PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ed Nelson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Houdini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nelson's entrance music is Stephen Lynch - Special Ed. A fine choice. Ed Nelson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Nelson
vs
Houdini

175 cm
21
152 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

172 cm
24
152 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ed Nelson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Alex Houdini!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Daniel Cesar and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Houdini shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Nelson lands a nice hook to Houdini's body. Houdini takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Nelson stuffs the takedown.
Nelson misses with an uppercut. Houdini saw that one coming.
Nelson takes a swing at Houdini's ribcage but misses.
Nelson scores with a one two! Houdini had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Houdini shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Nelson is trying to defend but Houdini finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Houdini trying to control the action but Nelson is working from the bottom.
Houdini prevents Nelson from standing back up.

Houdini seems to be looking for submissions.
Nelson regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Houdini.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Houdini drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Houdini jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Houdini passes Nelson's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Nelson is refusing to be controlled, as Houdini sits in half guard.
Nelson wants to get back to his feet.
Houdini stalling away here and it's allowed Nelson to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Nelson is looking to stand up but Houdini isn't so interested in that idea.

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.

Nelson has his feet on Houdini's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
A cross from Nelson lands.
Nelson defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Houdini.
Nelson throws a hook but Houdini avoids it easily.
Jab by Nelson.
Houdini dives in and grabs Nelson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Nelson pushes down on Houdini's head and hops out.
Ed Nelson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Houdini.
Houdini tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Nelson swivels and escapes.
Nice body punch from Nelson.
Houdini looks gassed!
Nelson lands a jab.

Houdini is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Nelson's half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houdini stops Nelson from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Houdini looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Nelson is not content to let Houdini control the position.

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.

Houdini is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Nelson doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Houdini.

Nelson kicks Houdini off and gets back to his feet.
Nelson looks to score with a jab to the body but Houdini is just out of range.
Houdini moves away from the strike by Nelson.
Nelson throws a body punch but Houdini moves out of range.
A cross from Nelson lands.
Nelson catches Houdini with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Nelson scores with a jab to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ed Nelson dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nelson connects with a nice looking jab.
Alex Houdini is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nelson works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

Houdini scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Houdini trying to pass the guard but Nelson defending well.
Nelson is trying to stand up here but Houdini is controlling him well.
Houdini seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Nelson does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Nelson makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Houdini closes this distance looking for a takedown but Nelson circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nelson stuffs the takedown attempt from Houdini. Houdini gets slowly back to his feet.
Houdini is breathing heavily.
Houdini looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Nelson is fending him off so far but Houdini persists. Nope, Nelson circles away and we're back to standing.
Ed Nelson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Houdini.
Nelson scores with a jab to the head.
Nelson looks to score with a jab to the body but Houdini is just out of range.
Houdini throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Nelson's waist but Nelson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Houdini off to one side.
Danga de danga de dang - Nelson scores with a four punch combination!
Nelson misses with a body shot.
Houdini keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Alex Houdini seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nelson cracks Houdini with a right hand to the side of the head.
Houdini closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Nelson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Nelson gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Nelson is looking to stand up but Houdini isn't so interested in that idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houdini stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nelson swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Houdini thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Nelson wants to stand up but Houdini is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nelson is wriggling around but Houdini manages to pass to half guard.
Nelson tries to kick Houdini off but Houdini keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nelson misses with an uppercut. Houdini saw that one coming.
Nelson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Houdini defending well as Nelson loads up on a big left hand.
Houdini moves out of range as Nelson strikes.
Nelson stuffs the takedown.
Houdini fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Nelson misses with a looping left.

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.
Nelson throws a jab when Houdini was well out of range.
Nelson misses with a hook. Houdini ducked under it nicely.
Nelson lands a two punch combo.
Nelson swings for the body but Houdini moves out of range.
Nelson misses with a wild combination.
Nelson blocks a head kick by Houdini.
Nelson works Houdini's body with a nice hook.
Nelson throws the left hand but Houdini avoids the punch easily.
Nelson scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Donk. Nelson catches Houdini right on the button with a cross.

Nelson gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Houdini to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Nelson wants to stand and escape but Houdini is having none of it.
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 Ed Nelson will probably get the nod.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Nelson just misses with a punch to the body.
Houdini fails with a takedown attempt.
Nelson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Houdini darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Houdini is pressing down on Nelson's thigh, looking to free his foot. Nelson is holding on for now.
Nelson is not content to let Houdini control the position.
Nelson tries to kick Houdini off but Houdini keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Nelson won't allow Houdini to pass to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houdini stops Nelson from getting back to his feet.

Houdini is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Nelson has managed to free his arm - good work.
Houdini takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Houdini throws a strike but Nelson avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Houdini won't allow Nelson to get back to his feet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Nelson with a nice cross.
A punch lands to the side of Houdini 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Houdini shoots for a takedown but Nelson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Houdini slips a straight right by Nelson.
Nelson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Houdini takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Alex Houdini has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.
Danga de danga de dang - Nelson scores with a four punch combination!
Houdini throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Nelson pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Houdini slips a jab from Nelson.
Nelson tries to bum rush Houdini with a series of wild strikes but Houdini uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nelson throws a hook but Houdini blocks it.
Nelson scores with a jab to the jaw.
Nelson blocks a head kick by Houdini.
Nelson lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Houdini tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Houdini misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Ed Nelson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Houdini.
Houdini takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut lands for Nelson. That snapped Houdini's head back.
Nelson misses with an uppercut. Houdini saw that one coming.
Nelson just misses with a punch to the body.
Nelson connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Houdini moves away from the strike by Nelson.
Houdini has a takedown stuffed.
Nelson scores with a hook.
Nelson moves out of range of the body kick from Houdini.
Nelson works the jab nicely.
Houdini closes the distance and clinches up with Nelson, looking for a takedown. Houdini pushes Nelson against the cage but Nelson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nelson misses with a body shot.
Ed Nelson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nelson scores with the left hand. Houdini knows he should have avoided that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nelson's corner calls for a 1-2. Nelson obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Nelson throws a jab when Houdini was well out of range.
Nelson misses with a looping left.
A head kick misses from Houdini.
Nice uppercut lands for Nelson. That snapped Houdini's head back.
Nelson connects with a right hand. Houdini shakes it off.
Nelson closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Nelson misses with a wild body shot.
Nelson lands a two punch combo.
Ed Nelson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Houdini keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Nelson.
Nelson throws a jab when Houdini was well out of range.
Houdini looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Nelson is fending him off so far but Houdini persists. Nope, Nelson circles away and we're back to standing.
Houdini takes a jab right on the kisser.
Nelson fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ed Nelson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Nelson, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ed Nelson!