PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Harold Nicolas (ranked 2921 p4p, 2034 weight class) and Dennis Nilsen (ranked 365 p4p, 254 weight class). Harold Nicolas looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Nicolas
vs
Nilsen

187 cm
41
211
37 - 23 - 0

185 cm
45
212
24 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Counter fighter
Knockout power

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 37 - 23 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Harold Nicolas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dennis Nilsen!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Hirohito Nitta and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Nicolas enables Nilsen to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Nicolas manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Nilsen works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Nicolas on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Nicolas tries to get out of the position.
Nilsen wants to free his trapped foot but Nicolas is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Nilsen performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Nilsen seems to be looking for submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nilsen moves into full mount! Nicolas won't be happy about that!
Nicolas wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nilsen tries to keep control of the position but Nicolas is staying busy.
Nilsen really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Nicolas.

Nicolas defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

Nicolas fending off the submission attempt from Nilsen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nilsen is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Nicolas wants to escape the position.

Nilsen goes for a risky armbar from back mount and it's not paid off. Nicolas escapes and is now in half guard on top.
Nilsen tries to roll over but Nicolas keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nicolas content to control rather than advance.
Nilsen trying to control from the bottom.
Nilsen tries to get to full guard but Nicolas has control of the leg.

Nilsen looking for submissions off his back.
Nilsen wants to improve his position but Nicolas is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Nilsen wants to control but Nicolas is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Nilsen regains full guard. Nicely done.

Nilsen working for a triangle but Nicolas defends it easily.
Our spies down at at EFC Gym inform us that Nilsen has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?

Nilsen looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nicolas stopping the sweep attempt from Nilsen.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dennis Nilsen dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nilsen darts in looking for a takedown but Nicolas gets double underhooks and turns Nilsen into the ropes.
Nilsen swings widly with a right hand
and Nicolas counters with a stiff right hand.
Nicolas connects with a nice looking jab.
Nicolas lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Nice jab there from Nicolas.
Nilsen throws a lazy right hand but Nicolas sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Nicolas misses with a looping right.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nicolas lands with a hook. Nilsen tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
A big right from Nicolas misses.
Nilsen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nicolas lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Nilsen misses with a looping left.
Nicolas throwing a counter right hand but Nilsen manages to avoid it.
Nicolas throws out a loose jab but Nilsen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nilsen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Nicolas counters with a stiff right hand.
Harold Nicolas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dennis Nilsen.
A jab from Nicolas misses.
Nilsen looks to throw the jab but Nicolas is out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nilsen takes one to the side of the head.
Harold Nicolas is winning the standup battle so far.

Nilsen shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Nilsen takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Nicolas is refusing to be controlled, as Nilsen sits in half guard.
Nilsen stalling.
Nilsen wants to control but Nicolas is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Nilsen seems content to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
It looks like Nicolas has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Both fighters circling a little - Nicolas finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Nilsen takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Nicolas throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Nicolas is looking to score with low kicks.
Nilsen misses with a takedown attempt
and Nicolas counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Nicolas throws a right hand that Nilsen ducks under and follows up with a left that Nilsen also avoids with ease.
Nicolas lands a body shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nicolas misses with a low kick.
Nilsen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Nilsen doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Nicolas counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Harold Nicolas dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Nilsen throws a right hand that misses
and Nicolas counters with a nice uppercut.
Nilsen swings widly with a right hand
and Nicolas counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

It looks like Dennis Nilsen has been cut.
Nilsen tries for a takedown but Nicolas sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Nicolas misses with a series of wild punches.
Nilsen feints the counter takedown.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Nilsen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nilsen tries for a takedown but Nicolas circles away easily
and Nicolas counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Harold Nicolas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dennis Nilsen.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nilsen looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Nilsen wants to pass the guard but Nicolas is keeping the position.
Nicolas manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Nilsen manages to get himself to full guard.

Nilsen is looking for a triangle but Nicolas pushes his legs off easily.

Nicolas got a little sloppy there for a moment and Nilsen has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nicolas has managed to get both his arms back between Nilsen's legs - danger averted.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nilsen working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Nicolas doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Nicolas manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Nicolas postures up.

Nilsen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Nicolas gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Nilsen looking for subs off his back but Nicolas has passed one foot through into half guard.
Nilsen is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Nicolas's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Nicolas's back!
Dennis Nilsen has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nicolas preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Nilsen.
Nilsen tries to keep control of the position but Nicolas is staying busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Nilsen keeps control of the position easily here as Nicolas tries to buck him off.

Nicolas defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Well, with Nilsen on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Nicolas is tapping out... Can he escape the position?
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nilsen trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Dennis Nilsen.
I think Nilsen 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dennis Nilsen!
A very excited looking Dennis Nilsen rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.