PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Rabbit (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Beni Nikaido (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rabbit comes into the arena with Hero by Skillet blaring out of the sound system. Beni Nikaido told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Rabbit
vs
Nikaido

180 cm
22
155 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

174 cm
20
150 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

ENDLESS 152

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 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Johnny Rabbit!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Beni Nikaido!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nikaido fails to land with a series of punches.

Rabbit drives through and clinches with Nikaido against the ropes.
Nikaido on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Nikaido escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nikaido tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nikaido ducks under a wild hook from Rabbit.
Danga de danga de dang - Rabbit scores with a four punch combination!
Rabbit swings for the body but Nikaido moves out of range.
Nikaido connects with a right hand. Rabbit shakes it off.
Nikaido misses with a series of wild punches.
Nikaido misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rabbit.
A left and a right from Nikaido both land. Nice combination.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Rabbit.
Nikaido throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rabbit.
Nikaido scores with a jab. Rabbit acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Nikaido lands a jab-cross combination.
Nikaido swinging wilding here.
Rabbit is looking to clinch but Nikaido is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikaido misses with a wild body shot.
Rabbit scores with a crisp jab that stopped Nikaido in his tracks.
Rabbit ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rabbit shoots in but no luck this time.
Rabbit closes the distance and clinches up with Nikaido, looking for a takedown. Rabbit pushes Nikaido against the ropes but Nikaido circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nikaido shoots in for a takedown but Rabbit shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Nikaido misses with a combination

so Rabbit counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Nikaido manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rabbit manages to get himself to full guard.
Nikaido is stalling in the full guard.
Nikaido with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikaido sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Rabbit's guard.
Nikaido content to control rather than advance.
Rabbit pushes Nikaido off looking to stand but Nikaido dives back in and keeps control.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Nikaido passes to side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rabbit is trying to control Nikaido's posture but Nikaido avoids it.

Nikaido working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikaido tries to score with some ground and pound. Rabbit controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

Nikaido tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Nikaido has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Nikaido wants to take a breather but Rabbit manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Nikaido.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Nikaido trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

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

Nikaido decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rabbit, up you get!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rabbit tries to clinch but Nikaido moves out of range.
Nikaido lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Nikaido misses with a jab, cross combination.
Nikaido blocks a jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Rabbit dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rabbit tries to clinch there but Nikaido circles away.
Rabbit blocks a head kick by Nikaido.
Rabbit tries to close the distance and clinch but Nikaido swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nikaido misses with a takedown attempt - Rabbit sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Beni Nikaido is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nikaido misses with an uppercut. Rabbit saw that one coming.
Nikaido swings away with a body shot that misses
and Rabbit counters with a stiff right hand.
Nikaido tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rabbit misses with a straight right.
Nikaido misses with a jab, cross combination.
A swing and a miss from Rabbit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nikaido misses with a looping left.
Rabbit needs to keep his hands up - Nikaido had a free shot at his head there.
Nikaido throws a nice looking combination but Rabbit bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Nikaido with a hook.
Nikaido throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rabbit counters with a straight right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikaido shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rabbit sprawls well. Rabbit wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Nikaido gets slowly back to his feet.
Nikaido looks to land a right hand but Rabbit moved out of range.
Rabbit is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Beni Nikaido seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A big left from Nikaido misses.
Nikaido's corner calls for a 1-2. Nikaido obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Nikaido looks to score with a jab to the body but Rabbit is just out of range.
Rabbit throws the left hand but Nikaido avoids the punch easily.
Nikaido looks to land a combination but Rabbit avoids it well.
Nikaido smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Nikaido throws a nice looking combination but Rabbit bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rabbit takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Rabbit dodges the punch combination from Nikaido.

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.
Nikaido misses with a hook.
Nikaido throws a right hand that Rabbit ducks under and follows up with a left that Rabbit also avoids with ease.
Nikaido steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rabbit.
Nikaido displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Nikaido rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rabbit moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Nikaido darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Rabbit is trying to stand back up but Nikaido is controlling him
Rabbit gets full guard.
Nikaido looking to sit in guard and control but Rabbit gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rabbit won't allow Nikaido to sweep him here.
Nikaido working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rabbit.
Rabbit wants to control from the top but Nikaido keeps moving.

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.
Nikaido wants to sweep but no luck.
Nikaido pulls Rabbit in close to prevent any damage.
Rabbit won't allow Nikaido to sweep him here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rabbit tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Nikaido paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nikaido throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rabbit counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rabbit is looking to clinch but Nikaido is avoiding it.
Rabbit fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Nikaido throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Beni Nikaido will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nikaido looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rabbit!

Nikaido is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Rabbit is surviving well by controlling Nikaido's body position as best he can.
Nikaido with the ground and pound from mount.
Nikaido wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.

Nikaido swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Rabbit is now in Nikaido's guard. A big mistake from Nikaido there, giving up the dominant position!

Nikaido is looking for a triangle but Rabbit pushes his legs off easily.
Nikaido takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rabbit passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Nikaido tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Rabbit presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Nikaido sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Nikaido slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Rabbit won't allow Nikaido to sweep him here.

Nikaido throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Rabbit escapes and throws Nikaido's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Rabbit is chipping away with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikaido tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Beni Nikaido has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rabbit tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

Rabbit stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Nikaido shoots in looking for a takedown. Rabbit tries to sprawl out of it but Nikaido keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Rabbit manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Nikaido steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rabbit.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Rabbit throws a hook but Nikaido blocks it.
Nice sprawl there from Rabbit as Nikaido shoots in.
Rabbit clobbers Nikaido with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Rabbit is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Rabbit does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Rabbit showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Nikaido.

Nikaido feints and as Rabbit raises his hands in defense, Nikaido changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rabbit keeping full guard, as Nikaido tries to pass.
Nikaido looking to sit in guard and control but Rabbit gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that's the end of the fight!
Beni Nikaido comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Nikaido 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Beni Nikaido!