PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dave Handerson (ranked 673 p4p, 1639 weight class) and Panagiotis Nikolau (ranked 76 p4p, 201 weight class). Handerson comes to the cage accompanied by America - A Horse With No Name. 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?

Handerson
vs
Nikolau

198 cm
26
255
13 - 4 - 0

190 cm
28
228
13 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Conviction
© Trap House

Conviction
Shadow Realm Apparel

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 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dave Handerson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Panagiotis Nikolau!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Alec Ball and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nikolau throws a body punch but Handerson moves out of range.
Nikolau throws a jab when Handerson was well out of range.
Nikolau throws a lazy body kick
and Handerson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Handerson connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Handerson misses with a jab to the body
and Nikolau cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Handerson walks into a left hand.
Handerson moves into range and connects with a jab.
Nikolau on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Handerson scores with a punch to the head.
Nikolau looks to throw the jab but Handerson is out of range.
Handerson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Nikolau as he avoids it easily.
Handerson lands a nice looking body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Handerson jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Nikolau throws a jab when Handerson was well out of range.
Handerson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Nikolau manages to avoid it.
Handerson feints a jab promting Nikolau to slip. Handerson then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Nikolau slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Nikolau swings away with a body shot that misses
letting Handerson counter with a right hand.
Handerson throws an off balance right hand
and Nikolau counters with a straight right hand.
Nikolau lands a nice hook to Handerson's body. Handerson takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Nikolau blocks a jab.
Handerson lands with a shot to the body.
Handerson scores with a punch to the head.
Nikolau looks to land a left hand but Handerson moved out of range nicely.
Handerson changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Handerson connects with a good right hand that stumbles Nikolau. Nikolau circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
It looks like Handerson has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Dave Handerson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A good leg kick by Nikolau.
Nikolau misses with a hook. Handerson ducked under it nicely.
Handerson jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Nikolau stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Nikolau wants it to stay on the feet.
Nikolau takes one to the chin there.
Handerson takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Handerson with a jab.
Handerson tries for a takedown but Nikolau circles away easily
and Nikolau counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dave Handerson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nikolau throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Handerson throws a looping overhand right but Nikolau ducks down to avoid it.
Handerson swinging wildly here.
Handerson backing away here, and Nikolau unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Nikolau slips under a jab.

Handerson drives through with a takedown into Nikolau's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Nikolau scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Nikolau throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Handerson connects with a body shot.
Handerson throws a lazy right hand but Nikolau sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Handerson throws a body punch but Nikolau moves out of range.
An inside leg kick lands from Nikolau.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Handerson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Nikolau is fending him off so far but Handerson persists. Nope, Nikolau circles away and we're back to standing.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Nikolau lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Handerson has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Handerson and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Handerson looks to score with a jab to the body but Nikolau is just out of range.
Nikolau throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Handerson scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Handerson thows a left - swing and a miss!
Handerson lands a nice hook to Nikolau's body. Nikolau takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Handerson shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Nikolau manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Handerson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nikolau works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Handerson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Handerson dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Handerson closes the distance and clinches up with Nikolau, looking for a takedown. Handerson pushes Nikolau against the cage but Nikolau circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Handerson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nikolau.
Nikolau ducks under a wild hook from Handerson.
Handerson bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Nikolau's head.
Handerson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Nikolau moves away.
Handerson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Jab from Handerson.
Handerson is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
A punch lands to the side of Nikolau 's head but he takes it in his stride.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Handerson slips under a jab.
Nikolau throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Handerson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Nikolau as he avoids it easily.
Nikolau looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Handerson slips under a jab from Nikolau.
Handerson looks to land a right hand but Nikolau moved out of range.
Nikolau appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Handerson scores with a nice right hand.
Handerson doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Nikolau counters with a stiff right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dave Handerson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Handerson connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Nikolau momentarily.
Handerson throws a lazy uppercut
and Nikolau counters with a left to the body.
Nikolau keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Nikolau throws a leg kick which misses Handerson's front leg but catches the back leg as Handerson tries to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Nikolau. Handerson shrugs it off though.
Handerson misses with a lunging right hand
and Nikolau counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Handerson gets a double leg takedown into Nikolau's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nikolau working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Handerson.
Handerson throws a big right hand that misses.
Nikolau preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Handerson trying to control the position from guard on top but Nikolau is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Handerson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Handerson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Handerson is working Nikolau over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Handerson wants to control from the top but Nikolau keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Handerson throwing strikes but missing.
Dave Handerson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Handerson is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Nikolau keeping moving, preventing Handerson from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Handerson content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Handerson postures up in Nikolau's guard and throws a big left but Nikolau blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Handerson postures up.
Handerson throwing strikes but missing.
Handerson engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Handerson lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Handerson cracks Nikolau with a good jab.
Handerson lands with a cross.
Nikolau throws a leg kick which misses Handerson's front leg but catches the back leg as Handerson tries to avoid it.
Handerson throws an overhand right that lands on Nikolau's shoulder, as Nikolau tries to avoid the shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Handerson dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Handerson slips a jab from Nikolau.
Nikolau throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Handerson waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Nikolau.
Nikolau was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.

Handerson fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Nikolau sprawls well initially but Handerson persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Nikolau has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Handerson is on him like a limpet, forcing Nikolau back against the cage.

Handerson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Handerson lands a jab.
Nikolau blocks a jab.
Nikolau ducks under a wild hook from Handerson.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nikolau throws a body kick that misses

and Handerson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Nikolau won't be happy with that.
Handerson in side control lands a decent elbow.
Nikolau takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Handerson works to advance to full mount. Nikolau defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Handerson lands a couple of good shots and Nikolau has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Handerson throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Handerson is landing with strikes from the back.
Handerson is hanging on to Nikolau's back as he tries to escape.
Handerson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nikolau can do to turn this around?
Handerson trying to control momentarily.

Handerson looking for the choke but no joy.

Handerson is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Nikolau knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Nikolau for a finish.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Handerson is landing with strikes. Nikolau can't take much more of this.

Handerson is working on the RNC. He looks like he's got it but Nikolau won't tap... Oh, he's out! The ref rips Handerson off his unconscious opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:44 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Dave Handerson!
Dave Handerson thanked the fans post fight for their support.