PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Khadaffi Janjalani (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vasilios Nicko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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?

Janjalani
vs
Nicko

179 cm
26
166 lbs
9 - 9 - 0

176 cm
25
165 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Khadaffi Janjalani!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Vasilios Nicko!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Janjalani closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Janjalani's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Janjalani tries to clinch but Nicko moves out of range.
Nicko with a hook.
Janjalani is looking to clinch.
Janjalani staying out of range there.
Nicko avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nicko looks to score with a jab to the body but Janjalani is just out of range.
Nicko slips a jab and a cross from Janjalani.
Janjalani tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nicko swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Janjalani fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nicko misses with a double jab

and Janjalani counters by moving into the clinch.

Janjalani breaks the clinch.
Nicko misses with a combination
and Janjalani counters with a nice uppercut.
Nicko misses with the combination.
Nicko looks to land a right hand but Janjalani moved out of range.
Nicko swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Nicko rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Janjalani moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Nicko lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Janjalani circles away quickly and effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Janjalani pushes Nicko up against the cage in a clinch.
Janjalani misses with a knee strike.
The referee is keeping an eye on Janjalani - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Janjalani pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Janjalani throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Janjalani tries to clinch but Nicko is having none of it.
Janjalani is looking to clinch.
Nicko lands with a nice body punch.

Janjalani clinches.

Janjalani breaks the clinch.
Nicko misses with a double jab.

Janjalani has taken the fight to the clinch.
Janjalani gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Nicko.

Janjalani pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Janjalani uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nicko.
Janjalani ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nicko with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Danga de danga de dang - Nicko scores with a four punch combination!
Nicko looks to land a combination. Janjalani sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nicko with a nice cross.
Janjalani misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Janjalani tries to clinch there but Nicko circles away.
Nicko misses the body punch
and Janjalani counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Nicko misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Janjalani.
Nicko getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Janjalani takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Nicko throws a combination that misses
and Janjalani counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Nicko scores with a three punch combo!
Nicko tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Janjalani was well out of range. Poor timing from Nicko.
Janjalani connects with a nice looking jab.
Janjalani is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nicko throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Janjalani tries to close the distance and clinch but Nicko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nicko throws a jab but it's blocked by Janjalani.
Janjalani wants to clinch up but Nicko keeps it at a distance.
Janjalani tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Vasilios Nicko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nicko scores with a crisp jab that stopped Janjalani in his tracks.
Nicko throws a shot from downtown. Janjalani moves away and avoids it.
Janjalani tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nicko uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Janjalani has time to react.
Nicko circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nicko misses with a body shot.
Janjalani slips a jab and a cross from Nicko.
Janjalani throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

It looks like Vasilios Nicko has been cut.
Nicko fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Janjalani looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Nicko swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Janjalani clinches.

Janjalani breaks the clinch.
Janjalani on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Nicko misses with the combination.
Janjalani is looking to clinch but Nicko is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Janjalani closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Nicko wants a takedown but no success here.
Janjalani stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Janjalani escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Janjalani is breathing heavily.
Nicko throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Janjalani on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Janjalani tries to clinch but Nicko moves out of range.
Nicko throws a left and a right that both miss

and Janjalani counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Janjalani.
Nicko changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Janjalani fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Khadaffi Janjalani has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vasilios Nicko.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A combination from Nicko does no damage.
No joy there for Janjalani, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vasilios Nicko dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Vasilios Nicko's cut.
That's time! Janjalani's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Nicko throws a combination that misses
and Janjalani counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Janjalani has managed to clinch.
Janjalani is struggling to control the position.

Janjalani breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Janjalani fails in his attempt to clinch.

Janjalani moves into the clinch successfully.

Janjalani breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Khadaffi Janjalani is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nicko throws a combination that misses
and Janjalani counters with a nice uppercut.
Janjalani slips under a jab from Nicko.
Janjalani wants to clinch.
Nicko misses with a hook.
Nicko throws a left and a right that both miss

and Janjalani counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Janjalani.

Janjalani breaks the clinch.
Janjalani fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Janjalani fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nicko throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Janjalani slips a jab and a cross from Nicko.
Janjalani lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Good standup being displayed there by Nicko as he connects with a hook.
Nicko looks to score with a jab to the body but Janjalani is just out of range.
Nicko loads up on a big right hand but Janjalani slips the punch.
Janjalani takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Nicko misses with a combination
and Janjalani counters with a big head kick but Nicko shrugs it off.
Nicko is breathing heavily.

Janjalani moves into the clinch.
Nicko wants a takedown.

Janjalani breaks the clinch.
Janjalani tries to clinch but Nicko is having none of it.

Nicko tries to keep at a distance but Janjalani has taken the fight into the clinch.
Janjalani tries to land knees in the clinch but Nicko avoids the damage to the body.
Janjalani wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Janjalani manages to break the clinch.
Nicko misses with a hook. Janjalani ducked under it nicely.
Nicko misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Janjalani counters by clinching up.
Nicko blocks an elbow strike from Janjalani.

