PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Elijah Nichols (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Linos Malinos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nichols comes to the cage accompanied by I'm So Hood. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Nichols
vs
Malinos

185 cm
23
245 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

150 cm
22
255 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Elijah Nichols!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Linos Malinos!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Cecil Peabody and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Malinos tries to clinch up but Nichols circles away and keeps his distance.
Malinos is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Malinos tries to close the distance and clinch but Nichols swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nichols swats away the attempt to clinch by Malinos.
Malinos fails with an attempt to clinch.
Malinos tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Malinos fails in his attempt to clinch.

Nichols shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Nichols landing punches.
Nichols looking to finish Malinos with some ground and pound. This is bad for Malinos!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nichols scoring with strikes but Malinos is staying in there.
Nichols throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Malinos because Nichols loaded up on that one.
Malinos avoids a series of strikes thrown by Nichols.
Malinos avoids a strike by Nichols and manages to complete a very nice reversal in the process, to end up in Nichols's guard! Fantastic escape!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nichols throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Malinos stops Nichols from standing up.
Nichols wants to sweep but no luck.

Nichols looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Malinos has picked Nichols up and slammed him! Nichols can't keep hold of the triangle and Malinos manages to pass to side control!
Nichols is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Malinos is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Nichols tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Nichols is working hard here to advance position.
Nichols is breathing heavily.
Nichols tries to buck Malinos off but he can't manage it.
Nichols could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Nichols tries to lock up and control but Malinos gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nichols is desperately trying to improve his position but Malinos has a good base and remains in mount.
Malinos looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nichols is looking to improve his position but Malinos isn't that keen on the idea.
Malinos misses with a head shot.
Malinos wants to control the pace but Nichols is squirming around nicely.
Nichols is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Nichols tries to lock up and control but Malinos gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Nichols is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elijah Nichols dominated that round.
That's time! Nichols's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Nichols drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Nichols is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Malinos is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Malinos has escaped and now he's on top!
Nichols is trying to keep Malinos in close.
Nichols looking to control but Malinos passes into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nichols is looking for a sweep. Malinos is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malinos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nichols keeps working.
Nichols is trying to stand back up but Malinos is controlling him
Malinos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nichols keeps working.
Nichols tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Malinos has advanced to mount. Uh oh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nichols tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Nichols is squirming around, avoiding Malinos's attempts to control the action.
Nichols working to try and regain half guard.
Nichols on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Nichols tries to get out of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malinos thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Nichols is trying to escape the mount.

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.
Malinos looking to control but Nichols is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Malinos prevents Nichols from getting the reversal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Elijah Nichols will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Nichols scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Nichols keeps the fight on the outside.
Malinos tries to clinch but Nichols is having none of it.
Malinos fails with an attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Malinos looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nichols misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Malinos tries to clinch but Nichols is having none of it.

Nichols forces Malinos back against the cage and clinches.
Malinos lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Nichols backwards.
Malinos looking to throw knees to the head but Nichols is blocking nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Malinos misses with some punches.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nichols.
Nice body punch from Nichols - that landed with a thud.
Nichols lands a body punch.

Nichols has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Malinos uses from the top position.
Nichols is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nichols working for a triangle but Malinos defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nichols wants to sweep here but Malinos controlling him for the moment.
Nichols keeping moving, preventing Malinos from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nichols jabs at Malinos's body.
Malinos tries to clinch but Nichols moves away

and Nichols counters with a shoot takedown. Malinos fights it but they end up in guard.
Nichols wants to get up but he can't break Malinos's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Malinos working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nichols.
Elijah Nichols overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nichols is looking to advance position but Malinos has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Nichols tries to hold on but Malinos pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nichols tries to reverse the position but Malinos maintains control.
Nichols tries to hold on but Malinos postures up.
Nichols's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Malinos controlling from the full mount.
Malinos throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Elijah Nichols showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nichols has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Elijah Nichols!