PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dragan Nikolich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Remi Verbruggen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Remi Verbruggen is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Nikolich
vs
Verbruggen

195 cm
26
300 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

191 cm
26
300 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Blunt Force Trauma Clothing/WAR Combat Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dragan Nikolich!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Remi Verbruggen!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Saam Ante and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Verbruggen tries for a takedown but Nikolich sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Verbruggen shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Verbruggen showed some decent athleticism there.
Nikolich is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Verbruggen jumps into side control!
Nikolich stops Verbruggen from passing to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Verbruggen throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Nikolich is trying to buck Verbruggen off.
Nikolich parries the strikes from Verbruggen easily there. Verbruggen is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Nikolich to escape.
Verbruggen in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Verbruggen 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.
Sloppy strikes there by Verbruggen.
Nikolich is pushing Verbruggen's head away, looking to escape. Verbruggen manages to hold on to the position though.
Nikolich stops Verbruggen from passing to mount.
Verbruggen cracks Nikolich with a big right hand but Nikolich just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikolich regains half guard there - taking advantage of Verbruggen's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Nikolich looks like he's trying to stand up.
Nikolich avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Verbruggen.
Verbruggen is thwarting Nikolich's attempts to control the position.
Nikolich tries to get to full guard but Verbruggen has control of the leg.

Verbruggen is looking for a kimura but Nikolich is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Verbruggen to get the leverage.

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.

Nikolich is defending against the submission attempts here by Verbruggen.
Nikolich trying to control but Verbruggen postures up.
Nikolich is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Verbruggen's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Verbruggen's back!
Nikolich avoiding Verbruggen 's attempts to control his hands.
Verbruggen is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Verbruggen is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Verbruggen rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Verbruggen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikolich thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Verbruggen trying to control here.
Verbruggen slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Nikolich throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Verbruggen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Nikolich throws and elbow that misses. Verbruggen uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Nikolich's guard. Nice move by Verbruggen!
Nikolich bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Verbruggen's guard.
Nikolich works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Nikolich trying to control from half guard but Verbruggen is working away.
Verbruggen trying to control from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikolich thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Verbruggen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Nikolich looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Nikolich tries to pass to full mount but Verbruggen defends it.
Nikolich trying to control from half guard but Verbruggen is working away.
Nikolich thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Verbruggen's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Remi Verbruggen dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Verbruggen throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Nikolich tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Verbruggen is in Nikolich's guard.
Verbruggen throws a big right hand that misses.
Nikolich keeping moving, preventing Verbruggen from controlling successfully.
Verbruggen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Verbruggen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Verbruggen thows a big elbow that misses.
Nikolich can't keep his opponent in guard - Verbruggen advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Nikolich is trying to control but can't.
Verbruggen seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Nikolich does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Nikolich is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Verbruggen is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Nikolich!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Verbruggen throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Nikolich because Verbruggen loaded up on that one.
Verbruggen misses with a head shot.
Verbruggen prevents Nikolich from getting the reversal.
Nikolich tries to hold on but Verbruggen postures up.
Verbruggen controlling from the full mount.
Nikolich wants to try and get back to his feet.
Verbruggen thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Verbruggen looking to finish with strikes here!

Verbruggen is working for a guillotine from mount but Nikolich frees his head quite easily.
Verbruggen throws some wild stikes that Nikolich manages to avoid easily.

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.
Verbruggen looking to control and managing it successfully.
Verbruggen looking to finish Nikolich with some ground and pound. This is bad for Nikolich!
Nikolich is trying to escape the mount.
Verbruggen throwing strikes here but Nikolich is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Verbruggen scoring with strikes but Nikolich is staying in there.

Verbruggen has hold of Nikolich's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Nikolich manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Nikolich can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verbruggen thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Verbruggen thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Remi Verbruggen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nikolich working to try and regain half guard.
Nikolich tries to hold on but Verbruggen postures up.
Verbruggen looking to control and managing it successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nikolich is desperately trying to improve his position but Verbruggen has a good base and remains in mount.
Nikolich on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Nikolich tries to get out of the position.

Verbruggen is working for a guillotine from mount but Nikolich frees his head quite easily.

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.
Verbruggen thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Verbruggen looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Verbruggen lands a big shot there that rocks Nikolich but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Verbruggen landing strikes from the mount and Nikolich is in trouble!
Nikolich wants to hold on but Verbruggen pushes him away.
Verbruggen misses with a head shot.
Verbruggen breaks from Nikolich's wrist control and lands an elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Verbruggen throws some wild stikes that Nikolich manages to avoid easily.
Nikolich working to try and regain half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Verbruggen working the ground and pound effectively.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Remi Verbruggen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Verbruggen shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Verbruggen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Nikolich wants to get back to his feet.
Nikolich blocking the ground and pound attempt from Verbruggen.
Nikolich keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Verbruggen lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Nikolich regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Verbruggen.
Verbruggen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Nikolich is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Verbruggen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Verbruggen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Verbruggen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Verbruggen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Verbruggen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Verbruggen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Verbruggen looking to sit in guard and control but Nikolich gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Nikolich postures up.
Verbruggen has control of Nikolich's left arm, preventing Nikolich from doing any damage.
Nikolich in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Nikolich throwing strikes but missing.

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.
Nikolich looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Nikolich trying to control but Verbruggen is working from the bottom.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Nikolich trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Verbruggen is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Nikolich throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Nikolich working some strikes from top position.
Verbruggen wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verbruggen lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Nikolich!
Nikolich is desperately trying to improve his position but Verbruggen has a good base and remains in mount.
Nikolich avoids a series of strikes thrown by Verbruggen.
Verbruggen unloading with bombs!
Verbruggen looking to ground and pound but Nikolich is blocking nicely.
Poor strikes thrown by Verbruggen there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Nikolich holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Verbruggen tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Nikolich is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Verbruggen scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Nikolich?
Nikolich wants to control but Verbruggen is having none of it.
Nikolich is working to get back to half guard.
Verbruggen fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

Verbruggen goes for an armbar but Nikolich turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Nikolich.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nikolich wants to control from the top but Verbruggen keeps moving.
Dragan Nikolich has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Remi Verbruggen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Verbruggen avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Remi Verbruggen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Verbruggen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 26:30
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 26:30
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Remi Verbruggen!