PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nat Nichols (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Donald Draper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Nichols
vs
Draper

178 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nat Nichols!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Donald Draper!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Franklyn Lucas and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nichols wants to clinch up but Draper keeps it at a distance.
Nat Nichols seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nichols avoids the body shot from Draper.
Draper looks to land a combination but Nichols avoids it well.
Nichols tries to clinch but Draper is having none of it.
Nichols tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Draper paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Nichols gets caught flat footed, as Draper shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Nichols utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Draper's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Nichols is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Draper prevents Nichols from getting back to his feet.
Draper trying to control the position from guard on top but Nichols is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Draper scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Draper with a nice head shot there.
Draper stands up over Nichols, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Draper trying to control but Nichols is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Draper lands a couple of elbows.
Draper trying to control but Nichols is working from the bottom.

Draper drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Nichols manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Draper has Nichols in his guard.

Draper pushes Nichols off and scrambles back to his feet.
Draper's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Draper duly obliges.
Nichols swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Draper counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draper working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Draper chips away with some ground and pound.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Draper not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Draper with a nice head shot there.
Draper chips away with some ground and pound.
Draper lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Draper working some strikes from top position.

Nichols escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Draper gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Nichols is breathing heavily.
Draper postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Nichols looking for a guillotine here but Draper defends easily.
Draper postures up and lands a big shot to Nichols's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nichols wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Draper manages to pass to side control.

Draper is working for a submission of some sort.
Draper has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Nichols actively working from the bottom here.
Nichols on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Draper connects with a nice short shot to Nichols's temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Draper looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Draper working the head and body with strikes.
Draper lands with a punch from half guard.
Draper winds up and cracks Nichols with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Nichols tries to roll over but Draper keeps him under control.
Draper is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Ground and pound from Draper.
Draper looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Nichols looking for submissions off his back.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Draper perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Draper scores with a takedown into Nichols's guard.
Draper connects with a couple of short punches.
Draper wants to control from the top but Nichols keeps moving.
Draper postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Nichols will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Draper works over Nichols with some ground and pound from guard.
Draper postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Draper cracks Nichols with a solid left hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Draper works over Nichols with some ground and pound from guard.
Draper lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Draper works over Nichols with some ground and pound from guard.
Draper landing some decent shots from guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Draper is in close to Nichols's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Draper trying to control but Nichols is working from the bottom.

Nichols is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Draper trying to control but Nichols is working from the bottom.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Draper's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Draper advances position into side control!
Draper landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Draper lands a nice forearm strike.
Draper landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Draper scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Nichols to see if he's OK.
Draper cracks Nichols with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Draper scores with punches from side control.

Draper thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Nichols is looking for a sweep.
Draper trying to control the position but Nichols is working away.
Draper connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Nichols some visible discomfort.

Draper tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nichols takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

Draper tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Draper has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Nichols wants to get back to his feet.
Draper working the ground and pound.
Draper wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nichols keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Draper working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Nichols tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Draper wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Nichols pushes Draper away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Draper gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Draper takes a little break here. Nichols wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Draper working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Draper scoring with punches from side control.
A lull in the action here as Draper stalls from top position.
Draper working the body and head with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Donald Draper showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Draper fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Draper cracks Nichols with a good jab.
Nichols tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Draper counters with a nice double leg into side control. Nichols won't be happy with that.
Nichols is pushing Draper's head away, looking to escape. Draper manages to hold on to the position though.
Draper landing a few strikes.
Draper in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Draper is looking to take a break and control but Nichols is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Draper scores with a couple of short elbows.
Draper scoring with punches from side control.
Draper is looking to take a break and control but Nichols is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Draper grinds an elbow into Nichols's temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Draper scores with punches from side control.
Draper has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Draper trying to control the action but Nichols is working from the bottom.
Nichols is working to avoid the ground and pound but Draper connects with a decent elbow.
Nichols taking punishment in the form of punches.
Draper wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nichols keeps working.

Draper is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Nichols is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Draper landing a few strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nichols is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Draper's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Nichols is staying active underneath Draper, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Draper is controlling the pace.
Draper lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Draper lands strikes from half guard.

Nichols is defending against the submission attempts here by Draper.
Draper drops an elbow to the side of Nichols's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Draper missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Draper is trying to control. Nichols wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Draper works his way into full mount!
A nice elbow there by Draper.
Draper is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Nichols can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Nichols working to try and regain half guard.
Nichols is bucking up trying to escape but Draper cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
A nice elbow there by Draper.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Draper tries to control but Nichols wriggling away.
Nichols's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Draper looking to finish Nichols with some ground and pound. This is bad for Nichols!
Draper dominating with strikes here.
Nichols is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Donald Draper is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Nichols defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Draper.
Nichols can't escape the position.
Nat Nichols has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Draper working for a guillotine from mount but Nichols is in no mood to give up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Donald Draper comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Draper has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 26:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 26:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Donald Draper!