PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Nottingham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and RAEKWON ILLMATIC (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). ILLMATIC has chosen Raekwon Incarcerated Scarfaces as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Nottingham
vs
ILLMATIC

185 cm
25
169 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

194 cm
20
165 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Daniel Nottingham!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, RAEKWON ILLMATIC!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Cecil Peabody and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
ILLMATIC looks for the body kick but Nottingham saw that one coming.
No joy there for ILLMATIC, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
ILLMATIC throws a head kick that Nottingham semi-blocks.
ILLMATIC swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
ILLMATIC misses with a few strikes there.
ILLMATIC throws a right and a left that Nottingham avoids nicely.
ILLMATIC throws a series of punches but Nottingham moves out of range.

Nottingham closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. ILLMATIC did well to prevent Nottingham getting side control.
Nottingham stops ILLMATIC from getting back to his feet.
Still in half guard, Nottingham seems content to control.
Nottingham is pressing down on ILLMATIC's thigh, looking to free his foot. ILLMATIC is holding on for now.
Nottingham is controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nottingham is looking to take a break and control but ILLMATIC is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Nottingham sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. ILLMATIC defending well though.
Nottingham is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Nottingham thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Nottingham works his way into full mount!

Nottingham jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… ILLMATIC is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by ILLMATIC and Nottingham has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Nottingham wants to control but ILLMATIC is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

ILLMATIC sneaks out the side door and pushes Nottingham away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
ILLMATIC throws a right and a left that Nottingham avoids nicely.
ILLMATIC throws a head kick that half lands.
Some wild striking there from ILLMATIC.
ILLMATIC misses with the combination.
Nottingham thuds his right hand into ILLMATIC's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
RAEKWON ILLMATIC seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
ILLMATIC rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Nottingham moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Horrible takedown by Nottingham or perhaps it was just good defense by ILLMATIC which made him look bad.
Nottingham throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
ILLMATIC looks to land a combination but Nottingham avoids it well.
Nottingham is on the wrong end of a nice combination from ILLMATIC.
ILLMATIC misses with a low kick.
ILLMATIC will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

Nottingham closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Nottingham looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Nottingham stops ILLMATIC from getting back to his feet.
Nottingham wants to control but ILLMATIC is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nottingham looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
ILLMATIC wants to stand but Nottingham is controlling the position.
Nottingham working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
ILLMATIC can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Nottingham controls the pace.
Nottingham prevents ILLMATIC from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nottingham throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Nottingham is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! ILLMATIC is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! ILLMATIC has escaped and now he's on top!
ILLMATIC wants to stand but Nottingham has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Nottingham trying to keep a closed guard but ILLMATIC is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
ILLMATIC wants to stand but Nottingham is controlling his posture from full guard.
Nottingham scores with a short punch from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nottingham is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Nottingham trying to keep a closed guard but ILLMATIC is proving a slippery customer.

Nottingham is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. ILLMATIC is aware though and is defending well.
ILLMATIC would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's four 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.

Nottingham looking for submissions from the bottom but instead ILLMATIC passes into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nottingham is looking to reverse the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nottingham is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked ILLMATIC off and has taken his back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Nottingham dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

ILLMATIC slips under a jab from Nottingham.
ILLMATIC looks to land a combination but Nottingham avoids it well.
ILLMATIC throws a series of punches but Nottingham avoids them all with ease.
Nottingham throws a body punch but ILLMATIC moves out of range.

Nottingham closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming ILLMATIC to the mat! ILLMATIC manages to get full guard.
Nottingham throws and elbow that misses. ILLMATIC uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Nottingham's guard. Nice move by ILLMATIC!

ILLMATIC decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Nottingham, up you get!
Nottingham misses with a hook. ILLMATIC ducked under it nicely.
ILLMATIC fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Nottingham is out of range.
ILLMATIC throws a right and a left that Nottingham avoids nicely.
Left hook, right uppercut from ILLMATIC.
Nottingham looks for a takedown but ILLMATIC sprawls well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
ILLMATIC rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Nottingham moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Nottingham fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
ILLMATIC lands with a nice combination. Nottingham backs away looking to recover.
ILLMATIC misses with the combination.
ILLMATIC throws a right and a left that both miss.
ILLMATIC takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
ILLMATIC tries to bum rush Nottingham with a series of wild strikes but Nottingham uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nottingham takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
A punch combination from ILLMATIC misses.
RAEKWON ILLMATIC is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nottingham looks to score with a jab to the body but ILLMATIC is just out of range.
ILLMATIC throws a series of strikes that have Nottingham backpedaling.
ILLMATIC misses with a few strikes there.
ILLMATIC throws a right and a left that both miss.
Nottingham is trying hard to land a takedown here. ILLMATIC sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
ILLMATIC throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nottingham dodges the punch combination from ILLMATIC.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nottingham shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Nottingham showed some decent athleticism there.
Nottingham throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Nottingham is looking for a kimura but ILLMATIC is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Nottingham to get the leverage.
Nottingham wants to take a breather but ILLMATIC is having none of it.
Nottingham prevents ILLMATIC from standing back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nottingham looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Nottingham stops ILLMATIC from getting back to his feet.
Nottingham missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Nottingham wants to take a breather but ILLMATIC is having none of it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
ILLMATIC swinging wildly here.
ILLMATIC tries to bum rush Nottingham with a series of wild strikes but Nottingham uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

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.

Nottingham shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Nottingham showed some decent athleticism there.
ILLMATIC is trying to escape back to his feet but Nottingham uses the scramble to pass into side control.
ILLMATIC is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
ILLMATIC is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Nottingham asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Daniel Nottingham overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nottingham advances to mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to RAEKWON ILLMATIC.
I think ILLMATIC has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight for RAEKWON ILLMATIC!
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight for RAEKWON ILLMATIC!
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight for Daniel Nottingham!

RAEKWON ILLMATIC wins by split decision!