PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Edson Bidon Barbosa (ranked 495 p4p, 865 weight class) and Dill Nickle (ranked 42 p4p, 78 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Barbosa
vs
Nickle

178 cm
39
155
44 - 26 - 0

176 cm
27
148
12 - 8 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Brooklyn Threads

Silverguard Outfitters 🛡
Furnace Performance 🔥

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 44 - 26 - 0, fighting out of New York, Edson Bidon Barbosa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dill Nickle!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Skip Squint and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barbosa steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Nickle.
Barbosa is looking to counter punch.
Barbosa keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Nickle scores with a jab.

Nickle gets a double leg takedown into Barbosa's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barbosa is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Nickle stays in close to Barbosa's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nickle forces his way into half guard.
Nickle stops Barbosa from getting back to his feet.
Nickle trying to control from half guard but Barbosa is working away.
Barbosa looks like he's trying to stand up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Nickle throws a body shot but no joy.
An attempted straight right counter from Barbosa misses the target.
A big left from Nickle misses.
Barbosa appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
We've been told by Barbosa's head coaches at Ice Cream Parlour that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Nickle checks the leg kick.
Despite the aggression on Nickle's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
A punch lands to the side of Barbosa 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Nickle bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Barbosa's head backwards.

Nickle looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Barbosa!
Barbosa tries to escape but Nickle is in control.

Nickle is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Barbosa knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Nickle has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Nickle is trying to get an arm triangle but Barbosa is defending well.
Barbosa is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Nickle asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Nickle is trying to get an arm triangle but Barbosa is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Barbosa pushes Nickle away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Nickle gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Dill Nickle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Nickle closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Barbosa to the mat! Barbosa manages to get full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dill Nickle dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Nice defenses there by Barbosa.
Barbosa ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nickle bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Nickle has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Nickle fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Barbosa to the ground. Nickle is now in Barbosa's guard.
Barbosa keeping moving, preventing Nickle from controlling successfully.
Nickle sitting in guard, not really doing much.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nickle distracts Barbosa with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nickle is looking to work some ground and pound but Barbosa has wrist control.
Nickle trying to control the position from guard on top but Barbosa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nickle is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
A clash of legs there as Nickle blocks the low kick.
Nickle is looking for the big counter here.
Nickle just misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Nickle throws a right and a left that both miss.
Barbosa swings for the body but Nickle moves out of range.
Sloppy strikes from Nickle. Those never looked like landing.
Edson Bidon Barbosa is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nickle changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Barbosa tries to avoid it but Nickle manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Barbosa to the ground. Barbosa escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Barbosa scores with a spinning back kick!
Dill Nickle is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sloppy strikes from Barbosa. Those never looked like landing.
Nickle swinging wildly here.
It looked like Barbosa was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Nickle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Nickle.
Nickle tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barbosa swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Nickle shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Barbosa's guard.
Barbosa is looking to stand up but Nickle isn't so interested in that idea.
Barbosa trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nickle throws a big elbow that misses.
Barbosa is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Nickle is controlling him.
Nickle throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Barbosa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Barbosa avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nickle is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Barbosa waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Nickle.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dill Nickle showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Barbosa gets caught napping as Nickle dives in and scores a takedown. Barbosa manages to retain guard.
Nickle sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Barbosa keeping moving, preventing Nickle from controlling successfully.
Dill Nickle has got the better of the ground game so far.
Barbosa is looking to stand up but Nickle isn't so interested in that idea.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nickle pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Barbosa is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nickle throws a strike but Barbosa rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Nickle has a closed guard, preventing Barbosa from standing up.
Nickle seems keen to control Barbosa's posture.
Barbosa tries to free his leg and advance position but Nickle is retaining full guard.
Nickle trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Edson Bidon Barbosa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Nickle defending well as Barbosa loads up on a big left hand.
Nickle is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Barbosa tries to move into range but Nickle moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Nickle shoots in and drives through. Barbosa sprawls well.
Barbosa stuffs the takedown.
It looked like Barbosa wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
A punch combination from Nickle misses.
An attempted straight right counter from Barbosa misses the target.

Nickle gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Nickle doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Barbosa's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nickle tries to clinch but Barbosa moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nickle looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Dill Nickle seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Nickle gets the takedown into side control.

Barbosa throws Nickle to one side and escapes!
Nickle closes this distance looking for a takedown but Barbosa circles away.
Barbosa is looking to counter punch.
Edson Bidon Barbosa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dill Nickle.
Barbosa will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nickle looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Nickle.
Barbosa avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Nickle throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Barbosa counters with a nice low kick that buckles Nickle's knee momentarily.
No joy there for Nickle, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
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!
Nickle fails with a takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Edson Bidon Barbosa showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nickle has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Francis DeMontford scores the fight 28:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dill Nickle!
Dill Nickle decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.