PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Smelly Nickers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fabio Iago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Nickers
vs
Iago

170 cm
21
140 lbs
4 - 10 - 0

185 cm
18
143 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Smelly Nickers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Fabio Iago!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Paulo Santos and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nickers looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Iago avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Iago controls Nickers momentarily but Nickers frees himself.
Nickers chips away with some ground and pound.
Nickers throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Iago works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Iago is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Iago preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Iago trying to keep a closed guard but Nickers is proving a slippery customer.
Iago is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Nickers is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Iago looking for a sweep. Not yet Iago, not yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Iago.

Nickers changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Iago looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Iago really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Nickers. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Nickers is breathing heavily.
Check out the look on Nickers's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Iago tries to improve position but can't.
Iago parries the strikes from Nickers easily there. Nickers is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Iago to escape.
Nickers misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Nickers landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Iago is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Iago is looking for a sweep.
Nickers working the head and body with strikes.
Nickers grinds an elbow into Iago's temple.
Iago is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Nickers has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Nickers looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Iago is avoiding damage well.
Nickers fails to land a wild elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
An elbow from Nickers crashes against the mat.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Iago shoots and misses

and Nickers counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Nickers.
Nickers is trying to break the clinch but Iago is controlling him.
Iago tries to pull guard but Nickers holds him up against the cage and eventually Iago drops back down to his feet.
Smelly Nickers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fabio Iago.
Iago working hard to break the clinch.
Iago looking for a takedown.
Nickers is trying to break the clinch but Iago is controlling him.
Nickers stops a takedown attempt from Iago.

Iago is fighting off a takedown attempt but Nickers is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Iago to the mat. Iago regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Nickers distracts Iago with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Nickers decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Iago gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Iago stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Iago wants it to stay on the feet.
Iago closes the distance and clinches up with Nickers, looking for a takedown. Iago pushes Nickers against the cage but Nickers circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Nickers.
Nickers working the ground and pound from side control.
Nickers looks up at the clock and then as Iago takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Nickers smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Nickers scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Iago to see if he's OK.
Nickers lands an elbow.
Nickers lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Iago down.
Nickers prevents Iago from escaping the position.
Nickers scores with punches from side control.
Iago taking punishment in the form of punches.
Iago can't do much from the bottom here.
Nickers working the body and head with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Iago is trying to get back to half guard.
Nickers cracks Iago with a big right hand but Iago just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Nickers lands a nice forearm strike.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nickers landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Iago on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Nickers working the ground and pound from side control.
Iago is trying to get back to half guard.
Nickers cracks Iago with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Nickers lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Smelly Nickers 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.

Iago tries to score a power double leg takedown but Nickers sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Iago somewhat.

Nickers has managed to clinch.
Nickers fails to pull guard.
Iago tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nickers is trying to break the clinch but Iago is controlling him.
Iago keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Nickers's efforts to push away.
Nickers tries to break free but Iago pushes him back against the cage.
Nickers tries to land a knee to the head but Iago blocks with his arms.
Iago tries to circle away but Nickers has him pinned against the cage.
Iago has had enough of the clinch but Nickers keeps him there for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Iago keeps control of Nickers as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Nickers keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Iago's efforts to push away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nickers stops a takedown attempt from Iago.
Nickers can't get the takedown.
Iago has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Nickers is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Smelly Nickers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fabio Iago.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nickers wants to break the clinch but can't.
Nickers gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Iago.
Nickers can't break the clinch.
Iago goes for a takedown in the clinch but Nickers prevents it.
Nickers wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Iago has him pressed against the cage.
Nickers has Iago pressed against the cage, preventing Iago from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Iago can't get the takedown.

Nickers tightens his grip and picks Iago up, before dumping him to the ground. Iago manages to land in guard.
Nickers scoring with some ground and pound.
Nickers wants to control from the top but Iago keeps moving.

Iago has his foot on Nickers's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Nickers works his way back into a safe position though.
Iago trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Iago can't keep his opponent in guard - Nickers advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
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. Nickers connects with a nice short shot to Iago's temple.
Nickers lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Nickers has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Nickers lands a nice short elbow.
Nickers trying to control the action but Iago is working from the bottom.
Ground and pound from Nickers.
Nickers is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Nickers working Iago over with strikes.
Nickers seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Nickers is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Iago on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Nickers working the head and body with strikes.
Nickers lands with a punch from half guard.
Iago is staying active underneath Nickers, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Nickers stops Iago from getting back to his feet.
Smelly Nickers overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Iago tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Nickers has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Nickers landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's four 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.
Nickers landing punches.
Nickers lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Iago is looking to get to half guard.
Nickers breaks from Iago's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Nickers dominating with strikes here.
Iago is looking to improve his position but Nickers isn't that keen on the idea.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A nice elbow there by Nickers.
Nickers is landing with some decent strikes but Iago is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Smelly Nickers dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Nickers drives through with a takedown into guard.
Nickers throwing strikes but missing.

Nickers avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Nickers makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Nickers is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Nickers working some strikes from top position.
Nickers passes Iago's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Iago trying to control from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nickers looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Iago trying to control here.
Nickers is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Nickers seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Nickers winds up and cracks Iago with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Nickers working over Iago with some ground and pound. Iago looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Nickers slips a nice elbow through Iago's hands, connecting with Iago's forehead.
Iago tries to get to full guard but Nickers has control of the leg.
Nickers seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Nickers lands a nice short elbow.

That's two 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.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Nickers lands a nice short elbow.
Nickers lands with a punch from half guard.
Nickers lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Nickers is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Iago!
Iago is working to get back to half guard.
Nickers with the ground and pound from mount.
BOOM! Nickers connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Nickers landing strikes from the mount and Iago is in trouble!
Nickers looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Iago wants to control but Nickers is having none of it.
Smelly Nickers is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nickers landing strikes from the mount and Iago is in trouble!
Iago wants to hold on but Nickers pushes him away.
Nickers lands a big shot there that rocks Iago but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Nickers prevents Iago from getting the reversal.
Nickers lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Nickers cracks Iago with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Nickers controlling from mount.
Nickers landing strikes from the mount and Iago is in trouble!

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.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Nickers cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Nickers controlling the pace for now.
Nickers working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Nickers controlling from mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
Smelly Nickers showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nickers has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:26
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Smelly Nickers!