PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Len Nicodemo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takanori Gomi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gomi comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Scary kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Nicodemo
vs
Gomi

180 cm
25
156 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

173 cm
23
159 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Len Nicodemo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Takanori Gomi!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Daniel Blasius and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gomi throws a right hand that Nicodemo ducks under and follows up with a left that Nicodemo also avoids with ease.
Gomi slips under a jab from Nicodemo.
Nicodemo misses with a jab, cross combination.
Nicodemo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nicodemo looks to score with a jab to the body but Gomi is just out of range.
Nicodemo missing with a left hand there. Gomi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gomi scores with a hook.
A slow jab from Nicodemo misses its intended target.
Nicodemo swings away with a body shot that misses

and Gomi counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Nicodemo wants to get back to full guard.
Gomi throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Nicodemo is looking to improve his position.
Nicodemo is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Gomi's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Gomi's back!
Nicodemo throwing wild punches that miss their target.
I would not like to be Gomi right now.

Gomi defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomi is trying to break free.
Nicodemo struggling to land strikes to the head as Gomi covers up.
What can Gomi do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Gomi wants to get back to his feet.
Gomi tries to escape but Nicodemo has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Nicodemo doesn't have the hooks in and Gomi manages to turn into his guard.

That's two 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.
Nicodemo seems keen to control Gomi's posture.
Gomi looking to sit in guard and control but Nicodemo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Nicodemo seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Gomi looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Nicodemo is pushing down on Gomi's leg trying to pass to half guard. Gomi is fighting to maintain full guard but Nicodemo has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nicodemo seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Nicodemo wants to get back to his feet.

Gomi looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Nicodemo is looking to take a break and control but Gomi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

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.
Gomi wants to get back to full guard.
Nicodemo is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Nicodemo looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Nicodemo stands up out of the half guard.
Gomi misses with the combination.
Nicodemo throws a combination that misses
and Gomi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Gomi slips a straight right by Nicodemo.
Nicodemo throws a big shot that misses.
Nicodemo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gomi moves away.
Gomi moves out of range as Nicodemo strikes.
Gomi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Nicodemo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takanori Gomi dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gomi lands with an uppercut that bounces Nicodemo off the cage and back into rage.
Nicodemo throws a jab but it's blocked by Gomi.
Gomi thows a body shot but no joy.
Nicodemo throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Gomi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Nicodemo loads up on a big right hand but Gomi slips the punch.
Gomi ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Nicodemo pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nicodemo scores with the left hand. Gomi knows he should have avoided that one.
Gomi shoots for a takedown but Nicodemo saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Nicodemo looks to land a combination but Gomi avoids it well.
Gomi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Nicodemo circles away quickly and effectively.
Gomi lands with a hook. Nicodemo tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Gomi moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Takanori Gomi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nicodemo connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Nicodemo scores with the left hand. Gomi knows he should have avoided that one.
Nicodemo displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gomi throws out the jab.
Gomi moves forwards but Nicodemo connects with a nice, crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Nicodemo. Gomi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gomi slips a jab from Nicodemo.
Nicodemo misses with a hook. Gomi ducked under it nicely.
Gomi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nicodemo.

Gomi throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Nicodemo was covering up waiting for the punch and Gomi finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Nicodemo looking for a sweep. Not yet Nicodemo, not yet.
Nicodemo keeping moving, preventing Gomi from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gomi is fighting to break Nicodemo's control of his arms but Nicodemo is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Nicodemo is wriggling around but Gomi manages to pass to half guard.

Nicodemo is defending against the submission attempts here by Gomi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nicodemo regains full guard. Nicely done.
Gomi postures up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nicodemo is on top in guard.
Gomi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Nicodemo got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gomi has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nicodemo has managed to get both his arms back between Gomi's legs - danger averted.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gomi is breathing heavily.
Gomi can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Nicodemo controls the pace.
Nicodemo trying to control the position from guard on top but Gomi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nicodemo looking to sit in guard and control but Gomi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Nicodemo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Nicodemo looking to control.
Gomi controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Nicodemo is pulling down on Gomi's head to control his posture.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nicodemo is on top in guard.

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.
Nicodemo showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Nicodemo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gomi lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Nicodemo!
Gomi looking to finish Nicodemo with some ground and pound. This is bad for Nicodemo!
Nicodemo is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gomi throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
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 Len Nicodemo 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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Gomi looks to score with a jab to the body but Nicodemo is just out of range.
Nicodemo dodges the punch combination from Gomi.
Nicodemo throws the left hand but Gomi avoids the punch easily.
Nicodemo lands with a nice body punch.
Gomi takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Nicodemo lands with an overhand left.
Nicodemo lands a nice hook to Gomi's body. Gomi takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Nicodemo lands a head shot.
Nicodemo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gomi.
Nicodemo misses with a double jab.
Gomi misses with a body shot
and Nicodemo counters with a one-two to the body.

Gomi is rocked!
Len Nicodemo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gomi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A combination from Nicodemo does no damage.
Gomi slips a jab and a cross from Nicodemo.
Nicodemo just misses with a punch to the body.
Gomi uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nicodemo.
Nicodemo throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Gomi sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Nicodemo.
Gomi takes a swing at Nicodemo's ribcage but misses.
Nice straight punches there by Nicodemo. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Nicodemo.
Gomi slips under a jab.
Nicodemo lands with a shot to the body.
Nicodemo misses with a wild body shot.
A jab from Nicodemo misses.
Gomi scores with a one two! Nicodemo had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Gomi slips a jab from Nicodemo.
Nicodemo throws a hook to the side of Gomi's head but Gomi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Gomi misses with a body shot.
Gomi misses with a wild combination.
The fighters circling - Nicodemo throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gomi misses with a body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Nicodemo.
Gomi slips a straight right by Nicodemo.
Nicodemo misses with a wild body shot.
Donk. Gomi catches Nicodemo right on the button with a cross.
Gomi thows a body shot but no joy.
Nicodemo staying out of range there.
Gomi misses with the combination.
Nicodemo misses the body punch
and Gomi counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Nicodemo throws a jab when Gomi was well out of range.
Nicodemo throws a nice looking combination but Gomi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Gomi is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Nicodemo rather than just go for the knockout.
Gomi takes a swing at Nicodemo's ribcage but misses.
Len Nicodemo is winning the standup battle so far.
Nicodemo on the wrong end of a nice hook.
No luck for Gomi with that takedown attempt.
Gomi slips a jab from Nicodemo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Nicodemo.
Gomi takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Gomi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nicodemo misses with a double jab

and Gomi decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Nicodemo's guard.
Nicodemo is controlling Gomi's posture.
Gomi slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Nicodemo struggling a bit here.
Nicodemo is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Gomi off and has taken his back!
Gomi staying busy and making it hard for Nicodemo to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nicodemo missing with strikes from the back.
Nicodemo wants to control but Gomi is keeping busy.
Nicodemo wants to control but Gomi manages to buck him off and is now in Nicodemo's guard! Nice work there by Gomi!

Gomi drops back looking for a leg! Nicodemo is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Nicodemo manages to kick Gomi off! Gomi jumps back into Nicodemo's guard.
Nicodemo is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nicodemo wants to sweep here but Gomi controlling him for the moment.
Gomi content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

And that's the end of the fight!
Len Nicodemo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Nicodemo 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:29
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!