Janjalani breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nicko misses with a double jab

and Janjalani counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Janjalani.
Janjalani prevents the takedown attempt.

Janjalani's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nicko fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Janjalani looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nicko throws a combination that misses

and Janjalani counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Janjalani is pressed up against the cage. Nicko has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Janjalani down to the mat. Janjalani avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Khadaffi Janjalani has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vasilios Nicko.
Nicko scores with a hook to the body. Janjalani takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Janjalani takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Janjalani tries to clinch up but Nicko circles away and keeps his distance.
Janjalani slips under a jab from Nicko.
Nicko throws a left and a right that both miss
and Nicko takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Janjalani rushes Nicko and presses him up against the cage.

Janjalani's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Janjalani moves away from the strike by Nicko.
Nicko scores with a shot to the body.
Nicko ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Nicko misses with a jab, cross combination.
Nicko misses with a double jab

and Janjalani counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Janjalani manages to break the clinch.
Nicko steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Janjalani. That one must have hurt.
Janjalani throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nicko swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nicko throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Janjalani is looking to clinch but Nicko is avoiding it.
Janjalani takes one to the side of the head.
Janjalani is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Janjalani tries to bum rush Nicko with a series of wild strikes but Nicko uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A slow jab from Nicko misses its intended target.
Janjalani lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Nicko avoids the body shot from Janjalani.
Nice defenses there by Janjalani.
Janjalani avoids the body shot from Nicko.
Janjalani moves out of range as Nicko strikes.
Nicko scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Nicko throws a combination that misses

and Janjalani counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Janjalani.

Janjalani breaks the clinch.

Janjalani closes the distance and pushes Nicko back into the cage.

Janjalani breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nicko lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Janjalani connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Nicko's hands.
Nicko darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Nicko fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Janjalani looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Khadaffi Janjalani dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Vasilios Nicko's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Nicko fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Nicko throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Janjalani tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Janjalani throws a leg kick which misses Nicko's front leg but catches the back leg as Nicko tries to avoid it.

Janjalani closes the distance and clinches.
Janjalani looking to throw knees to the head but Nicko is blocking nicely.
Janjalani is looking to break free of the clinch but Nicko has double underhooks.
Janjalani looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Janjalani is looking to break free of the clinch but Nicko has double underhooks.
Nicko prevents Janjalani from breaking the clinch.

Janjalani pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Vasilios Nicko seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Nicko fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Janjalani looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nicko scores with a jab to the body.
Nicko scores with a one two! Janjalani had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Nicko throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Janjalani.
Nicko throws a right hand that Janjalani ducks under and follows up with a left that Janjalani also avoids with ease.
Nicko lands a two punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nicko misses with a double jab
and Janjalani counters with a head kick.
Nicko tries to bum rush Janjalani with a series of wild strikes but Janjalani uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nicko lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Janjalani tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nicko paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nicko lands a really nice looking cross but Janjalani seems unphased.
Some wild striking there from Nicko.
Nicko fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Janjalani manages to avoid it.

Janjalani clinches with his opponent.
Nicko goes for a takedown attempt but Janjalani pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Janjalani tries to close the distance and clinch but Nicko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Janjalani moves into the clinch.
Janjalani tries to circle away but Nicko has him pinned against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Janjalani breaks from the clinch.
Nicko throws a combination that misses

and Janjalani holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Janjalani misses with an elbow over the top.
Janjalani working hard to break the clinch.
Janjalani wants to get back to striking at distance but Nicko won't allow it.
Nicko has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Janjalani avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Janjalani breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nicko lands with a cross.

Janjalani clinches up with Nicko and pushes him back against the cage.

Janjalani breaks from the clinch.
Nicko throws a right and a left that both miss.
Janjalani tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nicko swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Janjalani uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nicko.
Nicko misses with a body punch

and Janjalani counters by moving into the clinch.

Janjalani pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nicko fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Janjalani looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nicko throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Janjalani lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Nicko circles away quickly and effectively.
Janjalani gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Nicko.
Janjalani ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nicko misses with a double jab

and Janjalani counters by clinching up.
Janjalani throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nicko blocks it with crossed arms.

Janjalani escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nicko misses with a wild body shot.
Janjalani is looking to clinch.
A punch lands to the side of Janjalani 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Janjalani clinches with his opponent.

Janjalani breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nicko misses with a looping left.
Nicko throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Janjalani.
Nicko throws out a loose jab but Janjalani uses good head movement to avoid it.

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.
Nicko lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Janjalani tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nicko keeps the fight on the outside.
Nicko misses with a jab, cross combination.

Janjalani darts in and clinches Nicko up against the cage.
Janjalani taking a breather.

Janjalani pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nicko misses with a looping left.
Nicko swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Janjalani counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Janjalani tries to clinch there but Nicko circles away.
Janjalani scores with a one two! Nicko had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Janjalani tries a head kick but it misses.
Nicko swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Janjalani misses with a few strikes there.
Nicko lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Nicko.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Khadaffi Janjalani.
I think Janjalani has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Vasilios Nicko!