leg kicks.
Coco loads up on a big right hand but Nickels slips the punch.
A quick step to the side and Nickels tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nickels throws a predictable looking body shot
and Coco counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nickels looks to score with a jab to the body but Coco is just out of range.
Nickels scores with a jab to the jaw.
Coco motions for Nickels to come forward. Coco throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
A counter left hand to the body from Nickels misses its target.
Nickels on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Coco checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Coco tries to move into range but Nickels moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Nickels tries to bum rush Coco with a series of wild strikes but Coco uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nice body kick from Coco.
Nickels is breathing heavily.
Coco looks for the body kick but Nickels saw that one coming.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Nickels crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Coco - the referee stops the clock and Nickels gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Coco. Nickels manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

Coco connects with a vicious head kick that knocks Nickels to the floor! Coco dives in looking for the finish!

It looks like Jimmy Nickels has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nickels gets full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Coco would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Coco is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Nickels looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Coco wants to stand and escape but instead Nickels has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Coco wants to stand up but Nickels is controlling him.
Coco has momentary wrist control but Nickels slips an elbow through the middle.

Coco has his feet on Nickels's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Nickels throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Coco sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Coco slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Coco is looking to score with low kicks.
Coco throws a nice outside leg kick.
Nickels misses with a straight left.
Coco staying out of range there.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Coco! But no joy.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nickels. Coco does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nickels misses with a combination
and Coco counters with a straight right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Coco looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Coco slips under a jab.
An inside leg kick lands from Coco.
Coco circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nickels connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Nickels uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Coco.
Coco throws a series of punches but Nickels moves out of range.
Nickels is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Nickels clinches up with Coco and pushes him back against the cage.
Nickels gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That has opened up Fanta Coco's cut even more.
Nickels throws an elbow that misses.

Coco breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nickels throws a combination that misses
and Coco counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Nickels swings widly with a right hand
and Coco counters with a three punch combo that has Nickels backing up. Nickels nods at Coco to acknowledge the strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A punch combination from Coco misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the body from Nickels misses
and Coco counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Nickels swinging wildly here.
Coco replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Nickels blocks it well.
A swing and a miss from Nickels.
Nickels's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Coco connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Nickels scrambles back to his feet.
Coco throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Nickels throws a leg kick
and Coco counters with a nice uppercut.
Nickels throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Coco has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Coco connects with a body shot that sends Nickels's belly button to the back.
Coco throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Nickels keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Coco tries a head kick but it misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nickels misses with an uppercut.
Coco ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Jimmy Nickels seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Coco connects with a leg kick. Nickels looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Nickels has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Coco.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fanta Coco dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Nickels throws a sloppy head kick and Coco moves out of range easily.
Coco feints a counter leg kick.
A head kick misses from Coco.
Coco has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nickels throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Coco wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Nickels is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Nickels fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nickels missing with a left hand there. Coco was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Nickels on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Coco connects with a single shot there.
Nickels avoids a kick to the body.
Nice defenses there by Coco.
A big right from Nickels misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Coco swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Nickels misses with the body kick
and Coco counters with a nice kick to the body.
Coco feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Nickels's calf.
Nickels closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Coco scores with a hook to the body. Nickels takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Coco dodges the punch combination from Nickels.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Coco lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Coco misses with a few strikes there.
Decent striking displayed by Coco there.
Nickels connects with a crisp jab.
Coco takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Coco fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Nickels has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Nickels keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nickels checks a leg kick nicely.
Coco lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Coco throws a series of punches but Nickels avoids them all with ease.
Coco throws a head kick but Nickels moves out of range.
Nickels swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.

Nickels has closed the distance and engaged Coco in a clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nickels working aggressively here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Coco escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nickels throws a half hearted mid kick.
Coco thuds his right hand into Nickels's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Nickels's legs have taken a beating and he's really slowing down as a result.
Coco throws a chopping leg kick but Nickels manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Jimmy Nickels is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nickels looks to score with a jab to the body but Coco is just out of range.
Nickels buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Coco misses with a body kick.
Coco misses with a wild combination.
Nickels avoids the body shot from Coco.
Coco lands a glancing blow to the side of Nickels's head.
Nickels tries to bum rush Coco with a series of wild strikes but Coco uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nickels wants to clinch up but Coco keeps it at a distance.

Nickels rushes Coco and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Coco breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Coco misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Coco sets himself and throws a head kick that knocks Nickels to the ground! Coco dives into full mount looking to finish!

Nickels is rocked!
Nickels really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Oh Nickels is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Coco get's back to his feet.
Coco pounces like a tiger and cracks Nickels with a vicious hook! Nickels is down but not out! Coco follows up with more strikes forcing the ref to jump in and stop it!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:18 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Fanta Coco!
An out of breath Fanta Coco thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.