PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Roy Nelson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Edgar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Roy Nelson had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 171.2lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Frank Edgar is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Nelson
vs
Edgar

180 cm
21
187 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

168 cm
23
173 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Roy Nelson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Frank Edgar!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Columbo Gatti and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nelson walks into a left hand.
Nelson takes a swing at Edgar's ribcage but misses.
Edgar uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nelson.
Nelson throws a looping overhand right but Edgar ducks down to avoid it.
A punch combination from Nelson misses.
Nelson stalks Edgar and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Edgar's face. Edgar staggers backwards, shaken.
Nelson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Edgar fails to land with a series of punches.
Edgar showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Nelson.
Nelson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Edgar avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Edgar closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Nelson actively working from the bottom here.
Nelson is looking to improve his position.
Edgar controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edgar is keen to just control but Nelson is a slippery customer.
Edgar controlling the action here.
I looks like Edgar might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Nelson is looking for a sweep. Edgar is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Edgar winds up and cracks Nelson with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Nelson looks like he's trying to stand up.
Edgar missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's two 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.
Edgar performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Edgar missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nelson is trying to stand.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nelson connects with a jab.
Nelson throws a jab when Edgar was well out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nelson. Edgar does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nelson moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Nelson takes a swing at Edgar's ribcage but misses.
Edgar needs to keep his hands up - Nelson had a free shot at his head there.
Nice defenses there by Edgar.
Edgar 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 Edgar off to one side.
Roy Nelson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Edgar changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Nelson tries to avoid it but Edgar manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Nelson to the ground. Nelson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edgar looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Nelson throws a hook but Edgar avoids it easily.
Edgar takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Nelson falls off balance throwing a combination

and Edgar counters with a shoot takedown. Nelson fights it but they end up in guard.
Nelson keeping moving, preventing Edgar from controlling successfully.
Nelson is trying to keep Edgar in close.

Nelson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Edgar defends well.
Edgar has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Nelson looking for a guillotine here but Edgar defends easily.
Nelson is breathing heavily.
Nelson has momentary wrist control but Edgar slips an elbow through the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nelson is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Nelson is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Edgar kicks Nelson off and gets back to his feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Edgar is defended easily by Nelson.
Roy Nelson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frank Edgar.
Edgar fails to land the takedown.

Edgar closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Nelson did well to prevent Edgar getting side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Edgar 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.

A combination from Nelson does no damage.
Nelson throws a jab but it's blocked by Edgar.
Nelson throws a body punch but Edgar moves out of range.
Edgar gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Edgar swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
enabling Nelson to counter with a crisp jab.
Nelson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Roy Nelson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Edgar swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Nelson misses with an uppercut. Edgar saw that one coming.
Nelson stuffs the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nelson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A nice combination there by Nelson.
Roy Nelson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nelson lands a right hook to the body.
Nelson lands a really nice looking cross but Edgar seems unphased.
Nelson displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Edgar.
Roy Nelson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frank Edgar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nelson throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Edgar counters with a shoot takedown. Nelson fights it but they end up in guard.
Edgar trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Edgar is breathing heavily.

Nelson looking for subs off his back but Edgar has passed one foot through into half guard.
Edgar not doing much here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Edgar prevents Nelson from standing back up.
Edgar wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nelson keeps working.
Nelson is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Edgar content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Ground and pound from Edgar.
Edgar stalling.
Nelson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Edgar slips under a jab.
Edgar looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Nelson is fending him off so far but Edgar persists. Nope, Nelson circles away and we're back to standing.
Nice takedown defense from Nelson. No joy for Edgar on that attempt.
Nelson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Edgar moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Nelson jabs at Edgar's body.
Nelson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Edgar sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Nelson is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Edgar displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Nelson throws out the jab.
Edgar steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Nelson.
Nelson misses with a looping left.
Edgar looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nice defenses there by Edgar.
Edgar moves out of range as Nelson strikes.

That's four 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.
Nelson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Nelson misses with a combination

and Edgar counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Edgar wants to control from the top but Nelson keeps moving.
Edgar is pushing down on Nelson's leg trying to pass to half guard. Nelson is fighting to maintain full guard but Edgar has managed to sneak the leg through.
Edgar wants to control but Nelson is keeping him busy.
Frank Edgar has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nelson makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Nelson.

Nelson working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Edgar doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Nelson is tightening it up a little... Edgar has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Edgar reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Edgar taps out! nice BJJ there by Nelson!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Roy Nelson!